The San Francisco call., 1909-03-13
POLO TOURNAMENT
OPENS TODAY AT
CORONADO
One 1ish and Four American
Teams Will Vie for HOnOrS
on the Field
By Arthur InkerSley
Especial Dispatch 10 The Cali

Especial Dispatch 10 The Call
CORONADO, March 12.-With the most
perfect weather conditions prevailing
and the smartest polo players in the
world primed for action, the fourth an
nual tourpament of the Coronado coun-
try club gives promise of starting out
as a record breaker this afternoon. The
very best players which England boasts
will test the skill and the grit of Uncle
Sans renowned performers. Neither
country lacks confidence, gameneSs nor
class, and the best team should emerge
victorious.
great Ranelagh club of London. The
American teams hail from Philadelphia,
Riverside, Los Angeles and Burlingame.
The Philadelphia cracks will carry the
colors of ancient Bryn Mawr, while the
two southern California teams will fight
for the honor of the Los Angeles and
Riverside country clubs, The Burlin-
game players are composed of the San
Francisco experts who have been per-
forming so well on the San Mateo field
during the last winter.
The Burlingame team and the British
representatives will clash in the initial
contest tomorrow afternoon. 1t is bare
ly possible that BurIingame Will be rep
represented by its second team, for the
reason that John Lawson, one of the
best players, will not be on hand to take
part in the opening game.
The Ranelagh team is made up of +.
A. Gill, joint polo manager of the Rane-
lagh club and secretary of the Paris
polo club: Major A. M. Rotheram. who
was a member of the international team
that won the All Ireland cup at Dublin
in 1905; Colonel d. j. Ross of the Brit
j. Mackey of Beauchamp hall, near
bennington, England.
f. A. Gill and Major A M. Rotheram
are in the birmingham recent form
list" which means that they are in
cluded in the two dozen or so strongest
players in Great Britain, where good
poloists abound, especially among the
officers of cavalry regiments.
Fhe Bryn Mawr team consists of Al
exander Brown. Charles Wheeler, Hugh
Drury and w. IL. HUM and is one of
the strongest teams in the United
States.
The Burlingame country club (Which
won the polo championship of Califor-
MIA in 1905. 1907 and 1908, capturing
sented bv John D. Spreckelsl will be
represented by its four most skillful
and experienced players-R. NJ. Tobin,
No. 7. A. Driscoll, No z; John La Law v.
back. r. NJ. Tobin and w. S. Hobart
played in the Burlingame team in 1905,
1907 and 1908. while ]. o. Tobin Jr.
played in the place of T. A. Driscoll in
1905, and Francis j. Carolan instead of
John Lawson in 1907. All these players
are we'll mounted and have plenty of
ponies. 1t was intended at one time to
enter a second team from Burlingame,
but this has not been done.
Riverside, which last year had two
teams, designated A and b. in the field.
will this year concentrate its strength
on one team. which will be selected
from the following players: w. Fritz
Nave. Major Colin G. Ross. w. Lionel
Roberts. W. T.. Pedlev, M. Redmayne,
Frank A. Hudson II. Gordon Pattee
and Tom Weiss. Major Colin g. Ross
is member of the famous team of Cal
gary Canada. Tom Weiss played for
years on the Los Angeles team, but is
now a resident of Riverside.
Los Angeles will be represented by
Harry Messmore. Reginald Weiss Jr.,
Three of these have played for Los. An
geles for some years.
The contest will be opened with a
round robin tournament. IN which each
team will play four matches, meeting
every other team.
Sunday will be day of rest for
ponies and players: On Monday in in
against Burlingame and Los Angeles
against Bryn Mawr in the afternoon.
On Thursday Ranelagh will make its
Riverside in the morning. while in the
afternoon Los Angeles will meet Bur
lingame. On Saturday Ranelagh meets
side Is matched against Los Angeles in
the afternoon. On Monday the 22d
Ranelagh plays its fourth match, meet
ing Los Angeles In the mornings while
Burlingame is drawn against Bryn
Mawr in the afternoon
The team that wins most matches in
this round robin tournament will be
credited with one victory on the John
p. Spreckels cup. presented bv Spreck-
els in lieu of the championship trophy
carried off by the Burlingame country
club after last years tournament, in
which its team proved victorious for
the third time. Each member OF the
winning team will receive a silver COB
let with the emblem of the Coronado
country club enameled on it in colors
The California team that wins most
matches I'M the round robin tournament
will be privileged to play against Rane-
1agh and Bryn Mawr in the. competi-
tion for the All American polo trophy.
the 1andsomest and most valuable ever
offered for polo in the United States