The points of issue
Random House, New York, 1968. First printing stated on the copyright page per Random House practice of the period (the words 'First Edition' / 'First Printing'). Octavo, 242 pages; tan paper-covered boards over red pictorial cloth, spine stamped in silver; dust jacket designed by Adelson & Eichinger with original price to the front flap. Frequently catalogued under the short title 'The Universal Baseball Association.'
Is this the true first?
The US Random House edition is the true first; the UK Jonathan Cape edition (1970) follows.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club copies of this period are typically identified by a small blind gutter dot on the rear board and by a jacket flap that lacks the printed price; the trade first carries the original flap price and the stated first-printing line.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Universal Baseball Association, Inc., J. Henry Waugh, Prop. a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: Random House, New York, 1968. First printing stated on the copyright page per Random House practice of the period (the words 'First Edition' / 'First Printing'). Octavo, 242 pages; tan paper-covered boards over red pictorial cloth, spine stamped in silver; dust jacket designed by Adelson & Eichinger with original price to the front flap. Frequently catalogued under the short title 'The Universal Baseball Association.'
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 Random House edition is the true first; the UK Jonathan Cape edition (1970) follows.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Book-club copies of this period are typically identified by a small blind gutter dot on the rear board and by a jacket flap that lacks the printed price; the trade first carries the original flap price and the stated first-printing line.
I have a first edition of The Universal Baseball Association, Inc., J. Henry Waugh, Prop. — 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.