The Portland daily press., 1899-01-18

| ers--Old Portland Team Warmly
| Welcomed Home.
The polo season opened once. more In
the auditorium last night with big
crowd present. II was crack game
from the beginning and though the score
would lead one to believe tthat.it was
little one sided IL was as matter OF fact
a most Interesting contest.
The large crowd amply assured Mana
ger Burnham that the people of Portland
were glad to have polo back here again
and desired to patronizs Is largely. There
were fully GOO people In the big hall at
half. past eight o'clock when the game
was called.
One thing was noticeable in going to
the game last night and that was the
vast improvement which has been made
in the approach to the auditorium.
Formerly in order to reach this building
1t was necessary to pass through very
dark street. but the committee on lights
of the city government has placed strings
of incandescent lights across the street
and makes this thoroughfare as light as
day. Doubtless this improvement in the
approach TO the auditorium will goa
good ways towards ponularizing this
resort with the people Of Portland.
The Portland polo teams opponents
last night were the Lewistons. They
came here from New York and were until
a short time ago the New York team of
the American Polo association. 1t is
an all-star aggregation with one weak
ness and that is in the goal. Tarrant and
Purcell are very rapid players. The
former will be we'll remembered In this
city where ne has played many good
games in the past Purcell Is a new one
in these parts but he makes very fair
running mate for Tarrant. Devlin is y
very good man and keeps his eyes on the
ball all the time while the fine work Of
little 1obin will be remembe rcd and ap-
preciated by those who see him this year.
As far as the Portland team goes they |
are the same old stars with one exception. |
Whipple is missing and his absence weak |
Ems the team trife, but Dawson does |
line work and will do much better as
soon as he has become accustomed TO the
fine playing OF Capt. Mckay's mon. |
Tho players of the Portland team were in |
the element last night and being given |
a very cordial reception when they skateu
out ON to the floor for tho first time they |
seemed TO be determined to so into the
game and show the crowd Of old friends |
what they could do. The Lewiston team |
was in no ways willing to let the con- |
test go without u fight and accordingly
the people had an opportunity OF wiz
Messing some very fine playing on both
sides.
1t took II minutes and little over
TO score the first goal and during this
time mix ups and fast playing was far
Leyond anything ever seen here before.
The passing of both teams was superb
and though Capt Mckay's men seemed
10 lie tritie the best at this kind of
game, the Lewiston team was not far be-
hind them in the work.
As the game progressed 1t became faster
and faster and whom the first period end
ed 1t had been scorcher The second
period opened very fast, but cooled down
little before it WAS through. The last
period was little slow Mt first. but be-
came very rapid towards the last end
and was very pretty to witness.
Tho Portland team won by big score,
but perhaps they would not have found
ii so easy If the Lewiston men had been
using their own skates. The baggage OF
the Lewiston team went asuray some
where and it was necessary for these
men to put ON the amateur skates Tor
the game which had handicapped them
10 little In their work. In fact, Shea |
one of their star men, was unable to go
on the floor at all. One thing seems Ger
tain and that is that the Maine league as
it Is at present constituted will certain
ly give the patrons of the game the best
polo they have ever seen. The reason for
this Is that the players are giving their
services for lower salaries and enabling
the managers TO secure faster and better
men all around.
Portland-C Campbell, Dawson, rushers;
Mckay. centre; Iurnbui, balf-back;
Hen, goal.
Lewiston-Ta rrant, Purcell, rushers;
Devlin, centre: Iobln, hall back;
Murphy, goal.
Goal Won by Rush by Gagged by Time
l-Portland, Campbell, Campbell, IL. AZ
Lewiston, Tarrant, Tarrant, .S3
shorthand, Tarrant, Campbell, go
- Campbell, - Limit