NY, Harcourt Brace, (1952). His first book, one of the great baseball novels of all time and the basis, decades later, for the film by Barry Levinson. Inscribed by Malamud to Senator-elect Richard Neuberger: "To Richard L. Neuberger/ for daring to lead/ With sincere best wishes/ Bernard Malamud/ Corvallis, Oregon/ November 1954." Neuberger was an author and New York Times correspondent before entering politics. In 1954 he was elected to the U.S. Senate from the state of Oregon; it's a safe guess that this book was given to Neuberger as a congratulatory gift after his election. This is the issue in blue boards. No priority has been established, but copies in both the blue and the red boards appear to be considerably scarcer than copies in gray boards, although not necessarily earlier. With Neuberger's bookplate on the front pastedown. Two corners tapped; a near fine copy in a near fine, price-clipped dust jacket with a bit of rubbing to the top edge and a couple small corner chips. In a custom clamshell box embossed with a detail of the cover design. A nice association copy of an important novel, seldom found signed. [#027412] SOLD