This section brings you articles about sports, recreations and athletics at the collegiate and professional level. These still qualify as "recreational activities," however, since - as today - for most folks these would have been spectator sports.

Boating at Cambridge (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1888)

Baseball for the Spectator, by Walter Camp (Century Magazine, 1889B)

Cricket, by W.G. Grace (English Illustrated Magazine, 1890A)

A Review of the Game, Past and Present, in Australia, Canada, the United States, India, and England.

Rowing at Cambridge, by R.C. Lehman (English Illustrated Magazine, 1890A)

Rowing at Oxford, by W.H. Grenfell (English Illustrated Magazine, 1890A)

Track Athletics in America, by Walter Camp (Century Magazine, 1890B)

American Leads at Whist, and Their History, by N.B. Trist (Harper's Monthly, 1891A)

In and About Newmarket (The Strand, 1891B)

A look at the thoroughbred racing center of England.

Joe Broadley's Instructions in [Cricket] Bowling (Stories of History, 1891)

College Athletics, by Walter Camp (Century Magazine, 1893B)

Cup Defenders Old and New, by W.P. Stephens (Century Magazine, 1893B)

A look at some of the yachts competing for the America's Cup.

Football [Rugby] Past and Present (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1893)

Modern Cricket, by Raymond Blathwayt (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1893)

A talk with the secretary of the Surrey County Cricket Club about this "manly, healthy game."

Cricket at the Universities (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1894)

Foot-Ball in Our Colleges, by William Conant Church (Century Magazine, 1894A)

The Current Criticism of Foot-Ball, by Walter Camp (Century Magazine, 1894A)

Injuries, over-popularity, commercialism and the controversy of "a football game on Thanksgiving" are some of the issues discussed here.

The Evolution of Cricket, by Alfred Story (The Strand, 1895B)

Though its origins are lost to history, it's believed that the game may have evolved from "cat and dog," or the "cricket-a-wicket" mentioned in an Italian dictionary in 1595.

Golf, and How to Play It (The Strand, 1896A)

A "chat" with Open Champion J.H. Taylor.

Some Cricket Yarns, by Alfred Gibson (Windsor Magazine, 1897B)

County Cricket Grounds, by George A. Wade (Windsor, 1898A)

The America Cup: Its Origin and History, by G.F. Lorimer (Windsor Magazine, 1899B)

The famous yachting trophy dates from 1851!

The Headquarters of Cricket, by M. Randal Roberts (Windsor Magazine, 1899B)

An inside view of the pavilion at Lord's (the Marylebone Club).

See also:

• Cricket

• Football, Baseball & Basketball

• Victorian People: Athletes

• Sporting Events & Matches

• Victorian People: Athletes