American Sporting Periodicals

A retired antiquarian bookseller, Biscotti is the author of six previous works on sporting-related topics, including Six Centuries of Foxhunting: An Annotated Bibliography (CH, Dec'17, 55-1214). In the present volume he provides detailed bibliographic information for 278 sporting periodicals published in the US from 1819 to the present. Aiming at researchers and collectors interested in “vintage” titles, Biscotti limits his coverage almost entirely to periodicals that began publication before 1950, most of which have ceased publication. Whereas hunting and fishing are the principal “sporting” topics covered, other outdoor activities treated include camping, conservation, and horse racing. Publications are listed alphabetically by their most recent title. Entries give years of publication, publisher, place of publication, format, frequency, contents, reference sources, and additional notes on the history of the periodical. A title index (including title changes) is included, as is an editor and publisher index. Three appendixes are also included: “Name Changes and Mergers Diagrams,” “Lesser-Known or Short-Lived Periodicals,” and “Timeline of American Sporting Magazines.” . . . this well-researched volume will be a useful reference for anyone with an interest in this aspect of American culture. Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate students, researchers, faculty; general readers. * Choice Reviews * This is a splendid reference, remarkably detailed and thorough. It includes information on the earliest and most obscure American sporting papers and magazines, as well as the more familiar magazines from the first half of the twentieth century; Biscotti's notes at the end of each entry are particularly useful. * Callahan & Company Catalog * This book fills a large gap in current bibliographies; namely, sporting magazines and newspapers. As the writer of the foreword indicates, numerous issues such as irregular runs, missing publisher lists, and name changes are common in this topic, but the author has accomplished quite a feat in compiling this tome. The introduction discusses some of the earliest sporting magazines and their histories, along with national game conservation societies. The short “Guide to Using this Book” is essential before using the book, and the various appendixes (especially Appendix A, which visualizes the complexity of name changes and mergers in just five major sporting journals) are also important readings. The bibliography and the two indexes (title, editor, and publisher) are excellent resources as well. The timeline of American sporting magazines documented in Appendix C illustrates the various topics and start dates within this area. A wonderful annotated bibliography for sports and fitness programs.—Bradford Lee Eden * American Reference Books Annual * Thanks to the herculean efforts of veteran bibliographer M. L. Biscotti, for the first time we have a trail map leading us along paths to long forgotten magazines, heretofore hidden byways to overlooked articles from major sporting scribes, and a veritable treasure trove of writings on the outdoors. This work constitutes an essential and invaluable starting point for any serious study of our country’s sporting past. -- Jim Casada, past president of the Association for the Bibliography of History, book columnist and editor-at-large for Sporting Classics, and author American Sporting Periodicals is an exciting reference guide on its topic, bringing countless hours of research together in a single volume. Researchers and collectors will benefit greatly from M. L. Biscotti’s hard work to trace the evolution of sporting history as recorded daily, weekly, and monthly in the United States. -- John P. Connolly, George L. Ohrstrom Jr. Head Librarian, National Sporting Library and Museum