Harper's Round Table - November, 1896 to October, 1897 (52 Issues): With 6 Articles by Theodore Roosevelt, Baseball Content, The Night Before Christmas

This is a bound volume of "HARPER'S ROUND TABLE - 1897" containing 52 consecutive issues from November, 1896 to October, 1897. Published by Harper & Brothers in New York. Per the masthead, content includes Athletics, Literature, Science, Travel and Sport. The issues are profusely illustrated with photographs, illustrations, maps and cartoons; there are also a couple of full-page color plates.

The highlight of the volume is the 1st appearance of 6 articles (all are illustrated) written by THEODORE ROOSEVELT which were later collected in his book, "Good Hunting - In the Pursuit of Big Game in the West," which details turn-of-the century America's rugged wilderness:
* A Christmas Buck (January 19, 1897)
* The Timber Wolf (April 27, 1897)
* A Tame White Goat (May 25, 1897)
* A Cattle-Killing Bear (June 22, 1897)
* Shooting the Prong-Buck (July 27, 1897)
* The Wapati, or Round-Horned Elk (August 31, 1897)

Another highlight of the volume is early BASEBALL content (with photographs and illustrations):
* "A Study in Baseball Hitting" (April 20, 1897)
* "Base-Running" (April 27, 1897)
* "Mechanical Pitcher" invention for "making an artificial pitch" (September 14, 1897)
* Numerous profiles of high school baseball squads with team photos

In addition to baseball, there are many other illustrated sports & recreation-related articles, including golf, fishing, wrestling, bowling, football, ice hockey, track & field, speed skating, crew/rowing, cricket, bicycling, kite flying, shooting, tennis, and more.

The December 22, 1896 issue contains a facsimile copy of "THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS" by Clement C. Moore in his handwriting.

Recurring sections within the issues include "Interscholastic Sport," "The Camera Club," "Stamps," and "Bicycling." Notable contributors include Theodore Roosevelt, Kate Douglas Wiggin, Frederic Remington, Andrew Lang, Charles King, Howard Pyle, Henry Cabot Lodge, Owen Wister, and many more.

May 6, 1897 contains an illustrated article titled "The Soledad Girls" by Frederic Remington.
June 29, 1897 contains an illustrated article "The Buccaneers" by Howard Pyle.
April 20, 1897 contains the story "In the Transvaal of 1877" by H. Rider Haggard.

The 52 issues are as follows:
1896 - November 3, 10, 17, 24; December 1, 8, 15, 22, 29.
1897 - January 5, 12, 19, 26; February 2, 9, 16, 23; March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30; April 6, 13, 20, 27; May 4, 11, 18, 25; June 1, 8, 15, 22, 29; July 6, 13, 20, 27; August 3, 10, 17, 24, 31; September 7, 14, 21, 28; October 5, 12, 19, 26

Condition:
Small cloth tears at the bottom 2 corner tips; clean covers with only a couple small scuffs to the back cover; tiny cloth tears at the top and bottom edges of the spine. Cracks at the front and rear hinges with the webbing exposed resulting in the covers being shaky, though firmly attached. The inside of the book is in excellent condition - the pages are clean and nearly appear unread with no issues found (with the exception of a 3" tear at the bottom of page 493); some light staining and foxing to the end papers and pastedowns. Overall in very good condition.