After selling the Gazette, he published and edited the Spirit until his death in 1885. Wilkes also wrote a couple of books on non-sporting topics, and introduced pari-mutuel betting to the United States.
🎙️
Related Content
Stories, Photos, Videos, Podcasts, and Publications featuring George Wilkes BiographyF i l t e r & S o r t Filter & Sort
4549 issues
1845-1977
Under publisher Richard K. Fox beginning in 1877, it became the forerunner of the men's lifestyle magazine, the illustrated sports
/ Under publisher Richard K. Fox beginning in 1877, it became the forerunner of the men's lifestyle magazine, the illustrated sports weekly, the girlie/pin-up magazine, the celebrity gossip column, Guinness World Records-style competitions, and modern tabloid/sensational journalism.
In its heyday it was immensely influential. In the first part of the 20th century, the United States became the centre for professional boxing. It was generally accepted that the "world champions" were those listed by the Police Gazette.
During the Great Depression in 1932, the Police Gazette ceased publication, and was sold at auction. In 1933 it was revived and appeared twice a month, taking on more of the flavor of a girlie magazine, continuing for many decades. The tabloid finally ceased print publication in 1977.
104 issues
1856-1858
In October of 1856, it was announced "due to some peculiar circumstances", that William T. Porter would surrender ownership of
/ In October of 1856, it was announced "due to some peculiar circumstances", that William T. Porter would surrender ownership of the original Spirit of the Times to John Richards, and branch off to start a new publication with George Wilkes, called "Porter's Spirit of the Times". When Porter died in 1858, his share in the second Spirit fell into the hands of a New York lawyer.
Wilkes didn't get along with his new partner, so in September 1859 he established his own journal, Wilkes' Spirit of the Times. For a short time there were three Spirits being published simultaneously, but Porter's Spirit went out of business soon after. The original Spirit had a large portion of its subscribers in the South, so the Civil War sealed its fate, leaving Wilkes as the sole survivor after June 1861.
2200 issues
1859-1901
In October of 1856, it was announced "due to some peculiar circumstances", that William T. Porter would surrender ownership of
/ In October of 1856, it was announced "due to some peculiar circumstances", that William T. Porter would surrender ownership of the original Spirit of the Times to John Richards, and branch off to start a new publication with George Wilkes, called "Porter's Spirit of the Times". When Porter died in 1858, his share in the second Spirit fell into the hands of a New York lawyer.
Wilkes didn't get along with his new partner, so in September 1859 he established his own journal, Wilkes' Spirit of the Times. For a short time there were three Spirits being published simultaneously, but Porter's Spirit went out of business soon after. The original Spirit had a large portion of its subscribers in the South, so the Civil War sealed its fate, leaving Wilkes as the sole survivor after June 1861.
By 1861, the Spirit began covering football more extensively than any previous publication. Football coverage in the Spirit quickly outstripped the same in the paper's main rivals, the New York Clipper and the National Police Gazette. The paper covered college games first; in 1882, football got its own section. This coverage expanded again in 1892.