Early Baseball in New Orleans – A History of 19th Century Play
n the 1800s, New Orleans' local economy evolved from rural-agrarian into urban-industrial. With this transformation came newfound leisure time, which birthed the concept of organized sport. Though first considered a game for children, baseball became New Orleans' most popular pastime, and by 1859, numerous baseball clubs had been established in the city. This book traces the development of baseball in New Orleans from its earliest recorded games in 1859 through the end of the 19th century, with a particular focus on the New Orleans Pelicans.
About S. Derby Gisclair (New Orleans, Louisiana Author)
A lifelong resident of New Orleans, S. Derby Gisclair is a member of the Society of American Baseball Research (SABR) and its 19th Century, Minor Leagues, Deadball Era, Oral History, and Pictorial History Committees. He heads the Schott-Pelican Chapter of SABR in Louisiana and is also a Sustaining Member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and is on the Nominating and Selection Committees for the Greater New Orleans Professional Baseball Hall of Fame.
He is the author of several books including BASEBALL IN NEW ORLEANS (Arcadia Publishing, 2004), BASEBALL AT TULANE UNIVERSITY (Arcadia Publishing, 2007), THE OLYMPIC CLUB OF NEW ORLEANS - THE EPICENTER OF PROFESSIONAL BOXING, 1883 - 1897 (McFarland & Company, 2018), and EARLY BASEBALL IN NEW ORLEANS - A HISTORY OF 19TH CENTURY PLAY (McFarland & Company, 2019). His next book, THE DIXIE SERIES, 1920 – 1958, is expected to be available in 2020.
He has written numerous articles for New Orleans Magazine and 64 Parishes Magazine (formerly Louisiana Cultural Vistas) and is a frequent contributor to 64 Parishes Encyclopedia, the online encyclopedia sponsored by the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities with more than sixty entries submitted to-date. Derby also authored the site’s introductory essay on Sports and Recreation. He is currently compiling material for a history of the New Orleans Pelicans and a pictorial history of boxing in New Orleans. He also offers websites on the history of baseball -- New Orleans Baseball, SABR – New Orleans, and Southern Association Baseball.
Having recently retired, Derby will now have more time to devote to updating his websites when he is not watching, researching or writing about baseball or his other favorite sports, horse racing and boxing. He and his wife Claire split their time between their homes in New Orleans and Destin, Florida.
