TheSpalding World Tour was an exhibitionbaseball tournament that circumnavigated the globe from in October 1888 to April 1889.^[1][2][3] Financed by former player and sporting goods executiveAlbert Spalding, the tour – composed of Spalding's ownChicago White Stockings and a team of "All-Americans" – travelled toAustralia,Egypt,Italy,France,England,Ireland and theUnited States.^[4]

The purpose of the world tour was to promote the sport of Baseball nationally across the United States and globally.^[5] At the time, sportswriterHenry Chadwick called it "the greatest event in the modern history of athletic sports."^[6]

The idea of a world tour originated withChris von der Ahe, owner of theSt. Louis Brown Stockings and president of theAmerican Association, who initially explored the possibility of a trip to Europe in early 1888.^[7] Von der Ahe later pivoted to endorsing an Australian trip, noting that "such a trip would introduce the game to thousands who have never yet seen it."^[8] There was briefly talk of an Australian tour organized byBoston Beaneaters managerJames Hart, which would have includedBuck Ewing,King Kelly, andJohn Montgomery Ward.^[9] Spalding's trip was announced on March 28; he said that the undertaking of such a trip was done "more for the purpose of extending my sporting goods business to that quarter of the globe and creating a market for goods there, rather than with any idea of realizing any profit from the work of the teams I take with me."^[10]

Spalding's own Chicago White Stockings fell to theNew York Giants in the race for the1888National League pennant, but still includedCap Anson andJimmy Ryan, wholed the league in batting average. The opposing "All-Americans" were captained by John Montgomery Ward of the Giants.The Sporting News charged that Spalding had signed fourth-rate players because he was too cheap to offer the kind of money that would attract the best;Charles Comiskey expressed interest in going, but said Spalding's offers "were not even enough for cigar money."^[6] Other active futureHall-of-Famers not on the roster included battersRoger Connor andDan Brouthers, as well as pitchersTim Keefe andPud Galvin.

After playing several exhibition games across the country, the tour left San Francisco on November 17. They were received in Honolulu, capital of the then-independentKingdom of Hawaii, by KingKalākaua, but played their first overseas exhibition game inAuckland, New Zealand on December 10. The tour played several games in Australia from December 15 to January 5, inSydney,Melbourne,Adelaide, andBallarat. Notably, the White Stockings played a four-inning game against a squad ofMelbourne cricket players — the modernMelbourne Baseball Club — before a crowd of 12,000; cricketerWilliam Bruce was pitcher for the Melbourne side.^[11][12][13] After the tour left Australia, Spalding's aide Harry Simpson helped organize baseball leagues inVictoria (1890) andNew South Wales (1891); he was inducted into theBaseball Australia Hall of Fame in its inaugural class of 2005.^[14]

The tour stopped briefly in Colombo, Sri Lanka (thenBritish Ceylon) before making their way to Egypt. The players visited theGreat Sphinx of Giza, setting up a makeshift field with thepyramids in the distance.John Healy, nicknamed "The Egyptian" due to his hometown ofCairo, Illinois, pitched against the White Stockings.^[15]

In Rome, Spalding's plans to book a game at theColosseum were rejected by local officials. Instead, he arranged for an exhibition to be held on the grounds of theVilla Borghese gardens, before KingUmberto I and his wife, QueenMargherita of Savoy.^[6]

Personnel inbold have since been inducted into theNational Baseball Hall of Fame.

• Mark Lamster,Spalding's World Tour: The Epic Adventure that Took Baseball Around the Globe - And Made It America's Game, PublicAffairs, 2006, 368 p.ISBN 1586483110

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