Heritage Auctions is gearing up for its highly anticipated Platinum Night event, which promises to feature a remarkable piece of baseball history. The star of the show is a poster from the 1888-89 Spalding Australian Baseball Tour, a rare artifact that stands as a testament to the sport’s global reach and the entrepreneurial spirit of Albert G. Spalding.
This extraordinary poster, one of only two known surviving copies, represents a significant chapter in baseball’s history. It commemorates a barnstorming tour led by Albert G. Spalding, a baseball legend and sporting goods tycoon. Following the 1888 season, the tour pitted the Chicago White Stockings against an All America team assembled by Spalding himself.
Scheduled for February 24-25, the Platinum Night auction features nearly 2,800 items ranging from vintage Old Judge cards to modern-day exploits of stars like Aaron Judge. Among this impressive lineup, the 1888-89 Spalding Australian Baseball Tour poster takes center stage. Its rarity and historical importance are underscored by the fact that the other known copy of this poster resides in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Measuring an impressive 42 inches by 28 inches, the poster is hailed by Heritage Auctions as “the most astonishing eight square feet of paper” ever to appear in their auctions. The artwork on the poster bears resemblance to the images found on Old Judge and N284 Buchner Gold Coin cards, featuring prominent players who participated in the tour, including future Hall of Famers Cap Anson, John Montgomery Ward, and Ned Hanlon.
The ambitious tour, envisioned by Albert G. Spalding as a means to promote baseball globally, took the teams through various countries and territories, including New Zealand, Ceylon, Egypt, Italy, France, and England. The journey also included stops in the Sandwich Islands (now Hawaii) and culminated with games in Australian cities like Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Ballarat. Spalding invested $30,000 of his own money into the venture and secured an endorsement from President Grover Cleveland, emphasizing the tour’s significance.
Beyond its historical value, the poster offers a captivating glimpse into the early professionalization of baseball and its efforts to capture the attention of a global audience. It serves as a testament to baseball’s status as America’s game and the enduring appeal it held even in the late 19th century. The tour garnered significant attention and a celebratory banquet at Delmonico’s restaurant in New York City marked the teams’ return, solidifying the success of Spalding’s promotional endeavor.
With a pre-sale estimate of $100,000, the 1888-89 Spalding Australian Baseball Tour poster presents a rare and valuable opportunity for collectors to own a piece of baseball’s storied past. This auction item not only showcases the sport’s rich history but also encapsulates its global reach and its journey towards becoming the beloved game it is today. Don’t miss out on a chance to own this extraordinary piece of sporting memorabilia.
