Diana's Outdoor Sports

Book excerpt: Diana’s Outdoor Sports is one of 4 volumes in the Sports She Wrote series written by the first woman with her own weekly sports column in a major American newspaper, The Philadelphia Inquirer, from 1898 to 1901. Her real name (which she never revealed in print) was Mary Lagen, a prolific writer and bicycling pioneer, who inaugurated her “Athletic Woman” column at the age of 46. Diana was a passionate outdoorswoman and many of her articles are based on personal experiences. She was an excellent creative writer with a sparkling sense of humor and ability to turn a clever phrase. This volume features 217 article segments (110,000 words) about field sports, equestrianism, wheel sports, water sports and winter sports, excerpted from longer columns that veered among many topics which are included in the other three volumes. Field sports include 54 articles related to hunting, fishing, camping, guns, nature, dogs and birds. 48 articles on equestrianism focus on horseback riding, driving carriages, and attending horse shows. Cycling is featured in 67 articles, including 20 articles predating her “Athletic Woman” column, establishing her pivotal role in the evolution of the bicycle, invention of the bifurcated riding skirt, and a lawsuit against an athletic club that expelled her due to her gender. She also introduced the automobile to her readers and describes the excitement of her first ride. 48 articles describe her adventures with water sports (swimming, boating), and winter sports (ice skating and sledding). The other three volumes presenting Diana's column are Diana's Ball Sports, Diana's Fitness Fashion & Beauty, and Diana's Anecdotes & Aphorisms. Sports She Wrote is a 31-volume time-capsule of primary documents written by more than 500 women in the 19th century.