Ancient 1889 E.R. Williams 'Base Ball' Playing Cards Game Complete Set (52) with 8 SGC Graded (Anson/Ewing VG+ 3.5, Comiskey/Connor EX 5, etc.) – Original Box w/ Game Pieces & Scoring Sheets Included

Baseball has long been associated with games you can play on a smaller scale, from APBA and Strat-O-Matic to Hardball 99 and MLB The Show. One of the earliest baseball games was the “E.R. Williams Popular Indoor Base Ball Game.” Dating to 1889, the E.R. Williams parlor game consists of a deck of 52 cards, of which there are 19 featured portrait cards of real ballplayers – two players to a card for a total of 38 players). The featured players are from the two major leagues of the period, the National League and American Association. Of this group of 19th century stars, ten players are enshrined in Cooperstown: Cap Anson, Buck Ewing, Dan Brouthers, Charles Comiskey, Roger Connor, John Clarkson, Tim Keefe, King Kelly, Pud Galvin, and Monte Ward. The 2½” x 3½” cards are highly collectible individually, and finding a complete set like this is a rare opportunity. Along with the complete set of cards is the original box, game pieces and scoring sheets. The box shows heavy wear from age and use, yet remains intact. The cards range from VG to EX, with eight key cards graded by SGC. Please refer to the accompanying photos for reference.