Although statistical based newspaper and magazine articles had appeared before, the first known baseball guide made its appearance in 1859: the Base Ball Player’s Pocket Companion published by Mayhew and Baker. In the 150 years that have followed, these annual baseball guides have been one of the most important primary sources for baseball researchers. What makes the guides valuable is that they compile an entire season’s worth of information into a single volume; standings, rosters, playing statistics, etc. For many seasons, these guides are the only significant record of minor leagues, amateur and semi-pro leagues, and other baseball organizations. They are an invaluable resource for researchers.
Many of the early guides have been digitized and made available online. The Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Library and the Internet Archive are among the institutions that have posted collections of baseball guides. However, each of these collections has gaps. I have compiled this index to baseball guides available online, with links to each one. When multiple online versions of the same guide exist, I have linked to each one separately.
I have added a number of new guides since this list was originally posted, and will continue to make additions as sources are found or newly digitized. Mark Aubrey has been particularly helpful in tracking down digital versions of may early guides.Thanks also to John Thorn, Carlos Bauer, and Caleb Hardwick for their contributions. I will continue to make updates as I find digital sources and digitize guides for the first time.
Please note that most of these guides are in the public domain. In cases were copyright protection may still apply, I link only to authorized sources.
I’ve also included a list of guides I know were published, but for which I haven’t found any digital versions online. If you have information on them or guides that do not appear here, please let me know via email and I will update this listing.
In addition to the index of guides, here are some useful reference sources on the subject of annual baseball guides:
- Baseball Guides Galore – A history of baseball guides, who published them, and when, written by Ralph E. LinWeber
- John Spalding’s guide to baseball guides, record books & registers, 1869-1995 – hard to find but useful reference
- Baseball Reference Books: A chapter from the indispensable guide, How to Do Baseball Research
- List of other baseball research resources – From the website of SABR, the Society for American Baseball Research
Index of Baseball Guides
Jump to:
Beadle’s Dime Base-Ball Player (1861-1881)
Wright & Ditson Baseball Guide (1885-1912)
Spalding Guide (1877-1939)
Reach Guide (1883-1939)
Sporting News Guide (1942-2007)
SABR Emerald Guide (2007-2014)
Other baseball guides
Most Wanted
Beadle’s Dime Base-Ball Player (1861-1881)
1860 – Beadle’s Dime Base-Ball Player | Download PDF (Source: John Thorn Collection)
1861 – Beadle’s Dime Base-Ball Player | Download PDF (Source: John Thorn Collection)
1862 – Beadle’s Dime Base-Ball Player | View online (Source: Northern Illinois University)
1864 – Beadle’s Dime Base-Ball Player | Download PDF (Source: John Thorn Collection)
1865 – Beadle’s Dime Base-Ball Player | View online (Source: Northern Illinois University)
1866 – Beadle’s Dime Base-Ball Player | View online (Source: Northern Illinois University)
1867 – Beadle’s Dime Base-Ball Player | View online (Source: Northern Illinois University)
1869 – Beadle’s Dime Base-Ball Player | View online (Source: Northern Illinois University)
1870 – Beadle’s Dime Base-Ball Player | View online (Source: Northern Illinois University)
1871 – Beadle’s Dime Base-Ball Player | View online (Source: Northern Illinois University)
1872 – Beadle’s Dime Base-Ball Player | View online (Source: Northern Illinois University)
1873 – Beadle’s Dime Base-Ball Player | View online (Source: Northern Illinois University)
1874 – Beadle’s Dime Base-Ball Player | View online (Source: Northern Illinois University)
1875 – Beadle’s Dime Base-Ball Player | View online (Source: Northern Illinois University)
1876 – Beadle’s Dime Base-Ball Player | View online (Source: Northern Illinois University)
1878 – Beadle’s Dime Base-Ball Player | View online (Source: Northern Illinois University)
1879 – Beadle’s Dime Base-Ball Player | View online (Source: Northern Illinois University)
1880 – Beadle’s Dime Base-Ball Player | View online (Source: Northern Illinois University)
1881 – Beadle’s Dime Base-Ball Player | View online (Source: Northern Illinois University)
Wright & Ditson Baseball Guide (1885-1912)
1884 – Wright & Ditson Baseball Guide | Download PDF | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1910 – Wright & Ditson Baseball Guide | Download PDF | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1911 – Wright & Ditson Baseball Guide | Download PDF | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
Spalding Guide (1876-1939)
1876 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Hathi Trust)
1878 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Hathi Trust)
1880 – Spalding Guide | Download PDF | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1883 – Spalding Guide | Download PDF | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1884 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1885 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Hathi Trust)
1889 – Spalding Guide | Download TXT | View online (Source: Project Gutenberg)
1889 – Spalding Guide | Download PDF | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1890 – Spalding Guide | Download PDF | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1891 – Spalding Guide | Download PDF | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1892 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Smithsonian)
1893 – Spalding Guide | Download PDF | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1894 – Spalding Guide | Download PDF | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1895 – Spalding Guide | Download TXT | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1895 – Spalding Guide | Download PDF | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1896 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Hathi Trust)
1896 – Spalding Guide | Download PDF | View online (Source: Google)
1898 – Spalding Guide | Download PDF | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1899 – Spalding Guide | Download PDF | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1901 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1902 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1902 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1903 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1903 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1904 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1905 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1906 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Library of Congress)
1907 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1907 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1908 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1909 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1909 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1910 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1910 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1911 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1911 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1912 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1913 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1913 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1913 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1913 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1913 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1914 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1915 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1915 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1915 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1916 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1916 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1917 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1917 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1918 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1919 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1919 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1919 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1921 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1922 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1929 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Library of Congress)
1930 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Library of Congress)
1934 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Library of Congress)
1939 – Spalding Guide | View online (Source: Library of Congress)
Reach Guide (1883-1939)
1890 – Reach Guide | Download PDF | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1892 – Reach Guide | Download PDF | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1894 – Reach Guide | Download PDF | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1900 – Reach Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1901 – Reach Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1902 – Reach Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1903 – Reach Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1904 – Reach Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1905 – Reach Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1906 – Reach Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1908 – Reach Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1909 – Reach Guide | View online (Source: Smithsonian)
1910 – Reach Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1911 – Reach Guide | View online (Source: Smithsonian)
1912 – Reach Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1913 – Reach Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1914 – Reach Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1915 – Reach Guide | View online (Source: Smithsonian)
1916 – Reach Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1917 – Reach Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1918 – Reach Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1919 – Reach Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1920 – Reach Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1921 – Reach Guide | View online (Source: Smithsonian)
Sporting News Guide (1942-2007)
1943 – Sporting News Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1944 – Sporting News Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1945 – Sporting News Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1946 – Sporting News Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1947 – Sporting News Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1948 – Sporting News Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1949 – Sporting News Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1950 – Sporting News Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1962 – Sporting News Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
SABR Emerald Guide (2007-2014)
2007 – SABR Emerald Guide | Download PDF (Source: SABR)
2008 – SABR Emerald Guide | Download PDF (Source: SABR)
2009 – SABR Emerald Guide | Download PDF (Source: SABR)
2010 – SABR Emerald Guide | Download PDF (Source: SABR)
2011 – SABR Emerald Guide | Download PDF | View online (Source: SABR)
2012 – SABR Emerald Guide | View online (Source: SABR)
2013 – SABR Emerald Guide | View online (Source: SABR)
2014 – SABR Emerald Guide | Download PDF | View online (Source: SABR)
Other guides
1877-78, 1880-96, 1898-1910 – Constitution and playing rules of the National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs | View online (Source: University of Maryland)
1866 – The Base Ball Player’s Book of Reference (Haney’s) | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1868 – Chadwick’s Game of Baseball | View online (Source: Baseball Chronology)
1871 – Chadwick’s American Baseball Manual | View online (Source: Baseball Chronology)
1875 – George Wright’s Book (No source available)
1876 – Bryce’s Canadian Base Ball Guide | Download PDF | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1879 – American Manual of Base Ball | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1889 – Chadwick’s How To Play Base Ball | View online (Source: Hathi Trust)
1891 – Hancock’s Indoor Base Ball Guide | Download PDF | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1896 – Victor Baseball Guide | Download PDF | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1897 – Tuohey’s History of the Boston Base Ball Club | View online (Source: Hathi Trust)
1900 – LeSport Guide Officiel | Download PDF | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1902 – Church’s Base Ball Vol. 1 (1845-1871) | View online (Source: Hathi Trust)
1904 – Tony Murnane Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1905 – John McGraw Baseball Guide | Download PDF | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1905 – Lajoie’s Baseball Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1906 – Lajoie’s Baseball Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1908 – Tony Murnane Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1910 – Bull Durham Baseball Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1911 – Bull Durham Baseball Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1911 – Moreland Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1913 – Cleveland Amateur Baseball Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1914 – Richter’s history and records of base ball : the American nation’s chief sport | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
1914 – Cleveland Amateur Baseball Guide | View online (Source: Internet Archive)
Most wanted
I would be grateful for links to or digital copies of the following guides:
- Beadle’s Dime Base Ball Guide: 1863, 1868.1877
- DeWitt Baseball Guide: 1868-1885
- Chadwick’s American Baseball Manual: 1870
- George Wright’s Book for 1875: 1875
- Spalding Guide: 1877, 1879, 1881-1882, 1886-1888, 1897, 1900, 1923-1928, 1931-1933, 1935-1939
- Reach Guide: 1883-1889, 1893, 1895-1899, 1907, 1922-1939
- Wright & Ditson Baseball Guide: 1885-1909, 1912
- Sporting Life Guide: 1891
- Victor Baseball Guide: 1897
- John McGraw’s Baseball Book: 1904
- Lajoie Baseball Guide: 1907-1908
- Spalding-Reach Guide: 1940-1941
- Spalding Record Book: 1908-1924
- Sporting News Guide: 1942, 1951-1961, 1963-2007