[ Sporting Magazine ]
The Sporting Magazine (1792 - 1870) is considered the first general sporting magazine, though in its later decades it gave considerable emphasis to fox hunting. But it published all manner of sporting-related material, from news stories to poetry to calendars of upcoming sporting events. The subtitle of this magazine was "Monthly Calendar of the Transactions of the Turf, the Chace, and every other Diversion interesting to the Man of Pleasure, Enterprize and Spirit." [more at Wikipedia]
The following item appeared in the "Sporting Intelligence" section of the November 1797 issue:
A seaman belonging to the Mary and Nelly, of Whitehaven, saved himself by swimming; he was much exhausted, and when recovered, he said, he could have swam easily to land, but for the mistaken endeavours of a large Newfoundland dog to save him: the faithful animal, to urge his speed to the beach, kept pushing him forward with his feet, in such a manner as plunged him continually under water. (103)