American Sportsman's Library
Encyclopedia
The American Sportsman's Library is an early and important series of 16 uniformly-bound volumes on sporting subjects, from an American perspective, published by the Macmillan Company (see Macmillan Publishers
) in the period 1902-1905. Caspar Whitney
, the owner/editor of Outing (magazine)
and a well-known outdoorsman and sporting journalist, edited the series. Authors, including Theodore Roosevelt
(writing while President
of the United States
), were noted experts in their fields.
M.L. Biscotti, in American Sporting Book Series (1994), states that "[t]he authors of these titles were a Who's Who of American sportsmen of the era....Macmillan designed a premium series....The sixteen titles produced in this series represent that era's best sporting literature."
The trade edition of each volume was 7⅞" by 5½" with green cloth covers with gilt titles and decorations. The books cost $2 or $3 each, relatively high prices for the time (about $51 and $77 inflation-adjusted to 2009). They included extensive black-and-white illustrations from paintings or photographs. Macmillan also issued a "large paper" edition limited to one hundred numbered copies of each work. These were 9" x 6¼" and bound in three-quarter olive green (typically now faded to brown) leather. They cost $7.50 in 1902 (about $193 inflation-adjusted to 2009). A 1924 reprinting of the trade edition introduced dust jackets and a slightly reduced size (7½" x 5").
Macmillan advertised advance notice of, but ultimately did not publish, four additional volumes. These include Skating, Hockey, and Kite Sailing; Baseball and Football; The Bear Family; and Cougar, Wildcat, Wolf, and Fox.
A useful series for comparison purposes is the slightly earlier British Badminton Library
of Sports and Pastimes. The Derrydale Press published a series of high-quality American sporting books in the late 1920s and 1930s that, to some extent, supplanted the American Sportsman's Library.
Whitney testified in a lawsuit against him that he earned a salary of $1,500 (about $39,000 inflation-adjusted to 2009) for editing the American Sportsman's Library.
Macmillan Publishers
Macmillan Publishers Ltd, also known as The Macmillan Group, is a privately held international publishing company owned by Georg von Holtzbrinck Publishing Group. It has offices in 41 countries worldwide and operates in more than thirty others.-History:...
) in the period 1902-1905. Caspar Whitney
Caspar Whitney
Caspar William Whitney was an American author, editor, explorer, and war correspondent. He originated the concept of the All-American team in college football in 1889 when he worked for Harper's Magazine....
, the owner/editor of Outing (magazine)
Outing (magazine)
Outing was a late-nineteenth- and early twentieth-century American magazine covering a variety of sporting activities. It began publication in 1882 as the Wheelman and had four title changes before ceasing publication in 1923....
and a well-known outdoorsman and sporting journalist, edited the series. Authors, including Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
(writing while President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
), were noted experts in their fields.
M.L. Biscotti, in American Sporting Book Series (1994), states that "[t]he authors of these titles were a Who's Who of American sportsmen of the era....Macmillan designed a premium series....The sixteen titles produced in this series represent that era's best sporting literature."
The trade edition of each volume was 7⅞" by 5½" with green cloth covers with gilt titles and decorations. The books cost $2 or $3 each, relatively high prices for the time (about $51 and $77 inflation-adjusted to 2009). They included extensive black-and-white illustrations from paintings or photographs. Macmillan also issued a "large paper" edition limited to one hundred numbered copies of each work. These were 9" x 6¼" and bound in three-quarter olive green (typically now faded to brown) leather. They cost $7.50 in 1902 (about $193 inflation-adjusted to 2009). A 1924 reprinting of the trade edition introduced dust jackets and a slightly reduced size (7½" x 5").
Macmillan advertised advance notice of, but ultimately did not publish, four additional volumes. These include Skating, Hockey, and Kite Sailing; Baseball and Football; The Bear Family; and Cougar, Wildcat, Wolf, and Fox.
A useful series for comparison purposes is the slightly earlier British Badminton Library
Badminton Library
The Badminton Library, called in full The Badminton Library of Sports and Pastimes, was a sporting and publishing project conceived and founded by Henry Somerset, 8th Duke of Beaufort . Between 1885 and 1902 it developed into a series of sporting books which aimed to cover comprehensively all major...
of Sports and Pastimes. The Derrydale Press published a series of high-quality American sporting books in the late 1920s and 1930s that, to some extent, supplanted the American Sportsman's Library.
Whitney testified in a lawsuit against him that he earned a salary of $1,500 (about $39,000 inflation-adjusted to 2009) for editing the American Sportsman's Library.
Volumes of the American Sportsman's Library
- Anderson, E.L. and P. Collier, Riding and Driving (1905)
- Brownell, L.W., Photography for the Sportsman Naturalist (1904)
- Busby, Hamilton, The Trotting and Pacing Horse in America (1904)
- Crowther, Samuel and A. Ruhl, Rowing and Track Athletics (1904)
- Graham, Joseph A., The Sporting Dog (1904)
- Henshall, James A., Bass, Pike, Perch and other Game Fishes of America (1903)
- Holder, Charles, The Big Game Fishes of the United States (1903)
- Money, A.W. et al., Guns, Ammunition and Tackle (1904)
- Paret, J.P., Lawn Tennis, Lacrosse: Its Past, Present and Future (1904)
- Roosevelt, Theodore et al., The Deer Family (1902)
- Sage, Dean et al., Salmon and Trout (1902)
- Sandys, Edwyn and T.S. Van Dyke, Upland Game Birds (1902)
- Sanford, L.C. et al., The Waterfowl Family (1903)
- Stephens, William P., American Yachting (1904)
- Trevathan, Charles E., The American Thoroughbred (1905)
- Whitney, Caspar et al., Musk Ox, Bison, Sheep, and Goat (1904)