Daily camera., 1901-01-07
ANTIQUITY OF POLO.
The Game Was Played in Asia In
the Tenth Century.
early Patrons Were Rulers Of the
Country Popular with the
Crooks In the Twelfth Cen.
tury-LateR HistaPy.

Just when and Aer, the first game
of polo was played is not definitely
known. but it is well known that in
the early part OF the tenth century
the game was rt,. .yed in parts of Asia,
principally i'll Persia, India and JanAn.
In the latter country, where it was
4fnnfpQubtedly fnnfp played in the sixth CEN
game was known rs iiien that the
years before Christ. says the Rider
and Driver.
Many old eastern writings make
reference to the game under the Per-
sian name of chaugan.
Among the early patrons of the
game some OF the more distinguished
were Harun- 4Mraschid, the amir pa-
sud of Ghazni. the Emperor Akbar
and the Shah Abbas, the Persian mon
arch. The latter. great patron OF
the game, evidently found it great
relief from mental labor 70 gallop
about on wild little pony and en-
deavor to hit the chaugan ball harder
and oftener than any of his courtiers.
The plains of Agra furnished a
great polo ground for the Emperor
Akbar, where three centuries ago he
might have been seen wit hin quad
rangle formed by howdahed elephants
and squadrons Of horsemen playing
chaugan with his courtiers on the
present site Of Tai. The sticks they
played with were topped with gold
and silver. and when a stick broke the
pieces became the property of those
who picked them up. The emperor
must have been quite an enthusiast
upon the game, for it is recorded that
frequently on dark nights he won't
out upon the plain and played for
hours. using blazing wooden balls
that seethed and spluttered a. they
bounded over the ground.
Polo was probably first played in
Europe br the Greeks in the twelfth
century. for Byzantian historian
tells Us how tho Greek emperor, Com
menus, took 'cropper" while play
ing chaugan match
In Inkia chaugan was played for
AGES in Munnipore and the valleys of
1hjhet before il was taken up by the
| J.. glish. 1t is probably from this
place that the game derived the name
of polo, for il is probably a corrup-
tion of pulu. the Thibetan name for
the game. In 1889 j. F. Sherer a
lieutenant in the English army. hav-
ing become interested in the game
from seeing il played by the Munni-
| pories, organized European polo
club in Cachar. and by playing exhi-
| bition matches soon started the game
among the young officers and mer-
| chants OF his acquaintance. 1t was
largely through the efforts OF Sherer
that polo became popular in Calcutta
where in 1864 he was rendered a great
dinner in recognition of his services
He has since been justly called 1.-The
| father Of polo" The game has since
spread throughout all India, and is
| played from the IIimalayas to Ceylon
| and the great tournaments held year
| ly AT Murnt and Umballa, which are
attended by large and appreciative
throngs. are strong evidences of its
popularity. Nor is its popularity con
fined to India alone, for polo is played
to-day in almost every civilized coun
try in the world.
| The way in which the first game Of
polo came to be played in England,
is as follows: A number of young
officers quartered At Alder.hot were
sitting in . tent after lunch when one
OF their number. who had been read
ing paper, suddenly interrupted
and then he read aloud an account Of
game of polo played by the Munni-
pories. That must be great game"
said one; 'let us try it," Suiting the
action to the word, he ran out and or
dered the horses to be brought, while
the others supplied themselves with
hockey sticks and billiard ball.
With this crude outfit and upon big
horses WAS the hrst game Of polo
played in England. 1t was soon evil
dent that the game could not be
played successfully upon tall horses,
and ponies were brought from Ire
land for polo purposes. Other regi-
ments took up the game, until tourna-
ments became quite common. Large
clubs were started at Lille Bridge
and Hurlingham, and the latter place
10 still the favorits resort OF polo play
srs in England.