BASEBALL.

BASEBALL.
Scientific Base Ball Pitching: A Treatise on the Pitcher, Pitching, Origin and Philosophy of the Curve, Methods of Pitching and Practice. Chicago: Am. Authors' P. Pub. Co., (1897).
12mo (155 x 103 mm). 47, [1] pp ad. Woodcut to title and front cover, p 20, and 16 line drawings of baseball grips. Original pictorial wrappers, bound with string, ad to rear cover, cover split at spine near top and bottom, minor wear.
Provenance: M.G. Whitney (ink inscription, dated 1904, to front cover).

EARLY "SCIENTIFIC" BASEBALL BOOK—AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT THE MECHANICS OF THE CURVE BALL, AND IT VARIATIONS. An unrecorded gem recording and explaining variations in the curve ball, and not just how to throw it but how to pitch it: "The indispensable features in pitching are speed, curves, and control of the ball," "Do not send the ball directly over the plate as long as the batters continue to strike at it," and even touting the ever valuable "Pitching the occasional wild-ball that goes behind the batter is sure to annoy him very much." Long before Bill James and sabermetrics, baseball had a history of mechanical and engineering interest, and this is an early expression of that, and offers some fairly sophisticated advice. No other copies located, either in library catalogues or references.