New-York tribune., 1900-07-16
POLO.
CHANGES IN HANDICAP LIST MADE
NECESSARY By RECENT DE
VFLOPMENTS

NElIDP PMENiS.
So astonishing and numerous have been the re-
versals OF form recently the polo circuit that
the chairman of the association and the IheInoelS
of the committee whose duty It is to "atch such
matters have deemed it wise to revise the hanol-
can list somewhat earlier this than last and
in consequence the players will enter the saratoga
tournament under their ratings instead OF
waiting until the Point Judith meeting Tor re-
arrangement of penalties
Distinctly an American innovation in polo the
handicap system in vogue here has probably hao
more beneficial influence on the sport than any
other of its many commendable features. Rated
according the degree of dexterty and cleverness
they evince in actual competition the players are
penalized the approximate number of goals which
they are supposed be able to make easily against
men of similar Caltre. teams aggregate deter
mining how many goals 1t shall receive from or
allow to any organization it may meet in regular
match games.
Where a strong team is scheduled meet
weaker organization the handicap system lends an
element of chance TO contest which without II
would totally devoid of interest did the play
ers meet basis 1t would be foregone
conclusion that the experienced men would
easily defeat the youngsters. Allowances 10 young
players encourage them TO enter the lists against
experts and so entries assured for the several
tournaments and the circuit is rendered the more en-
ioyable AS the members of the committee having
in charge the question Of changes are old players
who have the interests Of the sport at heart.
no favoritism is possible, and il remains with
the players themselves to go into the sport with
vim and show by their form tour that they are
worthy of increased honors. On the other hand, if
they drop out of tournaments for time. or show
a lack of zeal in their play, they have no one but
themselves to blame if their rating is reduced In
this way players representing club are entitled TO
appear against first or second class players, as the
case may be-
The American handicap system has been found TO
work so satisfactorily here that the advsabity Of
its adoption in England and elsewhere has been dis
cussed quite generally of late And more especially
so in view of the fact that players ponies are
taken into account as veil the cleverness of
player himself when the Handicap Committee
makes its decisions Thus wealthy men who ride
expensive ponies, and who display extraordinary
dexterity, have 10 carry high handicap IN this
country whereas in Europe, operating without han
dicap. they would find it easy TO dispose OF all
comers in that they would not be compelled TO
allow any goals at the beginning OF game.
Thus the sport may be said to be fairer here than
abroad,
THE FORM OF THE TLAYERS CONSIDERED.
In arriving at their decisions this time the mem
hers of the Handicap Committee have evidently
been actuated by the form of the players in the
recent Valentine Morrell and Championship tourna-
ments at Devon Philadelphia and Brooklyn, as the
players engaged In those games appear 10 have re-
ceived the most attention. The play at LakeW rod
seems also to have cut figure with the COM
mittee as Seward Cary, who played on the Lake
wood Third and George J. Goud's regular teams has
/
because both teams beaten by the 'tockaway
new regulars. Yet Cary did good work on the
Lakewood teams when defeating lhe Rockaway old
regulars the Staten Islanders md the local second
organization For the same reason, Robert Collier
and James Converse. both listed as Of the Lake
wood Club have been reduced from t. 8, and from
3 to ?, respectively. George ]. Gould, himself
player now only in his second season, has shown
remarkable Improvement in such a short time, but
not sufficient warrant the committee listing him
more than goals. as he was rated in the May
| schedule.
Dr. Charles Cary of the Buffalo Club. who was
! hurt severely last fall must have requested that
his rating be reduced from to :. The members OF
the Cary family are, well seasoned players, and in
| their games at Nyopa last year did much to war
| rant higher rating than they then carried. In
creasing c. c. Rumsey, OF Butalo, from 10 4. Is
| we'll deserved. Bronson Rumsey has beer reduced
| from to 2
| The Westchester Country Club loses R. Living
| ston Beeckman this and the Meadow
! Brook Club adds his TO its list. His handicap
| is kept at g. a notable change is that OF j. Monte
! Waterbury, tr., from :. This plucky young
player of the Westchester team drew the attention
| of the committee his form when he hesitated at
a critical moment in that memorable contest against
/ the Dedhamites for the championship recently. He
! and his brother Lawrence 90 and John Cowdin
| (9) have certainly had a hard hill to climb this
! season. with the game, but somewhat light, young
player Eugene Reynal 81 in front of them, 1t was
evident to the most cursory observer that in that
! championship tussle the Westchesters rated
bit high and that the Dedham players
needed a little attention the hands of the com
mittee. AS it would have been scarcely proper
the only available player TO cut down goal The
! team will proba oily continue to operate with Rey-
nal in order to keep down its aggregate handicap
! for future tournaments.
The Dedhams have received all they wanted.
perhaps IN the matter tier or pen2lJies as Joshua
Goodwin the hsld a SaPtaih The same same and pI,Gy
/ Forbes, the meteoTic forward, and of the
/ cleveIest IN any country still remains at goals
though mis- form at Brooklyn would seem TO entitle
him to lift Of ?, or at any rate single goal
| though is the highest of any forward on the
! probably the result of Fosters style Nara
aggregate team at Point Judith this season than
| the championship quartet admits OF.
The Devon team, having lost 10 the mixed Lake
woods, Philadelphia l and twice to Westchester
has rightly lost couple of goals, namely. George
| crossing and hooking malets) and George Ken
| drick Sd. to possibly on account of his
but erratic rides the ball in his games
| it would have seemed only fair to have reduced
slow No g. is perhaps rightly left at his old mark
| G. This new rating puts the Devonians in future
! high for their showing thus far on the circuit
REDUCTIONS AND INCREASES
Alterations which all observers of form will agree
! with is that of Oliver ". Bird from TO and
! Theodore A. Favemeyer, jr from TO 4 These are
oldtime enthusiasts who used be top notchers
| and whom thousands have cheered to the echo.
Eu their showing in the championship series
| the old adase that athlete, like racehorse.
| keep in training If he is TO achieve anything
| Meadow Brook standby. benjamin NicolI reduced
| from 10 :. will surprise most followers o. the
| overlooked this great players lapse at Lakewood
early in the season, and the fact that the famous
TO Dedh&m n @ tne rn5n,nponShlP series but why