# Is "Ball Four" by Jim Bouton a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Ball Four by Jim Bouton (World Publishing Company, 1970) is identified by: The landmark baseball memoir, edited by Leonard Shecter, published by The World Publishing Company in 1970. The US World Publishing first is the true first, the most collected modern baseball book.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- The landmark baseball memoir, edited by Leonard Shecter, published by The World Publishing Company in 1970
- The first printing is identified by the statement First Printing dated May 1970 on the copyright page, bound in pale blue cloth with a white pictorial dust jacket carrying its printed price
- Identify by the May 1970 first-printing statement and the priced first-state jacket
- Publisher imprint reads World Publishing Company
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Jim Bouton |
| Publisher | World Publishing Company |
| Year | 1970 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | The landmark baseball memoir, edited by Leonard Shecter, published by The World Publishing Company in 1970 |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
The landmark baseball memoir, edited by Leonard Shecter, published by The World Publishing Company in 1970. The first printing is identified by the statement First Printing dated May 1970 on the copyright page, bound in pale blue cloth with a white pictorial dust jacket carrying its printed price. Identify by the May 1970 first-printing statement and the priced first-state jacket.

## Is this the true first?
The US World Publishing first is the true first, the most collected modern baseball book. First printings in fine jackets are scarce because the book was read to pieces.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The book was a major bestseller with numerous later printings; verify the copyright page reads First Printing, May 1970 with no higher printing line, and that the jacket retains its printed price.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Ball Four* by Jim Bouton a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/ball-four
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.