The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-12-14
NEW RULES FOR POLO PLAYERS.
CrookinE of Mallets and Handicap
Conditions May be Changed.

There is a reasonable possibility that a
unity In rules may soon be established be-
tween the English and American polo as
sociat.ons- Until last spring no really
prominent American player except FOxhali
keene had been brought into prominent con-
tact with foreign Payers since 1856. when
an English team visited this country and
won the International cup which our team
tried Intellectually TO bring back from the
Of some OF the best polo players Of the two
countries last May and June has occasioned
it has led to a number of conferences to-
ward making the playing rules in the two
countries uniform.
The great differences in the American and
English polo rules are in regard to off-side
play and the hooking of mailets. Our team
was forced to become familiar with these
although the men had considerable practice.
they were, to some extent, handicapped by
unfamil!arity with the English methods.
The hooking of malletS during play. or
stick crooking." as it is commonly called
in England. is never seen here. II has never
been allowed from the start of the Ameri.
opponents stroke" Is the rule on this point.
In English polo clubs it has always been
allowed. but there has lately been consider
able sentiment against it. the crooking Of
sticks stops many a goal. and is often
responsible for the small scores in fifst-class
matches. The fact that a Players inaliet
is likely to be crooked often causes him TO
hurry his stroke. and so lose his aim. or to
tip his ball. or hit II across when II should
go straight. 1t stops many Of the dashins
long runs for the goal posts frequently seen
in good American games.
1t is a trick stroke and has never been
recognized by our players as conducive to
clean. straightforward polo. The English
definition of oftsite play Is: No player
who is offside shall hit the ball or shall
in any way prevent the opposite side from
reaching or h ting the bail. a player is
ofrsiGe when. at the time of the bal be-
ing hit, he has no one of the opposite side
nearer the adversaries' goal line. or that
line produced, or behind that line. and when
behind one Of his own side who g in pos
session of the ball. The goal line means
the eIght-yard line between the goal posts:
\ player. if Offside. remains offside until
Another point in which the English and
Amer can poiolsts differ is in regard TO
handicaps. The handicap system, which
has worked very benefic!ally here. has
being played at the scratch basis. al
though a proper amount OF Judgment Is
shown in selecting men for opposing teams;
The American Poo Association has adopted
the policy OF handicap p.ng its MEMBERS
from zero to ten. The higher the hand cap
number, the better is the p aver. FoShail
Keene and ]. NJ. Waterbury. Jr-, are the
only players who are now rated 3. zen.
This system serves to show the improve
ment of players from season to season,
and it acts as an incentive with new play
ers to do their best. The handicap list Is
revised two or three times each
wear by the Executive Committee, and the
system has proved so popu ar that II VIII
undoubtedly always be retained in Aner1-
can polo. The championship games, how
ever. are played on an even basis by all
the competing teams. these being the only
big events of the year which are played
without the allowances given by one team
to another on account of handicap differ
pnCfS.