In Memoriam |
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The profession suffered a grievous loss with the death on April 2, 2008 of Philip J. Pauly at the age of fifty-seven. A distinguished and prolific historian of American science, Pauly received his B.A. from Catholic University in 1971, an M.A. from the University of Maryland in 1975, and a Ph.D. degree from Johns Hopkins in 1981. He came to Rutgers University in 1981, and rose to the rank of professor. His first book, Controlling Life: Jacques Loeb and the Engineering Ideal in Biology, was published by Oxford University Press in 1987. Pauly’s widening interests became evident with the appearance of Biologists and the Promise of American Life: From Meriwether Lewis to Alfred Kinsey (2000), which analyzed the manner in which biologists influenced American society and culture. Despite severe health problems, he managed to complete a stunning work published by Harvard University Press in 2007. Fruits and Plains: The Horticultural Transformation of America, was a truly groundbreaking and original work. Covering nearly three centuries, Pauly attempted to describe and analyze how a variety of individuals and groups attempted to introduce both American and foreign plants in new environments while at the same time avoiding alien plants and insects. His concept of horticulture transcended garden clubs and genteel individuals who sought to grow more attractive flowers. In his eyes, horticulturalists were pioneer biotechnologists who—for better or worse—transformed the American environment. The book covered a myriad of topics from the battle over the Hessian fly to the debate over the foresting of the prairies. Nor is the book one-dimensional. By discussing a variety of perspectives, Pauly provided an insightful historical account that shed light on such contemporary concerns as pest control and ecological restoration. The book is destined to become a classic. A narrative of scholarly accomplishments, however, can scarcely do justice to the life of this remarkable individual. His contributions were recognized by a variety of groups and organizations, including: the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the National Science Foundation, the History of Science Society, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Smithsonian Institution, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. He also served on several editorial boards and was deeply involved in both departmental and university affairs at Rutgers. Pauly was also an inspiring teacher, and offered a variety of courses encompassing the history of exploration, science and society, science prophecy and science fiction, and the history of nature and the nature of history, as well as other offerings rarely found in history departments. Those who were fortunate enough to enroll in his courses found that he was an extraordinary teacher who combined knowledge, wisdom, and erudition with a delightful sense of humor tinged with irony. Even during an illness lasting two years, he never lost his sense of humor, and his courage was an inspiration to all who knew him. Pauly is survived by his wife Michele Bogart, a professor and director of graduate studies in the Department of Art at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, and a son, Nicolas, a sophomore at Rutgers. He will be sorely missed by both his family and his colleagues. Jules Tygiel Tygiel’s work on the history of baseball helped to legitimize sports history among historians and to show non-historians how sports can illuminate the past. His scholarly work was characterized by careful research, clear and graceful writing, and the selection of topics that spoke not just to our understanding of our past but also of ourselves and our society. His first work, Baseball’s Great Experiment: Jackie Robinson and His Legacy (Oxford University Press, 1983) is as much about race as about baseball and probes both the dynamic of integration and its limits. Named to several “best book” lists, the book received a Robert Kennedy Book Award. Tygiel’s articles on baseball were collected and expanded in Past Time: Baseball as History (Oxford University Press, 2000) and Extra Bases: Reflections on Jackie Robinson, Race, and Baseball History (University of Nebraska Press, 2002). The Society for American Baseball Research gave Past Time its Harold Seymour Award in 2001. Tygiel’s work on California history began with his dissertation, “Workingmen in San Francisco, 1880-1901” (UCLA, 1977), published in 1992. Barron’s said that his The Great Los Angeles Swindle: Oil, Stocks, and Scandal in the Roaring Twenties (Oxford University Press, 1994) “should be required reading for anyone interested in the history of American finance.” Tygiel’s final book was Ronald Reagan and the Triumph of American Conservatism (Longman, 2004). Tygiel’s writing style and wry humor made him an attractive guest for talk shows and served him well as a speaker, including the keynote for the Symposium on Baseball and American Culture at the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997. He also contributed op-ed pieces to several papers. Tygiel received two awards from National Endowment for the Humanities and San Francisco State’s second annual Excellence in Professional Achievement Award. At San Francisco State, Tygiel taught courses on U.S. history 1917 to 1945, California history, baseball history, and computer methodologies. His colleagues elected him to nearly every departmental committee, the Academic Senate, and the University Promotions Committee. Tygiel also organized annual standing-room-only programs on the events of September 11, 2001, that steered clear of ideologies and partisan critiques and instead, provided students and the public with thoughtful commentary. In 1982, Tygiel married Luise Custer. They have two sons: Charles, 24, and Samuel, 17. Tygiel was preceded in death by his father in 2006, and is survived by his mother. His vibrant mind and gentle spirit will long resonate in the hearts of colleagues, students, friends, and extended family. Donations may be made to Imagine Supported Living at <http://www.imaginesls.org> or Camphill Communities California at <http://www.camphillca.org>. —Robert W. Cherny
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