This incredibly rare, bound volume of the Sporting Life appears to be complete from 1887 and 1888 (50+ issues). Some of these are the only known copies of this important sports publication in private hands. These are originally from the archives of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and were deacquisitioned in order to fund their digitization. This volume was not separated at the spines like almost all the others. Fabulous content: 1887 opening of Washington Park in Brooklyn, Jacob Knowdell insane, King Kelly, Hoss Radbourne, John Ward & the Player's Brotherhood controversy (led to formation of the 1890 Player's League), Detroit v St. Louis World Series, Anson & Pfeffer "row", regular minor league coverage (Western, International, etc.), "dirty" play of Comiskey & Welch of St. Louis, 1888 Spalding Tour of Australia, and regular column (Henry) "Chadwick's Chat." Plus, all sports stuff like Harvard-Yale football championship and John L. Sullivan's European Tour. Some tears and chipping as they are very fragile. Perhaps the best bonus of all is a rare circa 1939 National Baseball Hall of Fame bookplate. The only ones we have ever seen outside Cooperstown are the few in this collection.