The Book of Sports

“In preparing this little work, it has been a principal part of my object to serve the cause of physical education by directing the attention of young persons to sports of a healthful and invigorating tendency. “ —Robin Carver, Preface, 1834 (1834), by ROBIN CARVER, also known as the Carver Book, is an American classic. It contains 15 short chapters describing the rules of popular games such as “Hide and Seek,” “Cricket,” “Prisoner’s Base,” “Leap-Frog,” “Trial of the Thumb,” and “Snow-Balling.” Moreover, it offers the first description of how to play baseball—”Base or Goal Ball”—in Chapter Three. In his Preface, Carver credits an English book which he used as a source for some of his materials (also available from Cosimo Classics). is a fascinating memento of times gone by, but also of the foundation of America’s pastime, baseball, illustrated with numerous wood-engravings.