New-York tribune., 1898-09-25

MEADOW BROOK PLAYERS WIN THE
WALDORF ASTOR CUP.

TION OF SKILL IN THE FINAL BOUl'
Polo enthusiasts held high carnival on the Pa
rade Grounds Of Prospect Park. Brooklyn yes
terday afternoon. The occasion was the contest
for the Waldorf Astor Cup. which carries WIN II
the championship of America. AT conserNa-
tive estimate twenty-five thousand spectators
,,,ars gathered about the polo field by 3 p. m'
the hour appointed for the game 10 oesih hau
.he weathar been as fine as it was last year for
the crowning event OF the season. ooupie '"e
number OF sightseers might reasonably have
been expected to attend. AS 1t was, the cooi
breezes that kept wearing apparel and fohage
a-6utter Just suited the players and their po-
MES. The thermometer was trifie low for the
comfort Of the crowd.
The teams competing were those OF the
Meadow Brook and the Philadelphia Country
clubs AS iiitimated in these columns IN a pre-
yious announcement Of the game, the members
NJ the Meadow Brook team outclassed their op-
moments at all points as individuals, in cohesive
team play and In the matter OF their equine
eouipment Taking the measure OF the Phila-
de,phians in the opening period of the game. the
home team scored twice TO It's opponents once
before the contest had lasted seven minutes. ana
II kent thrashing at them throughout the game
until the final bout was ended. the register then
showing Meadow Brook IA goals Philadelphia I.
The Astor trophy, therefore once again goes on
the sideboard Of the cosey clubhouse OF the IN
yincille light blues at Meadow Brook. Long
Island.
The game was remarkable In many respects
Throughout the four periods OF play there was
not a single instance Of player striking ball
back Of his own line to save disaster. ana so
there were no safety hits to be recorded and no
occasion to make any deductions from the score.
Neither was a foul claimed throughout the con-
test. all o. which goes to prove that both teams
had studied closely the tenets Of the sport and
had evidently agreed TO adhere strictly to the
rules of fair play before entering the arena.
The Meadow Brook team played together as
a solid phalanx OF experts. and acted throughout
UP to the expectations Of the cognoscenti dem
onstratng to the full the possibilities OF a we'll
drilled team, the members Of which had played
together against all corners for the greater part
Of the season, or at any rate In all the more
important matches. William c. Eustis was In
his old position at No. l, and so was best fitted
10 put forth his most brilliant work at raising
the score. riding out the better mounted of his
opponents. and fong the player at back OF
the Philadelphia team. c. Randolph Snowden
Thomas Hitchcock. who played In the spring
matches against the Rockaway and Westchester
players. was at No. 2. and once again showed
himself a veritable Slosson on horseback as
he like the noted billiardst. was steady as
rock sure death on the ball. and as nonchalant
as though merely supervising a game, instead
of playing in a position which calls for unlimited
pluck quick decision and unerrng judgment
BY common consent he was voted the most in-
ished player on the field. Columbus Baldwin,
at "halfback" played with all his accustomed
VIM deftly struck the ball from either of or
near side. overland and backhand. as occasion
required. his beautiful trailing shots and cross
field play elciting enthusiastic applause. Harry
Payne Whitney, perhaps the best mounted polo
tst in this country to-day, was back for his
team. and played In this position throughout.
saving goal after goal by clevery blocking balls,
and by his direction" doing likewise when the
enemy seemed to have matters in their own
hands.
The Philadelphians were not we'll balanced as
q team and showed by their methods yesterday
the results Of their having been paired against
each other on their own field and at Devon dur
ing the summer. ]. B. Lippncott and Albert
Kennedy played well into each others hands.
and did about equally well In scoring for their
side. But the latter would have shown to bet
ter advantage at No. 4, where he played In the
spring than he did yesterday in third position
clever goal-keeper and was not weighty enough
for his opponents Kendrick clever up tc
q certain point but was not the freebooter tha'
O. M player is expected to be- and did not
r,sh through his field Tor score high FOR his
side.
Th ball was thrown in play at 3:11 p. m, and
the light blue champions rushed matters theii
evident intention being to thrash out their op
ponents' ponies early in the game. The score
allowed 4 to 2 on the teams lining up for th'
second bout and the visitors did better In TINS
reriod In the third trial the Phiiadeiphiah'
were nowhere. Messrs. Eustis and Hitchcoct
carrying off all the honors. The visitors, mrs
getting possession. took the ball up the western
boundary then lost 1t. Baldwin getting on anC
placing IT in front OF the goal, where Eustl'
tipped II between the uprights. Baldwin seemed
to play persistently toward the side boundaries
and then Hitchcock dallied with the ball Tor {
brief space until Lppincott got in some prett!
work. Eustis now returned 1t to the enemy!
territory and almost scored, Kennedy cleverly
saving disaster. After Kendrick broke his NAL
LET Snowden rode at It from centre field anC
muffed. allowing Whitney to get possession
Baldwin then repeated his former tactics alont
the boundary line and around end field, wait
ing for Hitchcock TO make drive. Then the,
dribbled 1t toward the goaposts, and finally th
aforementioned player increased the score. Eus
tis got one Of the few brilliant leads of tn
game In this bout. and Hitchcock rode off yer,
cleverly In the east corner.
On facing the referee for the final bout th
contestants seemed determined TO give exhi
bition Of inspiriting play which would rouse tn
spectators to the highest pitch Of enthusiasm
The Meadow Brook team. although four goals L
the good, rushed the ball through the opponents
line no less than five times, passing the bal
across the field TO each other ad libitum. The
raced their opponents repeatedly to give them
finishing taste Of the quality OF their horsefesh
and made them work exceedingly hard for tn
two goals they scored. AS grand finale MI
Eustis duplicated Mr.. Baldwns brilliant drive
after Lippincott had sked the ball into tn
corner and them with two clean hits. registere
the last goal Of the championship contest jus
n %