A new book set to arrive this fall will give readers a look at some of the rare and colorful baseball cards from the Library of Congress.
Game Faces, created by Peter Devereaux, a writer-editor at the Library, melds some of the 2,100 cards in the Benjamin K. Edwards Collection with images of American Life from 1887-1914, “bringing to life an era of American history that saw the game explode in popularity,” according to information from the publisher.
The book also offers engaging insights into the players and the game, “giving readers an intimate view of both baseball’s development and American culture at the turn of the twentieth century.”
Among the cards featured are those from some of the more popular sets of the time period including Ty Cobb, Christy Mathewson and Cy Young but also some whose names are not nearly as well-known. The book’s presentation aims to highlight the color and design of the cards, presenting them as works of art in their own right.
The 168-page book includes a forward by John Thorn, Major League Baseball’s Historian.
It’s due to be released October 23. You can order a copy here.