The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-17
OFFICERS OF THE ARMY
Make Up the Team, Which Has
a Good Record for Hard
Riding and Play.
THEIR PONIES WITH THEM.
The First Game Takes Place at
Burlingame in Early
April.

WALLA WALLA, March 16-Applica-
ton has been made to the headquarters OF
the Department of the Columbia at Van
eouver for fifteen days leave of absence for
the officers of the Fourth Cavalry, COM
posing the polo club at Fort Walla Walla.
The club will leave for Burlingame, Cal,
in about ten days to play match polo
games with the Burlingame Country Club
polo team on April 2 and the Southern
California club on April 4. But one team,
with carload of ponies, will go from here,
five members being in the team, including
substitutes.
The members are: Second Lieutenant
Hamilton S. Hawkins, captain of the team
First Lieutenant Cecil Stewart, Second
Lieutenant Gordon Voorhees,, Second Lieu
tenant E. B. Cassatt, Paul Compton, one
of the last four being a substitute player.
The Fourth Cavalry Polo Club, which
sends the team, was organized November
10, 1894, but games have been played since
March of 1894. The officers OF the club
are: Colonel Charles E. Compton, COM
manding the regiment and the post, presi-
dent eX-otficio; Captain w. f. Welder,
vice-president; Second Lieutenant Z. B,
Cassatt secretary; First Lieutenant r. A.
Brown, treasurer.
All the officers of the Fourth Cavalry are
honorary members of the club. The ac-
tive members number fourteen. The club
is in a fourishing condition and has
aroused much interest among civilians,
large crowds attending the Sunday after
noon games.
The mild winter weather in this section
of the State permitted practice games dur
ing the past four months, but up to within
the last week the game has been played
according to the rules of the American
Polo Association. Per agreement the
match games at Burlingame will be
played according to the rules of the Hur-
bingham London) polo committee The
club has practiced under the new rules but
one week, and are rapidly becoming
familiar with the new style of play.
The polo. grounds are a portion of the
Government reserve adjoining the fort,
and are i'll adapted for tie game, being
uneven, rolling and without turf The
soil is light, sandy loan and badly cut up
by ponies. During the games the riders
are enveloped in cloud of dust.
The practice games have been held daily
and witnessed by largecro The ponies
are a better class of the Cay1ise breed.
114Sg olC AdiNH dNblfC dllu SDOd
being a cross between the American horse
and the Indian mustang.
The best ponies in the club are Comp
tons chestnut Frank, Hawkins bay
Frisco, Cassatt's spotted Net and Stewards
bay joe The horses are in the pink of
condition and are well trained. None Of
the animals are over fourteen hands high
and make excellent polo ponies.
professional hostler, VOORHEES, by
name, has charge of the ponies. The Climb
has practiced in all kinds of weather. pro-
vided the grounds were not too slippery.
They play rapid, fast game, the ponies
being very sure footed. The club has no
preference in weather for playing, but the
grounds must not be too wet and slippery.
The team is composed of several crack
riders, among then being Paul Compton,
who is noted horseman all through Colo
RADIO and Wyoming. He is fearless rider
and pony is thoroughly under his con-
troll. Lieutenant Cassatt is trained rider.
and secured honors for horsmanship while
at West Point. Lieutenants VOORHEES, and
Stewart ride well, and play hard game.
As unit the team hold together well, as
the result long practice.