Seymour Church 1901 Half-Year Calendar w/ Chadwick, Spalding and Others

From the inaugural year of the American League and the dawn of the two league system (American v. National) we present this very rare 1901 "half year" lithograph calendar (January through July). The piece itself is very colorful and evokes images of the game as it was played years before the two league battles, during in a simpler time when we imagine the game in it's "natural" pastoral setting. On the front is a richly colored illustration of what is clearly a 19th century game of base ball in progress. In addition, there are images of George Van Haltren in a batting pose (he was the New York Giants big gun in 1901 having batted .396 for the season) along with former Chicago Cub Pitcher William A. Lange (in the 1890's the Chicago Tribune called him "the most popular Cub ever"). Additionally the lithograph contains colorful portraits of baseball pioneers Henry Chadwick, A.G. Spalding and former umpire James A. McDonald. There even appears a colorful patriotic illustration of Uncle Sam lording over Englishman Johnnie Bull as he sits atop a baseball nestled on a baseball fan. On the back of the calendar there are period ads with a printed description of the piece. "S.R. Church" and "Britton and Ray" are identified as the lithographers. Church, a well known baseball aficionado for years (he designed the covers of the popular Reach Baseball Guides in the late 1890's), is the author of the important 1902 book, "Base Ball: The History, Statistics and Romance of the American National Game, 1845 to 1871". In fact, this very illustration adorns the cover of that historic volume. This artifact measures 14" by 19", framed to 18" by 24" and appears to be in excellent condition.