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ALCOCK, C. W., & Rowland Hill.

Famous Footballers.

First edition. Originally issued in 12-page weekly parts, or as single sheets in the News of the World, this is the first book issue, bound without a title page, but in what appears to be a publisher’s binding. One of the first serious “fan” publications for the burgeoning sports, edited on the “association” side by Charlie Alcock, one of the early codifiers and administrators of the game, Secretary of the FA, instigator of the FA Cup, and the first man ever to be ruled offside; and the Rugby editor George Rowland Hill, for 23 years the Honorary Secretary of the RFU, and the man who proposed the split between Union and League. Contains individual and team portraits of the greatest exponents of both the Rugby and Association codes, in the days when football was football and a moustache was essential. Team portraits include Southampton St. Mary’s, Wolves, Sheffield Wednesday, Corinthians, Harlequins and The Royal Arsenal. Amongst the individuals featured are the sporting prodigy C.B. Fry, described by John Arlott as “… probably the most variously gifted Englishman of any age,” and Arthur Wharton, the first black professional football player in the world.

Folio, ?publisher’s black skiver-backed, matching sand-grained cloth, title and footballer device gilt to the upper board. 224 full-page half-tone illustrations from photographs, facsimile signatures to the individual portraits. Mild shelf-wear, else very good copy indeed.