Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1909-02-06
POLO
BASKETBALL
BASE BALL

have taken the drubhing and charged IL
to carelessness in the past. l am not pre-
Stunning to say that the Lenox is not ready
to play but simply generalizing. The ques-
ton Of thirty games in the series was, as
explained 20 you, dependant upon the
decision as TO whether or not the public
desired us to continue our lease of the
rink beyond the 25th Of March; If so they
would want polo continued.
But in event Of 30 games. it meant only
that each team played 20 games and
played each other ten times The matter
resolved itself in a nut shell to this: For
the rest of a reasonable season, a record
OF the games played would be kept and
the team having the best record would be
awarded the championship cup and the
reason for beginning somewhat early was
to force the teams TO wake up and play
the kind Of polo the public had a right 10
expect We admit your looslng Mr..
Stevens would be of sufficient import
ance TO cripple your team and while we
would regret. as would tho public, his
absence from the sport we think the mat
ter could be equalized. at least as far as
the Springs boys are concerned, for l do
not question but what under the circum-
stances they would be willing to retire
either Coward or Beatty IN any game
that Stevens could not play. In the same
spirit with which they refused to play in
the last series until Stevens had sufficient
~ recovered from his injuries TO return
TO the game. Whether or not II is wise
for one team to be dependant upon one
man is a question. however. and in my
opinion IS apt TO be discouraging TO the
others OF team who are no doubt willing
to assume the burden.
In reply TO your suggestion that the
strain of such a contest might be physi-
cally disastrous we would say that 30
games OF clean polo are not nearly as
risky as one of hammer and tongs which
has been so frequently INDUCED in this
year. principally because the teams have
not practiced sufficiently to rise superior
TO such form Of play.
Relative to your challenge to play the
Springs team a series of Ave games and
follow with a like number Of games with
the Mohawks in case your team is victor
lous. we can assume no position other
than that OF declining TO consider such.
As managers OF the rink we cannot but
appreciate the fact that the MohawlSs
team. under Captain Chandler has estah-
lished itself in a position equal to that
OF either the Lenox or the Springs. both
as earnest players and In the hearts OF
the public. We will admit that their rec
ord in winning games is not quite up to
that Of the other two teams but when we
consider that Captain Chandler early in
the season reached out and took scrubs
on his team and allowed them to play
both the stronger teams and later faced
the battle with none but scrubs as his
assistant in the rush field we believe that
his record and that OF his team entities
him to equal consideration with the other
two teams Of the league and we believe
the public win support us unanimously in
this. and whether they do or not. on that
principal we stand and stand firmly be-
cause It is right and just. Now that the
objection has been made by your team we
win ask the public to be patient with us
until we have had a chance to bring the
different interests together and II the
games can be arranged by the three
teams. in form 10 meet with our approval
and plans as managers OF the rink. we
will offer the cup for contest.
Yours truly.
N. ID. Coward
Manager Eleventh street Rink