The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-18
POLO OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP.
GREAT MATCH EXPECTED ON
TUESDAY AT VAN CORTLANDT.

Picked Players OF the Country on the Tw
Teams-First Contest Under Unre
stricted Conditions as to Club Anilia
tons-FoxhaI Keene in the Lineup
A match, under new terms, that Is to wint
up the polo season in a blaze OF glory i
to be decided on Tuesday afternoon pl
the Squadron A field at Van Cortlandt Park
In the history OF the Polo Association
point insisted on has been that teams shoult
be made up 81 players from the one club
but in the coming event the lines have
been loosened 80 that the teams are OF
players from different clubs and also com
posed Of players from different sections.
Originally the conditions were framed
In view OF the visit Of a'team from Eng
land, 30 that in this contingency 1t would
be possible to pit our very best players
in a match against them. untrammelled
by any feeling OF loyalty to their home
clubs In the presence of the obligation TO
play as the representatives Of all America.
With the visit from the English cracks In
view, the delegates at the annual meet
ing OF the Polo Association last winter ar
ranged for an open championship, to be
played in September at Van Cortlandt
Park for individual prizes, under the special
conditions that the event should be for
teams OF four without handicap and that
1teams may be composed of different clubs
that are members Of the Polo Associa-
ton
The idea took with the players and 1t Is
expected that the open championship will
become an annual event, with at some
future time, visiting teams from abroad
among the contending factors. There are
but two teams entered and the event will
be decided on the single game on Tuesday,
but the eight men to gallop out on the field
represent the pick Of the forty clubs In the
Polo Association and Of 200 or more active
players in the game.
On one team will be r. L, Agassiz and
Devereaux Milburn, both Bostonians and
members Of the Myopia team that won the
Polo Association championship at Nara
gansett Pier in August; Foxhall P. Keene
OF the Rockaway and Meadow Brook clubs,
who Is unquestionably the best gentleman
rider on the fat in this country, and Joshua
Crane, Jr., also Bostonian. He plays
with the Dedham Polo Club and is noted
as a champion racquet and court tennis
player. as we'll as an expert in the pigskin.
Opposed to this formidable aggregation
will be John E. Cowdin Of the Rockaway
Hunting Club, Lawrence Waterbury and
j. M. Waterbury, DR. of the Country Club
of Westminster, and c. r. Snowden OF
Philadelphia He is regarded as the most
formidable Of the Quaker Citys polo ex-
ponents and plays with the Bryn Mawr
team.
In 1901 Snowden, with the two Water
burys and Keene, won the Polo Association
championship for the Lakewood Polo Club,
and, as well as the others he has record |
that includes every important tournament !
OF the last decade. The Waterburys, |
Keene, Cowdin and Agassiz have played !
the game with equal distinction abroad, |
notably at birmingham three seasons ago, |
as the American challengers for the inter-
national CLIP. The teams are referred to
in a popular way for Tuesdays match
as the Bostonians and the New Workers.
from the fact that the captains, Agassz
end Cowdin, hail from the two cities; but
actually the teams are cosmopolitan and
will be loyal Only to their colors-probably
blue and white.
The tragic death Of young Babcock,
since in polo games at Van Cortlandt
have created an impression that the field
Is dangerous one to play on This is
lnwarranted, for the turf, although apt
10 be crppy, affords good footing and Is
safe to gallop on. Whatever accidents
nave occurred have been the result Of rash
Or careless riding, and may not justly be
lscribed to the playing conditions
The polo will be Of the furious order in
Tuesdays match, and the mon will be on
he fastest ponies in the country. but all
he rules will be observed and mishaps
rom crossing or reckless swings of the
nallet are not likely to happen.
The match will be of four periods of
fifteen minutes each, actual play. Time
,ctween goals, delays and overtime not
but there will be two minutes
Ifter each goal has been made and seven
minutes between the periods for change
# ponies and rest.
On Saturday the first match will be played
IN the same field in the Squadron A tour
1t will be for the Van Cortlandt
ups, for teams whose handicap does not
xceed six goals, and between the Squadron
second team-the two Hunts, Nelson and
)ouglas-and the New Haven Polo Club
eam made up oil y. Z. RathbOrne, w. L.. |
GOODWIN. Louis h. Stoddard and j, Watson
Webb.
On Sept. ~ and 20 there will be matches
or the Squadron A cups, for teams whose
landicap does not exceed twelve goals
IN Sept. 27 the Squadron team with Earl
n place OF Nelson, will play Great Neck,
he latter team made up of the three Graces
nd j. l. Blair, Jr, and the winners, on
ept 20, will play the Rumson team~ Jones,
r. j. Collier and Borden.