In 1888 Albert Spalding took his Chicago White Stockings on a tour of four continents to play a team of All-Stars.
Their adventures were captured in a richly-illustrated book by Harry Clay Palmer, Frank Richter and others, entitled "Athletic Sports in America, England and Australia."
1888-89 Tour Images From "Athletic Sports" Book
CLICK ON THE IMAGES TO ENLARGE
In 1888, former pitching great, Albert Spalding, assembled a tour of top baseball talent to visit Australia to spread baseball -- and Spalding's sporting goods -- to the world's masses. The tour soon mushroomed to include stops in New Zealand, Australia, Ceylon, Egypt, Italy, France, and England. Games were played in exotic locales, including by the Sphynx in Egypt, the Villa Borghese in Rome and the Crystal Palace Grounds in London (all shown below).
Spalding's Chicago White Stockings played a series of games against a star-studded "All Americas" team.
Players on the tour included Cap Anson, John Ward, Ned Hanlon, Jimmy Ryan, Bob Pettit, Marty Sullivan, Cap Anson, Fred Pfeffer, Ned Williamson, Tom Burns, Tom Daly, Mark Baldwin, John Tener. George Wood, Fred Carrol, James Fogarty, James Manning, Tom Brown, Billy Earle, Ed Crane, and John Healy,
The Chicago team even included some pitching by Spalding himself, while the All Americas team was managed by baseball pioneer, George Wright.
Perhaps the most humeorus moment came when Cap Anson "apologized to the Sphinx on behalf of my team after the game was over" and the White Stockings suffered a 10-6 loss.
Copyright 2012-- VintageBall.com
1888-89 WORLD TOUR
These images all originate from an 1889 book by Harry Clay Palmer, J.A. Fynes, Frank Richter and W.I. Harris, published by Hubbard Brothers. The book had the humorously long title: 'Athletic Sports in America, England and Australia. Comprising History, Characteristics, Sketches of Famous Leaders, Organization and Great Contests of Baseball, Cricket, Football, La Crosse, Tennis, Rowing, and Cycling.'
The totle page also included this text: 'Also Including the Famous "Around the World" Tour of American Baseball Teams, Their Enthusiastic Welcomes, Royal Receptions, Banquets, Great Games Played before Notables of Foreign Nations, Humorous Incidents, Interesting Adventures, etc., etc.'
The book includes four chromolithographic plates, 36 black-&-white plates, and text illustrations.
