1898 Baseball Document

[sbrylski]

Among the items was the 1898 document pictured above, entitled "Special Instructions To Players," regarding the use of obscene language by players at the ballpark, to intimidate umpires and opposing players, and to verbally battle with unfriendly fans.

Reading this document started out very drab for a sentence or two, but then quickly got our attention as the language used became very unexpected for an official Major League baseball document, let alone one devoted to demanding players not use "any indecent or obscene word, sentence, or expression." It turned "blue," and, well, got "bluer." This piece is ironic as it provides many examples of exactly the kind of "brutal language" that was being outlawed.

***Profanity Alert***

 

This document is for auction, and can be read in full. Here's the link.

[JimH5]

That auction house, Robert Edward Auctions is my favorite. The catalog for their annual spring auction (I think they run just one per year) is a keeper resource with interesting information about the earliest relics in baseball's history.

 

I've never won anything from their auction, as there has always been someone else willing to pay more than me, but one of these years. . .