Historic 1888-89 Spalding Baseball Tour Poster Hits the Auction Block at Heritage Auctions

A significant piece of baseball memorabilia, a poster from the 1888-89 Australian Baseball Tour organized by Albert G. Spalding, is up for auction. This rare collectible, one of only two in existence, highlights the early efforts to internationalize baseball and is a centerpiece of Heritage Auctions' Platinum Night event.

Heritage Auctions is poised to auction a historically significant poster from the 1888-89 Australian Baseball Tour organized by Albert G. Spalding, a key figure in early baseball history and a sporting goods magnate. This auction item is one of the focal points of the Platinum Night event scheduled for February 24-25, offering nearly 2,800 pieces that span baseball's history from the 19th century to contemporary times.

This poster, one of only two known examples, the other being part of the Baseball Hall of Fame's permanent collection, commemorates a pioneering baseball barnstorming tour. Organized after the 1888 season, the tour featured matches between the Chicago White Stockings and an "All America" team assembled by Spalding, highlighting the sport's expansion efforts beyond American borders.

Measuring 42 inches by 28 inches, the poster is celebrated by Heritage Auctions as an unprecedented piece of memorabilia, showcasing players in poses familiar to collectors of Old Judge and N284 Buchner Gold Coin cards. Notable players from this historic tour include Hall of Famers Cap Anson, John Montgomery Ward, and Ned Hanlon, who are featured among the players who embarked on this international showcase.

The tour, which also visited locales such as the Sandwich Islands (present-day Hawaii), New Zealand, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Egypt, Italy, France, and England, was part of Spalding's ambitious plan to globalize the sport of baseball. It was endorsed by then-President Grover Cleveland and represented an early and influential attempt to market baseball as America's national pastime to a global audience.

The journey, funded by Spalding at a personal cost of $30,000, was not just a sporting event but a cultural mission, aiming to introduce baseball across the continents. The tour concluded with significant success, drawing large crowds and culminating in a banquet in New York City to honor the teams' global expedition.

Set with a pre-sale estimate of $100,000, the auction of this poster offers a rare opportunity for collectors and baseball historians to own a piece of the sport's global outreach efforts. This piece of memorabilia not only captures the essence of baseball's early days but also commemorates its journey to becoming an international pastime.