Sunday, August 24, 1952: Lucy can catch!

The soul of this strip is the last panel, and is one of the first really modern moments of Peanuts. The way in which Charlie Brown replies to Lucy's query, the way it's phrased and the attitude behind it, is essentially Schulzian. I don't think I can quite put it into words yet. I'll just note it for now.

May 28 & 29, 1952: Two strips about baseball

In the first of these two strips Charlie Brown is catcher and Shermy is (I assume) pitcher, but the curse of CB's team is already beginning to take hold. The other strip is the first record I've noticed that CB's team usually loses, and the first time he's noticeably upset by this.

April 12, 1952: Ball One

Poor Charlie Brown would never really get much better than this. This is the first strip that puts both Charlie Brown and Schroeder into their respective baseball positions as pitcher and catcher.

Of special note: Charlie Brown's pitcher's mound is a lot more subtle in this strip than it would be later on.

Sunday, March 23, 1952: More Baseball

The first baseball-themed Sunday strip, and a foreshadowing of the career of Charlie "The Goat" Brown.

Patty playing umpire in the first panel is especially nice.

In panel 5, which base is it that Charlie Brown is running to? There seems to be some confusion between Patty and Violet on the matter. If you look closely, the drawing of Patty in that frame is a bit of a throwback; she's reverted to her old round-headed look. It's interesting that I didn't notice how all the characters except Charlie Brown have been slowly moving from having oval heads when viewed in profile or three-quarters to having recessed eyes and prominent foreheads.

September 8, 1951: Slide, Charlie Brown, Slide!

For contrast, nine years later on May 20, 1960:

July 10, 1951: Charlie Brown in a baseball game

This is the second reference to baseball in the strip, and the first that shows the kids actually playing. It looks like Patty can really belt the ball, just like her later namesake Peppermint Patty.

April 20, 1951: Team sponsorship

The mud pie strips have been leading up to this, which wouldn't have been as funny without them. It's not the last one, though.

But this strip is notable because it's the first in which Charlie Brown plays baseball!