Lot # 2171: 1887 Spalding Celluloid Baseball Scorer Plus Box

Rare hand-held celluloid scorer designed to record balls and strikes, dating from the 1887 season. The year of manufacture for the offered scorer can be precisely dated to 1887 due to its unique design. The cream-colored device, which was primarily used by umpires to keep track of the "count" on the batter, records up to five balls and four strikes (as opposed to a maximum count of four balls and three strikes as one would normally expect to find on such a scorer). Research indicates that only in 1887 did five balls constitute a walk and four strikes a strikeout. The scorer (3 x 1.25 x .25 inches) was manufactured by Spalding and bears the company's name and logo on the reverse. Two separate patent dates (1878 and 1886) appear on the front. While we cannot state for certain how many of these "one-year" scorers have survived the ages, they are rare and very unusual. The scorer is in working order with moderate wear from age and normal use. There are varying degrees of soiling along the ball and strike numbers. Please note that while the scorer is accompanied by a Spalding box (there is a tear along the back panel), we are unable to identify if it's the original box. Total 2 items (scorer and box).