⚾ Rare First Edition – Zane Grey’s The Short Stop (1909) A.C. McClurg, Chicago, 1909. First Edition 
 
Scarce in any condition, this is a very good copy of Zane Grey’s elusive baseball novel—his earliest foray outside the Western genre. The copyright page bears that all‑important statement: “Published June 1909”, confirming first printing status.  Before Grey became the celebrated chronicler of the American West, he was a scholarship baseball player at the University of Pennsylvania and later played semi‑pro ball. That firsthand experience fuels the authenticity of The Short Stop, a spirited juvenile baseball novel that would pave the way for The Young Pitcher (1911) and The Redheaded Outfield (1915). Collectors of both Grey and baseball fiction prize this title highly.
 
*The book includes a scarce Signed 5 3/4" x 3 1/2" half-tone reproduction photograph of the author in jacket and tie in fine condition. 
 
📖 Physical Description:  8vo. 310 pages - Bound in green pictorial cloth with black and white decoration and illustrated with five black‑and‑white plates by H.S. DeLay
 
📝 Condition: Light rubbing to white paint on front board, edge wear; corners bumped; fraying at spine ends, foxing to a few prelims; mild spine lean, interior clean and unmarked. Overall, a very good copy—solid, presentable, and far above average for this scarce McClurg edition.
 
✨ Why Collectors Care - Scarcity: First editions of The Short Stop seldom appear on the market. Cross‑genre appeal: Highly sought by both Zane Grey collectors and baseball fiction enthusiasts. Historical significance: A rare glimpse of Grey’s athletic past shaping his literary career.