New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-23
BLOW KILLS POLO PLAYER
III. D. BABCOCK, JR., DEAD.
Injury Not Supposed Serious Till
Hours After accident.


Harry D. Babcock, jr,. son of Mr. and Mrs.
Henry D. Babcock, of No 20 East Fifty-second-
ST.. died at his home at 4 a. m. yesterday from
the effects of accidental blow the head
with a polo mallet in the hands of w. c.
Devereux. fellow player. The accident
CURED late Saturday afternoon in Van Cort-
landt Park. in the last half of the first inter
collegiate polo game played In this city. Mr..
BabcoCk played No. in the Yale team and Mr..
Devereux No. on the Princeton side.
After the fatal blow struck Mr. BabcOck.
according to his own version of the affair,
slipped Intentionally from his horse. Later,
partly recovering from the dizziness which fol-
lowed the blow he insisted on returning to the
game but Captain Baldwin of Yale overruled
him. and put another man in his place to finish
the game. Mr. Babcock. who member of
the Yale freshman class and keenly interested
in polo. declined to go home at once. as advised
by friends but remained until the finish of the
game. He then taken home in auto
mobile by two friends. and conversed with them
about the game throughout the ride. Reaching
the house he babe his friends goodby and
walked In unassisted.
According to the statements Of the family, the
young told his mother that he had not
finished the game. having been accidentally
struck with maet but made light of the In
jury, insisting that he had often been struck on
the head while playing with the Junior Polo
Club Of the Rockaway Hunt Club. Mrs. Bah
cock. however. thought it best TO call a physi-
clan. and sent messenger for Dr. A. Alexander
Smith Of No. Is West Fifty first-st.. who came
at o'clock. The young man induced to lie
on couch while awaiting the physician. al
though he insisted taat aside from headache.
he all right
Or. Smith examined him carefully but found
nothing TO indicate that the blow had seriously
injured the patient After dressing a slight
wound on his left arm. caused by his fall from
the pony DIR. Smith left the house. cautioning
his patient that he had better forego his dinner,
he had had slight attack OF nausea soon
after reaching home DR.. Smith later said he
attributed this TO stimulants given Mr. Babcock
at the polo ground which he was unaccustomed
TO drinking.
After the physician departed Mr.. Babcock
walked unassisted to his room. the third
floor of the house. and went TO bed To his
brother he later complained of severe pains in
his head. At O'Clock he again told his brother
that his head bothering him, and half an
hour later Mrs. Babcock heard him breathing
heavily. and found, attempting to rouse him,
that he fast becoming unconscious. DR..
George r. Lockwood jr.. whose house adjoins
that Of the Babcocks. was called in, and DR..
Smith hurriedy summoned. DR.. Lockwood
worked over the young until DR.. Smith
arrived but was unable to restore him to con-
sclousness. DR.. Smith decided that a surgeon
should be called at once and informed the fam
lily that immediate operation alone could
save the young man. DIR. Robert Able reached
the house half an hour later. and prepared TO
! operate: but DIR. Smith found that the coma
had suddenly become deeper. indicating that
larger amount of blood was flowing into the
brain So rapidly did the young mans pulse
I tixy, mod 6yiS
/ able.
Young Mr. Rabcock's death very sud
dem said DR. Smith yesterday, and similar
cases where patient has retained his reason
| until a few hours before death after Iat'tl
blow on the head are exceedingly rare itiil
inclined to the belief that the lesion caused Dy
/ the fatal blow was at first very slight Inc
Young man himself told that he felt no
! pain in his head, only little soreness on the
| temple where the mallet struck him. There was
no outward indication that the pow hau SER
ously injured him, despite the closest examlna-
/ ton His death was probably due TO the 1act
that after lying down, he rose fer Few
moments after o'clock. and rising rom re- re-
! cumbent position, put a greater straln on me
| injured vessel. and the fatal hemorrhase Ioi-
| lowed. - ,
! told me he had felt little pain but as ms morse
! turned and ran up the field, he felt sudden
dizziness and realizing he was about TO rant
he kicked his feet loose. and slipped over MS
pony's back to the ground AFTER moment
he felt much better
a
the coma made it's first appearance. doubt II
an operation could have been performed in time
| to have saved him.
| Mr. Rahcock was twenty years old. Before
going to Yale he was an enthusiastic polo play
| err for number of years. Several times before
he had been knocked the head in games, but
had only laughed at his injuries. He was the
son of Henry d. Babcock member of the
! brokerage and banking firm of HOLSTER q
| Babcock He leaves. in addition to his father
and mother, three brothers. Samuel D., Wood
ward and r. F. Babcock. and sister, MISS
Alice w BabcOck.
| friend representing Mr.. Devereux. the
| Princeton player whose mallet struck the un-
fortunate blow, called at the Babcock home
yesterday morning to express Mr.. Devereuxs
sorrow that he had accidentally caused the
/ young mans death MIR. Devereux is Frustrated
over the outcome of the accident.
| According TO those who saw the accident, Mr..
| Devereux and Mr.. Babcock went rushing after
! the ball when it was dangerously near the
! Tigers line They reached the spot at almost
| the same second and each struck at the ball.
| Devereux's mallet swung first, and caught the
| Yale player on the left temple before he could
dodge under it. as is the custom of polo players.
| Mr.. Babcock tottered a second, but as his pony
| turned and ran swiftly up the field, the crowd
thought he had not been injured moment
| later they were Mortified to see him half slip
! and half fall from his saddle. Time was called
| for few moments but as the young man in
sisted he was not hurt. another player was sub
stituted, and play resumed Princeton won
| the game.
| New-Haven Conn. May 22--Henry d. Bah
tha VaIa raol0 faav, Az, ifg