Morning journal and courier., 1890-03-17
PoLo AND THE SPORTS.

EVAO ANAS A m DkVR4Os
 The Reeord of Lass Wssk--Nev Haven
 Again Drops to Flnh Placs-The Two
 standings-Troublc In che Bridge.
 port Team-News ana Gossip.
 The nineteenth week of the polo season has ended and landed the New Haven team one position lower than 1t was last week. The "Scientists" are now in fifth place but by little clever work during the coming week will enable them to paas Neridsn. and hold fourth position until the end of the ssa~- son. This week the team VIII play four games, two ct home and two out of town The boys ought to defeat springheld here to- night and then down the s..Kids" from Meri- den in the local rink on Friday night. Tues day night they play in Bridgeport and will probably be beaten. The last game Of the week will be in Hartford on Saturday night, and although 1t is . mighty hard town to win in the local team can by hust1ing, as they are capable of doing, pull out on top.
 The boys played good polo last week and won the two home games quite handily. The game in New Britain Saturday night was lost by good deal of hard luck. New Ha- ven played the better polo but the ball, as it often does, seemed to follow the wood
 
 are finding no fault, for the two home games were victories. and the cranks pay their money to see the team win. They do not appreciate good game when it is played here if the home team happens to lose. Of the individual work of the players very little fault can be found, as every man played his position as we'll as he could. Hill and Nsw- combe are hustling more than usual and seem to be finding where the cage is and are not "plugging" the ball up in the gallery as they were two weeks ago. Cooke, as @ cen- ter, is e great success and is doing the best work of any man on the team. He is getting to be more lively every game that he plays, and quick work is what tells in this great game of polo. Phelan and Reed are doing as any other defense in the league.
 New Haven played four games last week and won two of them, bringing their per cent. of last week of .446 up to .461 per cent.
 The champions certainly did not play championship polo, as they made the poorest scores last week of any team in the league. bringing last weeks per cent. of .61O down to .592 per cent. The team was without the service of Pierce in one game, and it was lost to Meriden, but that is no excuse, as the team with Frazier ought to win all the home games. No excuse can be given for the teams poor work, as the poor playing is cuused by nothing but friction among the players in the team. There are one or two men in that team who for pure cussedness and meanness cannot be beaten. It is shame that team that is leading in the race for the championship cannot set au example for the other teams instead of giving such disgusting exhibitions of brutality as were seen in Meriden last Tuesday. It is honestly hoped that no moro of this work will ever be seen on g polo surface, and there certainly would not be if Manager Haines would get up what little sand that he has and treat such players as they deserve.
 Springfield divided honors with Meriden in making the last record for the week. They played four games and won three of them, bringing last weeks percentage of .555 up to .564 This team is making strong bid for first place and if they keep up their present gait they will come pretty near in getting there. They gained 27 points on Bridgeport last week and unless the champions look ous place. Springfield has had very prosperous season, and are drawing nearly as many peo- pie as the Hartford team Is. They have the advantage of having an excellent manager in Bancroft, and this worthy gentleman is mak- ing break at present for the championship by sandwiching in three home games . week, and If the boys from up the river do not car- ry of the palm it will surely not be the fault of Manager Bancroft.
 The Hartford team dropped off little in it's playing last week, but they managed to win both the home games. They played five games and lost three of them, bringing last weeks percentage of .486 to .4S1. They made big effort to catch Springfield, but when that team downed them three etraiRhts 1t took their sand away, and from general sp- pearances they will have to be contented to rest in third place this season. The tean, gives tough game wherever they play, and from . financial standpoint is Q success, for the management nave really coined money this season.
 Meriden surprised the cranks in that city last week by winning three games out of four and one of them from the champions in their own rink. New Haven and Meriden are having it hot and heavy for fourth place and although the "Kids" now hold that much sought for position it is even money that the Scientists will head them at the end of the season. They have passed the "Woodchoppers" probably for good and are looking with longing eyes on third place. Hallstt has made quite an improvement in the team and the old man says he knows what the ''Kids" can do and that he pro- poses to get 1t out of them. They played . great game Saturday night and outplayed Springfield at every point. Their percentage was .447 last week while now it is .462.
 New Britain clings hard on to last place and will undoubtedly grace the same posi- ton when tho season closes. They played five games last week and brought last weeks percentage of .447 down to .444.