SPORTS SHE WROTE

A Time-Capsule of Primary Documents Written by Women in the 19th Century

31 Volumes – 10,000 Pages – 2,500 Articles – 1,500 Images – 500 Authors

Home – About – Authors – Ball Sports – Columnists – Cycling – Equestrianism – Fashion – Outdoor Sports – Physical Fitness – Water & Ice – Contact

Background information about a few of the most prominent authors in the Sports She Wrote book series.

“Diana” (Mary J. Lagen), (1852-1946). Author of 4 volumes in the series. The first weekly sports column written by a woman for a major American newspaper was “Athletic Woman” in the Sunday edition of The Philadelphia Inquirer, who signed her columns by the name “Diana.” She never revealed her identity in print, but her real name was Mary J. Lagen, who inaugurated the column in 1898 at the age of 47, and continued nearly every week until 1901. She later became editor of the “Woman’s Page” of the Inquirer, and in her fifties transitioned into a playwright and comedic actress who toured the country in popular theatrical productions. Prior to her “Athletic Woman” years, Mary was a conventional wife and mother of two sons who excelled in bicycle racing. This inspired Mary to take up cycling and she became one of the best and most prominent female cyclists in Philadelphia. She designed a bifurcated skirt designed for women to wear awheel, which became the pattern for many fashions that followed. “Diana” was a clever and engaging writer with a comic flair and style that revealed her vibrant personality, which she retained into her nineties. Diana was the most prolific writer in the Sports She Wrote series. As a result, her articles are divided into four volumes, curated thematically and presented chronologically: (1) Diana’s Ball Sports; (2) Diana’s Outdoor Sports; (3) Diana’s Fitness, Fashion & Beauty; and (4) Diana’s Anecdotes & Aphorisms.

Ella Black, The First Woman Baseball Correspondent. Ella Black was the Pittsburgh baseball correspondent for The Sporting Life weekly newspaper from March to November 1890. Other than her byline her life is a mystery. There seems to be no known biographical information about her beyond the articles published in this volume. Some skeptics speculated that she was actually a man writing under a woman’s name, claiming her knowledge and interest in the game were beyond a woman’s capabilities. Many of the challenges to her gender were generated by fellow correspondents in other cities. These rumors were debunked by Henry Chadwick, the most respected baseball writer of the era and the first sportswriter inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, who met with Ella and vouched for her in print. His confirmation is considered conclusive, as he would have had every incentive to unmask her as a charlatan. She also met with several players and team executives. The 1890 baseball season may have been the most pivotal and influential in American sports history. In an attempt to control their own careers, many of the best players in the two major leagues formed their own league, called the Players’ League, colloquially known as the Brotherhood League. The Sporting Life was a popular national weekly newspaper published in Philadelphia. In 1890 it boasted the largest circulation of any sports newspaper in the United States with over 40,000 subscribers, and covered baseball, boxing, horse racing, trap shooting and other sports. The format of The Sporting Life featured weekly reports submitted by regular correspondents located in major league cities around the country. The rival sportswriters commonly took swipes at each other and mocked their outrageous predictions—not unlike hundreds of television, radio and podcast debate shows and countless social media forums today. As the sole woman correspondent, Ella was not immune from such attacks. One of the most common condescending criticisms targeted Ella’s gender. She often self-deprecatingly admitted her uniqueness, but never shied away from her opinions, inserting the passive-aggressive caveat, “I know I am only a woman…” echoing a comment made about her by a National League executive. Ella brought a feminine perspective to sports gossip, which would be considered inside talk familiar to modern sports reporting, gleaned by sitting in the stands among players’ wives and other female fans, and by lingering unnoticed by baseball executives who never suspected she was eavesdropping. She disclosed which players were favorites of the ladies and revealed their off-field proclivities. Ella Black wrote on May 10, 1890: “Everyone seems to think that all a woman knows how to do is to work around her home, talk dress and fashion. I do not advocate woman’s rights in the same way as Dr. Mary Walker and others of her stamp, but still I think they have just as much brain and can do most things quite as good as the men. I only hope someday, unless The Sporting Life should remove me from its staff, to be able to force some of the brilliant (?) masculine members of humanity, who have seen fit to ridicule the idea of a woman writing base ball, to admit that I am competent to do it.”

Helen Dauvray, (1859-1923), The Actress Who Loved Baseball. Helen Dauvray was a famous actress, a former child star, not a sportswriter. She authored only a handful of articles. Nearly all of the articles are written about her rather than by her. But she was unquestionably the most influential woman in baseball history and her instrumental role in the formation of modern baseball merits her inclusion in the Sports She Wrote collection. Helen’s words were quoted in newspapers nationwide, her actions spawned the creation of post-season championships, and her personal life, including her tumultuous marriage to future Hall of Famer John Montgomery Ward in 1887, was avidly followed by millions of readers. Among her acquaintances was the great baseball authority Henry Chadwick, the first sportswriter inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, known as the “Father of Baseball,” who raved about Helen’s knowledge of the game and said that she would have been an excellent sportswriter. Her most enduring baseball fame is due to her sponsorship of “The Dauvray Cup,” the first trophy and inspiration for a post-season championship between the winners of the two major leagues. When Ward (before they were married) objected to a trophy solely donated to the team owners, Helen agreed and donated individual medals to the winning players, establishing a tradition that extends to championship rings today. The short-lived Dauvray-Ward marriage further impacted baseball history when Ward spearheaded the Players’ League in 1890, a direct challenge to the two established major leagues, and formed the first players union. Helen’s role in both the formation and demise of the league are part of her legacy, and her theatrical business dovetails with baseball’s labor relations.

Adelia Kate Brainerd, (1872-1961), The Outdoor Woman of Harper’s Bazar. Adelia started “The Outdoor Woman” column when she was 21 years old and continued until she was 26. Harper’s Bazar (as it was then spelled) was a tabloid-sized weekly newspaper targeting a female audience and consisted primarily of women’s fashions, high-society news and homemaking articles. Athletics and sports reports were rare prior to Adelia’s contributions, other than fashion plates featuring tennis rackets, golf clubs and croquet mallets as props for the models. Adelia penned 123 articles covering a wide range of sports, most prominently cycling and golf, but also archery, badminton, basketball, bowling, camping, canoeing, cricket, equestrianism, fencing, ice hockey, ice skating, lawn bowling, physical fitness, rifles, roller skating, rowing, skiing, snowshoeing, swimming, tennis, walking, water polo, yachting (sailing), sportsmen’s shows, horse shows and the Westminster dog show. Adelia’s articles include many references to sports fashion from head to toe for many sports and types of physical activities. She also describes such obscure and obsolete sports as slack wire, hand polo, Lang ball, and curtain ball. There is scant biographical information about Adelia prior to her marriage to writer Clinton Wallace Gilbert on August 5, 1899, after which the name “Mrs. Gilbert” often appeared in articles as an attendee or sponsor of various social functions, but not by the name “Adelia,” nor in relation to athletics. She may have continued to write and publish but not under her maiden name. Her husband, brother and sister-in-law were all prominent writers.

“Daisie” Helen Bassett, (1846-1943), Pioneer Cycling Columnist “From a Feminine Point of View.” America’s first prominent woman cycling columnist wrote under the pseudonym “Daisie,” whose real identity was not publicized although many people knew she was Helen Drew Bassett of Boston. Her column, From A Feminine Point of View, lasted from May 1885 until February 1888, during the tricycle era, spanning three publications as the cycling journal publishing world underwent name and ownership changes: The Bicycling World from May 1885 to February 1886 (29 articles); The Cycle from April 1885 to January 1887 (33 articles); and The L.A.W. Bulletin from April 1887 to February 1888 (8 articles). Her husband was Abbot Bassett, the secretary of the League of American Wheelmen (L.A.W.) and the editor of its primary journal publications. He remained the secretary of the League for 35 years, chairman of its racing board, and was one of the most influential members of the L.A.W. until his death in 1924. (When “Daisie” refers to “Mr. Editor,” she is speaking to her husband.) Daisie was born Helen Eudora Drew, in Chelsea, Massachusetts, and lived to the age of 96. She married Abbot in 1873, and they had two daughters, born in 1877 and 1885, both of whom lived into their nineties. Daisie was a staunch defender of the three-wheeler for women, not coming to terms with the advantages and inevitability of the two-wheeler until her final column in 1888. She was a central figure in the first women’s tricycle tours in New England and an organizer of women’s participation in bicycle expeditions. Daisie voiced strong opinions about all aspects of cycling, from the machinery to etiquette, proper form, appropriate dress, and other matters that often set her at odds with her readers. She also welcomed reports from women regarding their cycling accomplishments and mileage, dozens of which are published in her column. To her credit, Daisie appreciated new information and opposing opinions and was open-minded about suggestions and corrections.

Elizabeth Robins Pennell, (1855-1936), The Cycling Adventures of a Renowned Travel Writer. American writer Elizabeth Robins Pennell was an avid cyclist and prolific author. She left an indelible mark on the literary world and chronicled her cycling adventures alongside her artist husband, Joseph Pennell. In 1884 the Pennells accepted a travel writing commission from The Century Magazine and moved from Philadelphia to London, England. Together they embarked on a cycling odyssey, traversing the landscapes of Britain and Europe on tandem tricycles and later transitioning to bicycles. Their collaborative efforts resulted in an array of books and articles, with Elizabeth providing the prose while Joseph adorned their narratives with detailed illustrations. Their first cycling book was A Canterbury Pilgrimage, an homage to Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. published in 1885 describing their tour from London to Canterbury. Six of Joseph’s drawings are included in the text. Two years later they published Two Pilgrims’ Progress, (published in Boston; the version published in London is entitled An Italian Pilgrimage), a more ambitious work and a longer ride in Italy from Florence to Rome. Their tour ended abruptly when they unwittingly rode illegally and were forced to pay a fine to the government and sell their tricycle. In 1893 they produced their most ambitious tandem tricycle tour book, Our Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy. The route retraced the journey of author Laurence Sterne who wrote a popular novel by the same title in 1765 that established travel writing as a popular genre. Their third cycling book is Over the Alps on a Bicycle, published in 1898. The Pennells lived in London for more than thirty years before returning to the United States. During that time their home became a literary and artistic salon that attracted many renowned authors and artists of the time. The subject of cycling represents just a sliver of Elizabeth Pennell’s copious published works. She wrote biographies of Mary Wollstonecraft for the Famous Women book series, and her friend artist James McNeill Whistler, among others. Her main work was as an art and food critic, topics which are prominent in her tour books. She was a regular columnist in England’s Pall Mall Gazette, and her articles appeared in dozens of periodicals. While touring through Italy, Elizabeth also made note of the many regional sports and games she witnessed, and penned the article “Sports at the Carnival,” which was published in the March 1887 issue of Outing magazine and is included in the Adventure Seekers volume of the Sports She Wrote series.

Nannie Lambert Power O’Donoghue, (1843-1940), Hints on Horseback Riding from an Expert Side-Saddle Equestrienne. Nannie was a prolific Irish writer and expert equestrienne. Her two most important books are Ladies on Horseback (1881), and Riding for Ladies (1887). Her insights on women learning to ride encompass a vast array of topics, from proper treatment and care of horses to training techniques, jumping, mounting, dismounting, trotting, hunting, riding posture, and the appropriate costume for a woman rider. She had a knack for taming rambunctious horses most people deemed unrideable. Ladies on Horseback includes a collection of correspondence during her stint as a newspaper columnist in The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News. The letters she received, and her thoughtful responses, offer a unique glimpse into the engagement of readers with her column and their respect for her expertise. Riding for Ladies garnered remarkable acclaim, selling over 94,000 copies in five languages—a testament to O’Donoghue’s influence in an era where the social acceptance of women riding and hunting was gaining momentum. It was the era of the side-saddle and O’Donoghue was one of many women critical of those who advocated riding astride, which she considered unladylike. Her opinion was shared by most women riders at the time. Her legacy, while containing elements that may now be deemed contentious, serves as a poignant reminder of the evolving landscape of women in equestrian pursuits in the 19th century. Life took an unexpected turn for O’Donoghue in 1880 when, at the age of 37, a fall led to a spinal injury, curtailing her ability to ride. Undeterred, she redirected her creative energies, expanding her writing horizons to include poetry and novels. As a journalist, she contributed to discussions on social welfare, women’s education and animal well-being. Her writing became a catalyst for social reforms. Her contributions extended to editorial roles at prominent publications, such as the Irish Times and the Irish Society, where she continued to shape public discourse into the 1920s, solidifying her status as a prominent and influential figure within Irish literature.

Fannie Pearson Hardy, (1865-1946), Maine’s Nature Writer, was a remarkable woman who carved her literary legacy in the male-dominated realm of outdoor writing in the 19th century. The daughter of the renowned outdoorsman and explorer, Manly Hardy, Fannie was not only immersed in the natural wonders of her native state but also inherited her father’s passion for the great outdoors. Together, they traversed the lakes, forests and backwoods of Maine, forging a connection with the rugged wilderness and untamed beauty that would shape Fannie’s unique perspective on hunting, fishing, and nature. While a student at Smith College, Fannie founded the college chapter of The Audubon Society, exemplifying her commitment to the preservation of wildlife. Following her graduation in 1888 she became the first woman in the State of Maine to serve as a superintendent of schools, in her hometown of Brewer, from 1889 to 1891. During that time, she embarked on a journey that would leave an indelible mark on the landscape of Maine’s sporting literature, authoring a series of articles that were published in Forest and Stream. In the 20th century, Fannie solidified her status as one of Maine’s foremost authorities on ornithology and native folklore, writing extensively about the language and culture of Native Americans.

Fanny Bullock Workman, (1859-1925), one of the authors in two volumes, Mountaineering and Adventurous Bicycle Tours. Fanny, a well-educated American woman from a wealthy family, considered herself a New Woman, and championed women’s rights and suffrage. Her mountaineering epic, In the Ice World of Himalaya was published in 1900, co-written by her husband William Hunter Workman. On her Himalayan adventure she achieved several women’s altitude records and one of the peaks is named in her honor. Fanny was also an avid photographer and her book is replete with 64 images of mountainscapes and the native people she encountered along the way. The Workmans collaborated on eight travel books, two of which are published in the Ambitious Bicycle Tours volume of the Sports She Wrote series: Algerian Memories (1895) describes their ride through North Africa, and Sketches Awheel in Modern Iberia (1897) depicts their tour in Spain.

Frederica Plunket, (1838-1886), one of the authors in Mountaineering. She was an Irishwoman whose 1875 book Here and There Among the Alps, stands as a testament to the physical prowess and adventurous spirit of a woman in the face of rugged landscapes. She wrote specifically for women interested in mountaineering who may have been intimidated by the arduous task. Her goal was to demonstrate what was possible for an active healthy woman, an explicit rejection of the notion that mountain climbing was inherently dangerous and beyond her physical capabilities. Her book describes ascending multiple peaks in Switzerland in 1874. A botanical illustrator of distinction, Plunket’s detailed illustrations are preserved in a museum in her homeland, a testament to her multifaceted talents.

Aubrey “Lizzie” Le Blond (aka Mrs. Fred Burnaby), (1860-1934), one of the authors in Mountaineering. The Englishwoman wrote The High Alps in Winter in 1883 when she was 23 years old and married to Fred Burnaby. She was widowed in 1886 and later remarried and became famous by the name Mrs. Aubrey Le Blond, known among her mountain-climbing cohort as “Lizzie.” She became a founder of the Ladies’ Alpine Club in Switzerland and was the first woman to summit at least twenty peaks. She was also one of first female filmmakers, making at least ten films in Switzerland including ice hockey action and downhill sledding at the famous Cresta Run. She also took thousands of photographs of her travels, two of which were printed in her first book and are included in this volume. Hundreds of her photographs have been published in various books and periodicals. She later became a prolific author with articles in more than 200 publications. She was a woman of means and the trappings of her climbs reflected her status. Her tents were well-appointed with a bed and other creature comforts.

Sara McBride, (born c. 1844), Fisherwomen. Sara McBride, an expert on fly fishing. Her groundbreaking study, “The Metaphysics of Fishing,” was published in Forest and Stream magazine in 1876. Her three-article series is an in-depth academic analysis of the intricacies of insect species and the fish most likely to be attracted to them. Sara was renowned for her artistic mastery of tying flies. She was introduced to the trade by her father, who ran a successful fly-tying business which she inherited. Forest and Stream magazine regularly contained advertisements for Sara McBride’s flies. She also wrote an article for the publication in 1880 describing the largest fishing tackle establishment in the world. Sara maintained her fly-tying business until 1880.

Cornelia “Fly Rod” Crosby, (1854-1946), Fisherwomen. “Fly Rod” was the most famous fisherwoman of the 19th century. Her exploits and contributions to fishing, hunting and camping in her native State of Maine are legendary. Fly Rod’s tales of adventures in fishing and hunting were syndicated across America in her column “Fly Rod’s Notebook.” Described as a 6-foot-tall outdoorswoman and guide, she was initially inspired to take up fishing after being advised by a doctor to take ‘a large dose of the outdoors’ to combat respiratory problems. She became Maine’s greatest promoter, the only woman to head an exhibit at the prestigious Sportsmen’s Exhibition at Madison Square Garden.

Mary Sargent Hopkins, (1847-1924), prolific cyclist and outdoor enthusiast, wrote articles appearing in several cycling volumes, often under the pseudonym “Merrie Wheeler.” Her “Out-of-Doors” column in The Ladies’ World monthly magazine covered a variety of sports but focused primarily on bicycling. Unlike many women writers who wished to remain anonymous, Mary Hopkins edited this column under her own name and included submissions from other well-known contributors. Her articles were also published in Good Housekeeping, The Wheel and Cycling Trade Review, New England Kitchen Magazine and several newspapers. Like many women during the cycling boom of the 1890s, she believed the bicycle was a great emancipator for women and would benefit them physically and mentally. In 1896 she instituted a monthly magazine called The Wheelwoman which remained in publication for a little more than one year. Unfortunately, other than a few isolated covers and articles reprinted in other periodicals, copies of The Wheelwoman have not been found.

Olivia Howard Dunbar, (1873-1953), American author of the “Wheelwomen Abroad” column in The Wheelwoman and Society News, with 18 articles published in England from May to September 1896. Her column centered on cycling in New York City and other locales in the East, intended for a readership in England. A graduate of Smith College, she was a journalist for The New York World, became a short story writer specializing in ghost stories with feminist themes, and was active in the women’s suffrage movement.

Catharine Beecher, (1800-1878), author of one of the 7 Exercise Manuals. Catharine wrote Calisthenic Exercises for Schools, Families and Health Establishments in 1856. She was a strong proponent of female education and a leader in the establishment of kindergartens for children. Her family was very influential in the 19th century. Her father was the religious leader Lyman Beecher, her brothers Henry Ward Beecher and Charles Beecher were renowned clergymen, and her sister was Harriet Beecher Stowe, the author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. In 1823 Catharine and her sister Mary founded a female seminary in Hartford, Connecticut. Despite her progressive ideas, Catharine was not a suffragist and felt that women could best influence society as mothers and teachers rather than in politics. Catharine’s biography and her impact on American education and society can be found in various online sources. Her role as an advocate for calisthenics was evident in the book excerpted in this volume, which includes 77 illustrations with women and men demonstrating the movements she describes.

Elizabeth Blackwell, (1821-1910), author of one of the 7 Exercise Manuals. Elizabeth Blackwell was the first woman in America to receive a medical degree. Born in England, Elizabeth and her family emigrated to New York in 1832. Her book, The Laws of Life, With Special Reference to the Physical Education of Girls,” was originally published in 1852; the second edition published in 1859. Blackwell and her sister Emily founded the New York Infirmary for Women and Children in 1857. Her fame soared during the Civil War when she organized nurses to help wounded soldiers. Her book contains no illustrations but describes the physical necessity of exercise and the framework for a program of physical education for girls. Her reputation lent considerable gravitas to the argument in favor of physical education during a period when many women were painted as frail fainting females, a common stereotype perpetuated by novels of the day.

Jessie Hubbell Bancroft, (1867-1952), author of one of the 7 Exercise Manuals. From 1893 to 1903 Jessie Hubbell Bancroft was the Director of Physical Training in the Public Schools of Brooklyn, New York. She was a pioneer of physical education, founder of the American Posture League, dedicated to improving the posture of school children, and founder of the American Association for the Advancement of Physical Education. Her exercise manual School Gymnastics Free Hand, A System of Physical Exercises for Schools, was published in 1900. The excerpts presented in this volume provide the general background and summation of her system of exercises, as well as photographs of her exercises performed by girls and boys.

Marian Mason, author of the two earliest works in 7 Exercise Manuals. Englishwoman Marian Mason came from an athletic family and was a student of fitness advocate P. H. Clias. Trained to be an instructor in his studio, she led one of his classes specifically for women, featuring calisthenics set to music. She became a popular instructor and was the first woman to write a short fitness manual in England, On the Utility of Exercise, published in 1827. Four years later, in 1831, a more detailed exercise manual was printed for an American audience, A Course of Calisthenics for Young Ladies, which included 62 illustrations. The author is simply known as “M.” but is identified as a woman and based on references within the book is most likely Marian Mason, although this is not verified. The book is written in the form of nine letters from “M.” and dedicated to “Mothers and Instructresses” for the benefit of their daughters. The drawings include posture, stretching, lifting weights, and a contraption called “the Oscillator,” which was an early example of an exercise machine with weights and pulleys.

Elizabeth Taylor, (1856-1932), intrepid travel writer, articles in Adventure Seekers. The most independent woman adventurer of the era was American Elizabeth Taylor (not the actress!). Her in-depth articles and accompanying illustrations chronicle her explorations in the Arctic Circle, Norway, and Iceland, and describe the people and natural wonders she encountered. She was a popular travel writer who financed her expeditions with articles published in various periodicals in which women adventure writers were a rarity. She generally traveled alone into unknown territories and dealt with whatever hardships she encountered with the spirit of a woman who was ever curious about the world and its varied cultures. Taylor’s contributions spanned multiple realms of study, providing academic insights into the natural world.

Clara Beckwith, (b. 1870) famous swimmer, author of 1893 book Learn How to Swim excerpted in the volume Water & Ice. Unlike many women who adopted pseudonyms for anonymity, Clara adopted the surname of a famous swimming family to promote her career. The Beckwith family of England included Agnes Beckwith, the most famous long-distance woman swimmer. Her father and brothers were also well-known swimmers. Clara, whose real last name was Sabean, was one of two American women who falsely adopted the Beckwith surname for publicity (the other was Cora McFarland, also an excellent swimmer), even concocting false biographies that linked them to the famous swimming family. They specialized in endurance floating and ornamental swimming. Clara’s writing contained the most elaborate and detailed false origin story, but she was a superb swimmer who genuinely helped many women learn to swim, and by writing a book and several articles, earned her spot in the Sports She Wrote series.

Diana Crossways, prominent author of dozens of articles in the series spanning a wide array of sports. Her biographical information has not been found. This may be a penname taken from a popular Victorian novel, Diana of the Crossways, published in 1885. The protagonist of the novel was a women writer. Victorian women authors commonly adopted pseudonyms to deflect attention and preserve their identities. Any additional information about the real identity of Diana Crossways is welcome and this entry will be updated.

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