The points of issue
First printing from The Viking Press, New York, 1978; grey cloth with silver spine lettering; 282 pp.; dust jacket priced on the front flap, with the Viking first-printing copyright statement. Second Albany-cycle novel.
Is this the true first?
The US Viking 1978 edition is the true first; the UK first follows.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club copies lack the printed jacket flap price, are on lighter boards, and do not carry Viking's first-printing copyright statement.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of Billy Phelan's Greatest Game a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First printing from The Viking Press, New York, 1978; grey cloth with silver spine lettering; 282 pp.; dust jacket priced on the front flap, with the Viking first-printing copyright statement. Second Albany-cycle novel.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. The US Viking 1978 edition is the true first; the UK first follows.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club copies lack the printed jacket flap price, are on lighter boards, and do not carry Viking's first-printing copyright statement.
I have a first edition of Billy Phelan's Greatest Game — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.