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 1834The Book of Sports (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 Prisoners 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 The Boys Own Book an English book which he used as a source for some of his materials (also available from Cosimo Classics).The Book of Sports is a fascinating memento of times gone by but also of the foundation of Americas pastime baseball illustrated with numerous wood-engravings.