First Published Picture of an American Baseball Game

It is believed that this picture was the first published drawing of an American Baseball game. It was published on September 12, 1857 in Porter's Spirit of the Times.

According to the University of Virginia's American Studies web site:  "Porter's magazine was a non-partisan sporting journal particularly focused on horse racing -- which Porter had acquired a love for while growing up in Vermont. However, the magazine addressed much more than horse-racing, as the subtitle suggests, A Chronicle of the Turf, Agriculture, Field Sports, Literature and the Stage. Among racing and sports sections, the Spirit included pieces on agriculture, matrimony ads, veterinary information, livestock markets, book, music and drama reviews."

Credits

Image, from Porter's Spirit of the Times (September 12, 1857). Courtesy, Vintage Baseball Association.

Information and quote from American Studies web site, University of Virginia.