New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-15
THE CHAMPIONS AT POLO.
BY DEFEATING THE MEADOwBROOhS
THE ROCKAWAYS GET THE
ASTOR CUP.
IT WAS A GAME OF SEVERAL UPsETs AND MUCH
EXCITEMENT. AND WAS WITNESSED ia An
IMMENSE CROWD OF PEOPLE


The Rockaway Club won yesterday in the cup
championship polo games against the Meadow
brook Club by a score OF 10 Ga. the close score
and the sharp. brilliant plays on bo'h sines m"ue
the final game of the series the most executing co-
test which has been In this part OF the country
for wears not excepting the game between the
Mvopias and the Rockaway Hunt Club last season,
when the Myopias won the championship series for
1856 BY the rules of the National Association
the Rockaway Club is now entitled to hoid the
Astor Gun for a year before competing for con-
tnuance Of its possession.
The attendance at the games was large. On 'he
first dav OF the games there were probably 6"N
pcople present The attendance gradually in
creased. until yesterday the crowd was estimated
variously TO he from 1900 to 2o.Vn AROUND the
long stretch of rope fencing of the Enclosure the
crowd stood five or six deep. almost without Il
break Vehicles also numerous ranging from
the swell taily-ho turnouts to the modest phaeton'
and including many OF the old Central PARK stage
coaches the tops of which were black with men
and women. many of them wearing the coors OF
their favorite team. Society men and women IN
large numbers turned out. and the field was bright
with handsome and gayy dressed women. accom-
panied In considera bic force by young college men,
whose lungs were leather-lke In power In iac''
one part of the field the spot where the ahcie"'
stagecoaches thckest. resempled cohese
outfit of noisy yourg men at football game moro
than ANYTHING else But there are yells ana yes'
The untutored gamin and the men whose dress Is
careless and whose occupations none save them-
selves know Wed with The college men III the ~
tent and variety and force of csrsplitting eXpio-
sions As a particularly fine play was made OF
goal was scored from differen, parts OF the ropeu
Enclosure came yes. singly and in volleys, so loud
and penetrating that nervous people had TO re-
treat from the Loise. 1t showed the quality OF the
game and the intense interest the crowd taxes Ill
the sport of kings" The crowd was as quicK 10
catch point the polo expert Ihe pay Vi
.l.1,
pert in the country, were closely pnShed oS 'he
axcelIsnce of Cowdin Stevens, Hitchcock the EuS-
Ills bows and the others. But Keene had the eye VI
the multitude and when, in an unlucky mom'h''
he shot as II thrown from catapuit over MS
ponys head the we'll which had just died away on
a clever turn OF the ball changed TO a deep' An
he's down." of breathless concern. until the mus
cular hla ok haired wry young man was up again.
and it was seen that nothing save his prlde was III
jured. ,o..
Great PLAYS were without number YESTERDAY
The game was worthy the name which STANDS LOT
sLu and endurance 1t was fast polo from start
10 finish and 1t is safe to say that no hai'ei
fought contest or one having more beautiful plays
was ever seen With II ALL at critical points some
of the players were disappointing III may nav
been because the fighting was more reckless III i,'
disregard for consequences in the mao scra"oio
for results. The players. at times wheh 'he poi'''s
were the closest showed considerable acerpiy OF
IT,
much In the gentle way of the cavalryman VINO
rides at his friend the savage and cares hoti1"s
for the consequences. None but trance a'"io'ea,
and no beasts but the hardy polo PONIES CUM
stand the force Of such shocks.
The weather man bad provided good polo
weather and there was no complaint on that
score Leader looking clouds obscured the due
until lust before the game was over ana 'heie
fore there was complaint OF sun III 'ne eyes
of the players. ~
When Dr. Charles Cary. Of the Buffalo Cluo'
who acted as referee called the game at O'CLOCK
these players lined up:
Mcadowbrook Club-W. G. Eus'is. Ihomas
hitchcock. IT, c. c. Baldwin and Benjamin Nicoli.
Rockaway Club. S. Stevens. j. f. Cowdin' FOX
hall =. Keene and G. T. Eustis
On the throw-in most Of the play was spoeuhy
transferred to Meadowbrooks territory and the
ball went about at lively rate The Meadowbrook
men made a hard stand over in the left centre
of their field after four minutes play with time
for fresh mounts. The Meadowbrook men, after
this being closely pressed resorted TO safety
hit. struck by Nicoll. Again they were pressed
and Hitchcock scored safety. After the ban
was once more brought out Eusts. for RockaWay'
advanced H. lie was supported by stevens, WHO
carried II still further forward. and scored with
TWO straightaway strokes after four and half
minutes play
The second goal was also won by Stevens. The
ball was only twice in Rockaway's territory, ana
only for an instant lch time After three mini
utes of play the ball went out of bounds. II was
struck in by Keene and advanced to position by
Cowdin. Stevens in advance OF Cowdin. got the
ball from the latter and again struck home III TWO
strokes
The Meadowbrook men then began 10 look serious
Defeat doomed up. and they gathered themselves
together TO prevent It, From that time on they
showed better team work but luck was against
them The third goal. however, resulted In We
tory. won by Baldwin in l minute and As seconds
After a throw-in scrmmage in their territory
followed Eustis then got the bali. advanced II
half way to Rockaway's goal, splcnddly backed ny
Hitchcock who struck to the side. Nicoll ad-
vanced the ball still further. and Baldwin, coming
I'D across field made fine cross stroke. and goaled
amid hearty cheering The fight in the next inning
was pretty much all over the. field AT one time II
looked as though Meadowbrook would follow Inc
success OF the previous play, but an unincky miss
when victory seemed certain lost them their
chance The Meadowbrook men were bracing up
They were fighting hard and taking every chance
Keenc riding like "a whrlwnd. fouled by
Nicoll who stopped his mallet when a goal seemed
certain. Referee Cary allowed il, and half a goal
w crwar na'S Eowdp hsrd pressed struck safety for
his side and he bah was brought out again Imls
of his grandstand long strokes; SIX minutes
and iorFnd ~ th rrdod ,yos sirarht run in
by Nicoll Eustis supported him. and the side won
Keene being temporarily cut Of the game while
changing for fresh mount. The period closed
with the M"adOWpIoOh dsaiiiHt - I"' 'N'' nj
In the beginning of the next period Baldwin scored
for MealowDrOok supported by Nic0ll and Eus'is In
tn next inning Eustis raised the hopes Of the
Meadowbrook supporters by scoring another goal FOR
his SIDE ana when he repeated ihe trick in the follow
ng Inning the JOY Of the WeSthury crowd knew NJ
bounds In the second inning the play was all in
Rockaway's territory, ana in the next Eusis rlGe
sira ght through the Rockaway crowd ana scored his
point ny good. clean hitting. The horizon Of hope
was now brighter for the MeadOwbrOoks, FOR they
were within fraction Of their opponents But In the
next they dropped back again Stevens scored after
no % a
brook mon were showing better team work and both
teams were becoming more emphatic In their play .
They rushed and they crowded and they pushed re-
gard.ess Of consequences. The ball was ont Of
bounds times in he eight and half minutes Of
play But before 'iis NlcOl fo-lcd COwdin. and The
later claimed the penalty. and balf-goa. came of
Mcadcwbrooks hari-carncd score. Stevens won IN
three strokes after the tenth out. In ;he next Cow
din took the lal from The middle Of he fled and
carried it all The way down into Meadowbrook's ter
] IL .-L. NJ. =. . -,