The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-03-09
WATER POLO
FINE SPORT
1t May Be introduced
Here and Should
Boom.

There is a movement on foot among
some of the members of the Myrtle and
Healani boat clubs to get water polo
started here and to make the game =.
feature Of the coming water carnival.
No better game ever existed than
American water polo and it is daily in
creasing in popularity on the mainland,
Here, where one can use the water all
the year round, water polo should -four
ish and championship team be in time
developed from the great crowd of en-
thusiasts which would be sure to take
the game up when once it was started
A great many people in the States
consider water polo the most interest
ing of games to witness, nor is this un-
explainable. Besides q keen and thrill
ing contest the game gives one the
chance to admire the faultless SWIM.
ming and the perfect workmanship of
the experts composing the teams, and
this alone is spectacle worth going
miles to see.
The spectator often loses the best
part of match through ignorance.
To fully enjoy the playing it is neces-
sary TO know and understand that
what looks like an indiscriminate nus
sic is generally a clever and scientific
formation in which every player has
his individual duties to perform as part
of. well regulated machine. It all APP
pears pretty headless to the layman,
but both the attack and defense of
each play have been carefully planned
by experts and then practised at length
by the players.
Contrary to general belief, size is of
little consequence in water polo. A
quick small man, well versed in the
art of holding and breaking, will often
get the better of big, slow man, and
the best scoring forwards on the main
land are almost invariably of light
build. Trubenbach of Columbia, Hess
Of the New York Athletic Club and
Kehoe of the Chicago Athletic Associa
ton, who are as good forwards as ever
lived, only weigh $50, 155 and 145
pounds respectively.
Team work is really the principal
factor in water polo. Teams have been !
known to have complete set of sig /:
lals, each indicative of a different |
play, and the captain directed things |
~ number, according to the opponent =
'ormation, just like football.
Water polo, if the truth be told, is in |
very way better game than football. !
{ is fast, exciting and spectacular,
without being dangerous. 1t develops
more symetricailv than does football;
t is hygienic, and it is infinitely more
seful, for it teaches the rescue of the
'erson in danger from drowning and
he protection Of one 3 self in doing it.
There is but one trouble with the
anne. 1t is not within reach of every
ne. Those lacking either strength, en-
urance, courage, aggressiveness, or
erfect workmanship, will never do
at it. These qualities are
sine qua NOM and they are by no
1eans general.
Good players are as rare as hens
eeth and they are not developed in
ew months. Many a weary practice
ill the novice have to attend before
e can master even the rudiments or
he game. There is so much detail to
Tater polo that the task seems endless.
ackling and breaking alone constitute
special course of water wrestling;
hen come passing, handling, scoring,
earning how to take advantage of OPP
studying the formations
nd a hundred other small matters.
Water polo men in America are the
lex of the athletes and TO win a posi-
on on good team is to receive
ertifcate of being an amphibian, and
man of grit.
The game should be introduced local
= and in this land of good swimmers
Mould boom apace 1t develops every
n nj, Nv 10 Dlx- !
lie world of sport needs most.