Work and Win Weekly

Founded in 1879, Frank Tousey was among the top five publishers of dime novels in the late 1800s and early 1900s. About a decade later, in 1896, when weeklies for boys became popular, Street & Smith published Tip Top Weekly, "An Ideal Publication for The American Youth." Frank Tousey responded in 1898 with Work and Win, "An Interesting Weekly For Young America." Tousey published approximately 1382 issues of Work and Win, from about 1898-1925.

Work and Win's hero Fred Fearnot, was created by Harvey King Shackleford in issue No. 13, March 3, 1899, and wrote under the pen name Hal Standish. Later issues were written by George. W Goode, also writing under the pseudonym Hal Standish. it seems that Tousey was playing off the success of Tip Top Weekly, who featured the sporting adventures of fictional characters Dick and Frank Merriwell, written by Gilbert Patten, under the pseudonym Burt L. Standish. The character Frank Merriwell was first published in the April 18, 1896.

From Sept. 8, 1905 to April 13, 1906, Tousey published "Frank Manley's Weekly" featuring the adventures of Frank Manley, a plucky young athlete. This prompted Street & Smith to issued a warning on the header of Tip Top Weekly issues that read: "CAUTION! All readers of the renown Tip Top stories should beware of base imitations, place upon the market under catch names very similar to Frank Merriwell, and intended to deceive."

This July 26, 1907 issue of Work and Win, No. 401 "Fred Fearnot and The Tricky Umpire; or, The Worst Roast Of All" features a story where "infuriated fans" tried to inflict bodily harm to the umpire, but not for Fred Fearnot's prompt response in calling his team the Fredonia boys to the rescue. This is not an isolated Work and Win story about violence against the umpire. Work and Win September 11, 1908 issue No. 510 'Fred Fearnot's "Hit-And-Run" Boys, or, A Hot Game All The Way' illustrates an umpire laying on the ground after being knocked out by a baseball bat. (cover below)

1976 Sports Collectors Digest Ted Williams Cover


Work and Win, No. 401 back Cover	Work and Win, No. 510 Cover

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