Morning journal and courier., 1888-02-13
Lines in Memory of Stephen y. NIeany.
 ByJ R .rTDrA
ADIsGUsTING EXHIBITION
Of Polo Playing by the New Haven Team-Seme Plain Facts About the
 HANau

Of Polo Playing by the New Haven | Team-Seme Plain Facts About the | Local Team.
 | Three thousand five hundred people as- sembled in the rink at Hartford Saturday l night expecting to see an exciting game of polo between the New Haven and Hartford
 teams. They were sorely disappointed. They
 saw the New Ravens play like school boys and beaten by score of to 2. New Hs- yensrs present were chagrined with the play ing of their team. The players all through took it for granted, it seemed, that they were defeated, and 50 didn't try to play. Leydon was the only one who tried to win the game. He played a splendid game at center. Every body was amused at Hallett's exhibition to win. His principal point was to hold on to the cage. He would stand and look at the ball minutes at time, and it appeared to be one of his objects, when the ball was near the cage, to get out of the way and give the op- posing player who was fighting with Leydon for the ball @ clean drive for goal.
 To begin with the players had two days rest when they met the Waterburys Friday night. Then they played poor game, but many thought they were saving themselves for Saturday night. They played still worse, however. They wouldn't dare have given the same exhibition in the rink here that they gave in Hartford. Connors and Newcombe rushed, but they did about as little as any rushers possibly could do. As far as the rushing was concerned Connors might have just as we'll done it all alone for all the help he got from Newcombe. After Connors was knocked insensible the team was practically without any rushers.
 Think of Cotter's taking the rush three times, following the ball up and caging it in four, i've and twenty-six seconds. Nobody touched the ball but Cotter, and yet the New Ravens stood and looked on in amazement. It would seem as if, after Cottsr had done this trick once, the New Ravens would have stop ped him. Certainly they should after he had done it twice. But no, they were like so many sticks. Leydon played center and half back Cfor Hallett might as well have stayed in New Haven for all the playing he did) and he also rushed. He probably got tired of see- When he did lush Hallett told him to stop it, for the reason probably Ethat Hallett thought he would have to do little playing if Leydon got out of his position, and that would spoil the picnic Hellett was having. So Leydon had to stop. He was the only one of the New Ravens who could get the ball away from the Hartford players, and he may rest assured that he was greatly praised on all sides by the Hartford people. Hallett was an object of merriment all through the game. Whenever he did hit the ball the spectators would exclaim, "Why, look at Pop he really has the ball." But when he did get it he didn't know what to do with it. By the way, he got left in the corners every time but once. Fuller made one beautiful stop, but further than that did about as much as the others. No one could blame him from the support he received.
 Manager Downs should Have seen the game. The New Haven team is paid to play way to make them. There isn't a team in New England that is as well used by the management as the New Ravens. The play CTS have everything they want. They have never been fined. Instead they have been talked to kindly by the management. Play CTS in other teams are fined if they don't play. As talking doesn't seem to do much good with the New Ravens there Is only one other resort Fine them. It is safe to say that if the manager of any other team in the league had seen his team play such disgust ing game Saturday in Hartford the players would have walked up the next morning and found several fines to pay. This playing on past reputation isn't what is wanted. It is what the player actually does that counts. The manager of the New Ravens, if he ex- poets to win the championship, has got to do something besides talk to his players. He treats them too well.
 This is pretty plain talk, but it is only done for the good of the New Haven team.
 NOTES.
 The Meridens defeated the Bridgepolts in Meriden Saturday night, 9 to 1. Kelly ref creed.
 The New Ravens are after Churchill, of the Hartfords, to play cenetr. If he comes here it will be decided to-day.
 Riley, the well-known goal tend, doesn't want to go to Bridgeport. He had rather come to New Haven.
 The Meridens play at the Polo rink to- night. The Bostons tomorrow night.