Boston’s Cycling Craze 1880-1900: A Story of Race, Sport and Society

Lorenz J. Finison

This well-researched, well-written book traces the emergence of competitive and leisurely cycling, which was prompted by mass production of bicycles and the growth of sports in American life in the late 19th century. In Boston, African-Americans, Irish, Italians, Jews and old line New Englanders all took to the roads, strengthening ethnic and racial social ties while also competing against each other against a backdrop of immigration restrictions and fears. The Irish dimension is rich and well-researched, citing leaders like John Boyle O’Reilly and John “Honey Fitz” Fitzgerald, as well as the less famous champion cyclist Eddie McDuffee.

University of Massachusetts Press | $24.95 paperback / 312 pages / May 2014