1884 Parlor Base Ball Game Cards Set and Checklist

Posted on October 7, 2016 by Pre-War Cards

It’s In The Details’

Title	Parlor Base Ball Game Cards
Year	1884
Size	2 1/2″ x 3 1/2″
Images	Color
Type	Game Cards
Number in Set	49

1884 Parlor Base Ball Game Cards Overview

Parlor BB Game 1884 This game was produced in 1884 but the maker is anonymous. The box calls the name of the game simply ‘Base Ball’ but the enclosed instructions refer to it as ‘Parlor Base Ball.’ The box also includes a cartoon image of a generic player.

The cards had printed actions on them to dictate play. Two players could simulate an entire baseball game just from simply following the actions on the cards.

Each card had more than one action as shown here. That was to not only indicate what happened with the batter but also with any base runners. Cards had a basic look with a light-brown colored background and were simplistic in design.

Like many other sets in the early 1900s, the game did not include a formal board and the cards were distributed in smaller boxes with only the cards, game pieces, and instructions. A miniature board was printed on the box bottom in lieu of a full-size board.