Spalding’s Trade Marked Base Balls. Our line of Base Balls is now so well known to the trade, and they are so thoroughly appreciated by the base ball players of the country, that it seems almost unnecessary to call special attention to their superior merits. Spalding’s League Ball, hav- ing stood the severe test of the National League for the last eight years, and having again been adopted as the official ball of that leading organization for 1887, as well as most of the other prominent associations, gives it a reputation and sale un- equaled by any other ball on the market. It is made of the very best material, in accordance with the latest League re- quirements, and with every League Ball sold is given a guar- antee that it will stand a full game without ripping or losing its shape. Bexvare of cheap imitations; no League Ball is gen uine without our trademark on each box and ball, and the autograph of on each label. To further protect ourselves and customers from the impositions of certain unprincipled manufacturers, and for the better protection of the balls, we have this season adopted a new feature of sealing each of our trademarked balls (from the $1.50 “League Ball” to the 5c. “Boss Ball”) in a separate box, and purchasers of our goods will serve their own interest by noticing that the seals are not broken, or the balls tampered with. We hope that Ball Players will not be misled by the remarks of interested dealers handling inferior goods that the articles they offer “are just as good as Spalding’s” and at a cheaper price. We accept their frequent references to our goods as the highest compliment that can be paid us, and only ask that pur- chasers will make their own comparisons, and be convinced that our goods are really the cheapest, as they certainly are the best. Special trade prices are quoted to dealers on application. A. G. SPALDING & BROS., 108. Madison St., CHICAGO. 341 Broadway, HEW TORE. OTTH PUBLICATIONS. The popular encouragement given to the pursuit of Athletic Sports, Recreative Amusements, Gymnastic Exercises, etc., and the comparative scarcity of mediums of instruction on these subjects, suggested the publi- cation of our Library of Athletic Sports. The benefits of Athletic and other manly exercises, from an educational as well as from a moral and recreative point of view, are now so generally recognized that the right method of promoting man’s physical welfare should be readily accessible. No. 1. Spalding’s Official Base Ball Guide Price each, IOC. a 2. Spalding’s “ League Book a IOC. a 3 - Spalding’s Illustrated Hand Book of Pitching and Fielding a 25c. u 4. Spalding’s Illustrated Hand Book of Batting and Base Running a 25c. it 7 - Spalding’s Illustrated Foot Ball Rules and Refer- ees’ Book... 4 4 IOC. u 8. Spalding’s Lawn Tennis Manual a IOC. <4 tt 9- Spalding’s Manual of Roller Skating 25c. u X®. Spalding’s Official |Croquet Manual < 4 IOC. a 11. Spalding’s Manual of Boxing, Indian Club Swing- ing and Manly Sports a 25c. u 13 - Spalding’s Hand Book of Sporting Rules and Training it 25c. a Practical a 14. Gymnastics without a Teacher 5°c- Any of the above books mailed upon receipt of price. OUR COMPLETE CATALOGUE. We have just issued the largest and most complete Sporting Goods Catalogue ever published, containing over i,ooo separate illustrations of various articles used in sport, together with a carefully prepared price list and description of each article. We have endeavored to make the illustra- tion and description so plain that customers from a distance can select an article quite as intelligently as if they had called at our Chicago or New York Stores in person. In addition to its value as a catalogue, it contains a complete and valuable set of Sporting Rules, embracing Athletic Sports, Archery, Badminton, Bagatelle, Bicycling, Billiards, Pool, Boating, Box- ing, Bowling-, Caledonian Games, Club Swinging, Cricket, Croquet, Curl- ing, Fly Casting, Foot Ball, Fencing, Gymnastics, Hand Ball, Lawn Tennis, Lacrosse, Polo, Quoits, Racquet, Running, Shooting, Skating, Walking, Wrestling Rules. With each Catalogue purchased of us a certificate is inclosed entitling the holder to use it as 25 cents toward payment of goods where the amount equals or exceeds $1 .00. Mailed to any address upon receipt of accents. A. ©„ SPAX.BIMG & BROS., 108 Madison St., CHICAGO. 241 Broadway, NEW YORK, PUBLISHERS’ NOTICE. “ Spalding’s Base Ball Guide” again greets the base ball public with the official records of America’s national game. First issued in it 1877 , has grown in popularity, has been enlarged and improved from year to year, and is now the recognized authority upon base ball matters. The statistics contained in the “ Guide ” can be relied upon, nearly all of them having been compiled from official records. The “Guide” has attained such a size—-160 pages -—-as to preclude the possibility of publishing in the same issue the League Constitution in full, and other interesting League matter. We are therefore com- pelled, in addition, to publish the “ Official League Book,” which contains only official League matter as furnished by Secretary Young, including the League Constitution in full. Copies of the “ Guide ” 01 « League Book,” will be mailed to any address upon receipt of ten cents each. Trade orders supplied through the News Companies, or direct from the publishers. a, o. mwAiMmu & 103 3^a,d.is©n. St., £2*3:1 Broadvray^ CHICAGO. MW YORK. Washington. D. C., March 3, 1886. By the authority vested in me, I do hereby certify that Messrs. A. G. Spalding & Bros., of Chicago, 111 ., have been granted the exclusive right to publish the Official League Book N. E, for 1887. YOUNG, . Secretary National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs . — SPALDING’S Base Ball Guide —AND Official League Book for 1887. A COMPLETE HANDBOOK OF THE NATIONAL GAME OF BASE BALL CONTAINING STATISTICAL REVIEWS OF THE VARIOUS PRO- FESSIONAL ASSOCIATION CHAMPIONSHIP SEASONS, AS ALSO THE RECORDS AND AVERAGES OF THE INTER- COLLEGIATE ASSOCIATIONS, EAST AND WEST. ADDED TO WHICH IS THE COMPLETE OFFICIAL LEAGUE RECORD FOR 1SS6, TOGETHER WITH THE NEW CODE OF PLAYING RULES AS REVISED BY THE COMMITTEE OR CONFERENCE, Attached to Which is an Official Explanatory Appendix Giving a Correct Interpretation of the New Rules, also the Official Record of all League Games Players and ; and the Official Schedule of League Games for 1887. PITCHERS’ RECORDS IN VICTORIES FOR 1886; RECORDS OF THE VETERAN BATSMEN OF THE LEAGUE FROM 1876 TO 1886. PUBLISHED by A. G. SPALDING & BROS., CHICAGO AND NEW YORK. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1887, by A. G. Spalding & Bro«., in the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. CORRECT DIAGRAM OF A BALL GROUND Xsft © "Right! 2d,Basemaa 1st Baseman x X D . \1 V catcher UMPIRE Catcher’s fenc'a. A. A. A.—Ground reserved for Umpire, Batsman and Catcher. B. B. -—Ground reserved for Captain and Assistant. C.—Players’ Bench. D. —Visiting Players’ Bat Hack. E,—Home Players’ Bat Rack. MICHAEL I. KEuLy. Michael J. Kelly, or “Mike” Kelly as he i$ more fa- miliarly known to lovers of base ball the country over, heads the list of League bats- men for the season of 1886, and in the opinion of many competent judg- es the only reason that Kelly has not long before enjoyed the distinction he now enjoys as a batsman, is because he has at no time during his career upon the diamond been an individ- ual record player. On the contrary, Kelly invariably plays ball rather for the good of his team and that his team may win, than for the advance- ment of his individual fielding, bat- ting, or catching record, and it has been this same self sacrificing spirit coupled with a natural quickness of thought and execution as well as an innate talent and ability as a ball pla that has made him so valuable as a player to the clubs he has played with of late years. Kelly was born in Troy, N. Y., in 1857, and in 1S77 when scarcely twenty years old made his first appearance as a ball player with the Olympic Club of Paterson, N. J. Before the season was over he had blossomed forth as a professional in the ranks of the Buckeye Club of Columbus, Ohio, when he caught McCormick of last year’s Chicagos quite successfully. The opening of the following season found him with the Cincinnati Reds where he played rightfield and change catcher until 1879, when he went to California with the Cincinnati -Buffalo aggregation. Early in 1880 he was signed by the Chicago League Club, where, in the uniform of the White Stockings, his name and fame as a ball player were sent from sea coast to sea coast of the country. In February of the present year, (1887) Kelly was transferred from the ranks of the Chicago to the Bos- ton club, the latter organization paying no less than $10,000 for the player’s release from the ranks of the White Stockings. The change was wholly unexpected; the price paid unprecedented in the history of the game; and the news of the transaction fell in the nature of a sensation upon ball players and lovers of the game through- out the country. Kelly has an individual- ity of his own, which is seen to a marked degree, both upon the ball field and in MICHAEL J. KELLY, his social intercourse with his fellow CHAMPION BATTER OF l886.