The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-23
THE POLO CHAMPIONSHIP.
THE MEADOWBRooKS CAPTURE THE
TITLE BIZ a VIDE MARGIN.

They Defeat the Clever Country Ciub OF west
chester Players By over seven GoaIs-Ten
Thousand Persons see the Spirited Contest
at Prospect Particularly Brilliant Playa.
The nnal match for the Polo Association cham.
pionship was played yesterday afternoon on the
Prospect Park parade ground, Brooklyn, and
resulted in an overwhelming victory for tho
Meadowhrook team. which beat the Country
Club Of Westchester by IL goals to AZ. Accord.
ingly. the championship again changes hands,
the Myopia Hunt Club team having won in 1898
and the Rocksway Club in 1896. The Meadow.
brook men richly earned the honors and received
hearty cheers as they trotted up at the finish
and received the handsome Aston gold cup and
the four silver individual prizes. They had
played a great game and been factors in one OF
the most stirring spcctacles on the sporting
schedule OF the year. and the spectators were
not slow in showing appreciation.
The gathering around the huge roped In.
closure fell far short of the multitude which
saw the Country Club OF westchester win the
preliminary match last Saturday. but there wero
few vacant places at that, and the crowd was
conservatively estimated at 10, 700. Each toam
had 4 large 10. owing of its own people, and
the sporting set from westbury and West
chester encouraged their respective favorites
from vantage points on private coaches and
Fifth avenue stages drawn up along the side
lines. Between the actual playing field and the
outer boundary on one side a wide margin of
sward was roped OF, a part being occupied by a
tent FOR the players. while q long stretch was
reserved for the ponies. The latter section
looked like the paddock at q race track. as each
Of the conteuding players had q veritable stable
o~treserve mounts on hand. and these were led
about and groomed and furnished up as IL they
were so many Hamourgs. The M~eadowbrook
men had a particularly choice lot OF ponies, and
aeood deal Of their success was attributed to
the excellence OF their mounts. The West
chester men also showed a strong hand in this
respect, but the Meadowbrook equines, as q
whole. seemed to hold their rivals safe in tho
important qualities OF speed and training.
.. W. Bird was again selected as referee, and
sharp ~ $50 o'clock he had all ready to throw
the ball in The rival players were on hand
promptly; indeed. most OF them took a warm
ins up on the deld and whetted the interest of
the onlookers by some dashing Craftsmanship
and experimental rushes with the ball. The
Confident bearing of the two teams indicated a
close and protracted~ struggle. and although the
score became somewhat lop- sided after the first
period. the winners had by no means q walk.
ever. The Westchssterp players made a gallant
uphill fight and were scoring fast toward the
end. but not fast enough to close the gap which
the ~wbrook men opened up in the second
period. Considering the pace at which the game
was played. Inere was q cQeertul scarcity or &C
eideuts. Threatened collisions were averted
time and again by daring horsemanship which
would rouse the envy Of . cowboy champion.
The rivals rode each other OF at critical stages
n . fashion which stirred the sporting blood OF
the spectators, but it was clear that both ponies
and men knew their business, and that even the
most daring were living up to the ethics OF gen
The only accident of the day that presented =
srious aspect occurred in the Anal period.
Th0maa Hitchcock JF Uhn wan nlayinu n aap.
ntional game for Meadowbrook, essayed to
stop a Westchesser rush, and. in turning
heavily. BE remained PROSTATE in a dazed
condition for some moments, but Just as. his
Alarm Se iimPed OF to the Side Ines su and
pluckily took a fresh mount amid hearty cheers.
The teamsl lined up as follows:
Meadowbrook Club. wesrbury-I. W. c. Rustis,
SThomas Hitchcock. Jr.; s. h. P. Whitney; back.
Country Club Of westehester-1. J. S. Stevens;
ea u dM.''F'af'' 81 n Waterbury, '''' back J. E.
The frst scramble for the ball had scarcely
Esarted when Nicol made a clean miss, and tho
Eestchesters got away on the run, L. Water.
Sanseh on and scored sep the f Refs goal sIiI after rt went .t IRo
seconds. The Wsterbprys and Stevens corralled
ton run ended in a knock behind. Meadow.
brook then cut loose and carried the ball clean
tie teid, but, the shot for goal went wide: and
A~sadowbEook assumed the aggressive. Their
again the result. a breathing spell for change
ts and Cowdin cancelled an almost certain
goal By playing a safety which cost his side a
t Saasi bacss 0as' a a ta ntSS.f ond 6 q e dro 5ps' t RRe' b sIp q
Enstis. who fairly skyrocketed it between the
e~brooks goal line, but Hltchcock then got
.May tor a grand run, which he spoiled by over
but EustIs found a clear field and made @ great,
run, which he negattTet by a wide shot.
u NHhiffY ChRatnur at this srnge- and Immediately
After coi!ided with his brother and kesled over.
h hf fs end wesrche eGseH looked Slt Ike se saIninf bu e
he MeadowkEooks turned the side promptly.
Hitchcock and Eustis nursed the, ball up the
The PERIOD ended soon after viii Meadowbroo
.Lii On me aggressive. The net score at this
play made BY Cowdin.
Al! hands. INC uGing the referee, changed
pon4es and started in on the second period with
tEp:h. Hitchcock got possession OF the ball.
anu In ,Nfuty-t!ve seconds had It through. This
nused the Wcstchester men. and they held their
en- calamity Tor four minutes OF open play.
Tro?"hs, and stevens Went sailing for the goal.
lnthe !ast rush he OVERRIDE the ball. but Larry
MI &FST5 It 9 ts : up f Fl he left sI "; ,eh m2@s ont
h-.J eyen terms; but tie M~cldowhrooka
on q .oo Goals sT that tepyy th S5's sscrefs h %tsh "a
NhiiHty @ot possession for a brilliant run and
Got 70 iAlih.ock, who scored brilliantly from
rus play. J. Waterbury and stevens made q
GGshlnG run dOTn 'hc Held, but Hitchcock and
Mh.tney .ciievsG the pressure and charged for
le opposite goal. Cowtin blocked the ball, but
nc other paiT agn!n got possession and brought
We ball within range. whore Hitchcock sent II
4rough with q grand back.hand stroke: A
tnnansC Of ponies brought no change OF luck for
Wtstchos:cr, and the M~cadowbrooks swoOped
GOV" p; in and again. In less than three min
Sres hlstis scored, and about n minute later
mhi'ney followed suit, despite a daring attempt
ossEe b. J. ". Waterbury.
DashinS open play followed for over six min.
We When Whitney got in a long drive and
again oaOEtf. NlCOI lust missed another by a
barrow margin and Hitchcock again took a
hAnd. He got the bail and hung on TO it for n
but he rode like a whirlwind and just reached
me sphere in time to send II h%ulnming at AN
kasie between tho posts. Tho Meadow brooks
Lspt up Tho pressure and rushed tho ball to tho
mouth OF the Westchester goal. The red jack,
.s tT8ntically attempted TO clear. but all missed
me Elstis quickly knocked the ball through.
the second period ended soon after with the
SwUlelin boards showing: M~eadowbrook, 10
"eNchcsicr. Ia.
"a The thipti ,..rinJ o,o,oJ -i,4NfnaJnuIrnn