viii, [2], 188 + [6] ad pp. Wood-engraved frontispiece, with tissue-guard. 7x4½, original decorative red cloth, stamped in gilt and black with gilt vignette of a young baseball pitcher inside black stamped baseball diamond, gilt vignette of a young hitter with bat on spine in direction of pitcher on the front cover, crossed bats stamped in black on upper spine, housed in a custom black cloth clamshell box with paper spine label. First Edition.

Inscribed and signed by the author to Charles V. Whiting, dated New York, November 1880 on the front free endpaper. Scarce and early baseball fiction, which was intended for young adults, The Fairport Nine, is generally considered one of the earliest baseball novels. “Characters in the Story” leaf following contents leaf lists players and their positions for both The Fairport Nine team and The White Bears.