Diana's Anecdotes & Aphorisms

Book excerpt: Diana’s Anecdotes & Aphorisms 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. While sports were her primary focus, Diana’s column included social commentary, relationship advice, recipes and many subjects unrelated to athletics. These off-topic segments are presented in this collection based on their inclusion in her column. They provide insight into the character of the woman who was bold enough to display her athletic interests at the end of the 19th century. Readers solely interested in sports may not find this volume germane; readers interested in the woman behind the column will find it indispensable. All readers would find it fascinating, as she was a delightful and talented writer with a lively sense of humor whose work deserves to be appreciated and preserved. This volume features 191 articles (132,000 words), 628 aphorisms, and one theatrical play written in 1904 as her career veered into acting on stage when she was in her fifties. It also includes newspaper articles interviewing her when she was in her eighties and nineties. She died in 1946 at the age of 94. The other three volumes presenting Diana's column are Diana's Ball Sports, Diana's Outdoor Sports, and Diana's Fitness, Fashion & Beauty. Sports She Wrote is a 31-volume time-capsule of primary documents written by more than 500 women in the 19th century.