The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-11-28

triumph over the game and i'm
d , I1oved Hilo Polo team yesterday
afternoon at Kapiolani Park, by
the score of 1S to ~ This score was
piled up by straight driving, the most
fearless riding and consistent taking
advantage of opportunities, there being
represented in it seventeen goals and
an extra count for safety drives and
one foul. The play was not high class
polo perhaps, but taking into account
the lack of experience at the game of
the men and animals, it was altogether
a highly creditable exhibition.
The victory of Kauai makes the game
which is to cap the tournament one of
the utmost interest to all who enjoy the
spectacle of eight men with their fast
mounts contending over a little white
ball, on a field which offers opportunity
for long drives and some speedy going.
If Maui could beat Kauai almost two
to one. and Kauai could beat Hilo by
sven a higher average score than did
z Oahu the forecasters believe the men
from the Valley Isle have more than
fair chance to best the local defenders
of the championship title. But much in
polo game depends upon the defense
of the weaker team, and just as Kauai
did not make as fine showing against
the game with the Rainy City folk as
against the Canary, it is safely argued
also that Oahu will play better and
faster game against the winners of
Tuesdays second contest.
Again Prouty was the bright particu-
lar star of the HiIo men, but he had
better support, in that each man of his
team seemed to be improved by the
bucking against the faster Oahu play
ers. Guard was more in evidence and
Kennedy more frequently carried the
ball down field, while DR.. Irwin rode
better and more frequently stopped the
ruShes of the red men than when
against the local force. But the per-
centage of misses was too high to give
a fair chance of winning. Irwin fire.
quently when at fair speed only failed
of the stroke, and these misses almost
always were costly.
Kauai was riding as fast and many
thought as recklessly yesterday as on
Tuesday, and, too, was just as depend
ent upon driving as then, for there
was very little riding off. Peter Melina
on more than one occasion did handle
his man. but more frequently the atten-
'1tion of the players was given exclusive
'%ly to the ball and then miss meant
turning the sphere over to the man who
was following on. G. H. Rice divided
the honors with his brother Arthur on
sure hitting and riding off play. The
brothers played with decision and their
stroking was fairly true. To the Melina
brothers belongs much of the spectacu-
lar portion of the game. for they rode
fast and WE'LL and they frequently made
long and difficult strokes which won for
them the plautits of the crowd.
So much for the individual plays. The
crowd which watched them was rec
ord turnout for polo game. The sides
of the field were lined with carriages
and the benches provided for those who
came from the Rapid Transit and trans
were comfortably filled. There were, /
too, many riding parties and the spec
tacle of all varieties of carriages, drags
and coaches, filed and covered with
brightly dressed ladies made the scene /
one which has seldom been equalled
here. The crowd was augmented when
the football devotees arrived and the /
length of the game, While it caused
many to take their departure before the
end of the contest, did not deter sew
eral hundred people from staying /
through the entire match.
The gameness of the Hawaii team, in
playing their hardest polo when they /
surely had little chance of success, won
for them many friends, and several
horses which are not to be played in
the game of Saturday, were placed at
their disposal by members of the Maui
and local teams. Their own animals
seemed to be in fine fettle too, and more
than once managed to run down the
gamest of the Kauai horses, even the
famous Gypsy failing TO carry Rice
away from Irwin and Prouty on some
long dashes.
Kauai got into the game at the very