The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1910-02-19
THIRTY YEARS OF POLO.
From Croeuet MaiIets and Scrub Poi>
les to Championship henors.

les to Championship Henors.
In the flush of excitement over the
American polo victory in England the
! enthusiastic public is likely to for
get those who, while the present play
ers were in their cradles, were fighting
the battles for the infant polo while
as yet it was unable to care for it.
self
These former players took unto
themselves sticks of strange kinds and
Il ball of wood, large, slow and hea-
Wy; ponies little and big did they pur-
chase, and a field also, wherein to
play. Conspicuous among these faith
ers of the game stands H. L. Herbert,
according to Bit and Spur, the brains
as well as the player of the old school,
the man who has done SO much tow
ard making the game in this country.
In 1877, four or five young men were
sitting on the porch of Seaside Cot
tage, Long Branch, on the lookout for
SOMETHING to do, when Mr.. Herbert
happened to read in newspaper that
a game had been started in Newport
which was considered shiny en- horse
back. The matter was talked over,
and wonder expressed as to what the
game was like.
Finally, Mr.. Herbert's eye rested on
croquet set on the lawn, and mes
senger Yves despatched to the nearest
store, where a half dozen rake han
dies were purchased. After removing
the short croquet handles these were
fastened to the mallets.
1t happened that drove of Texas
ponies had arrived and were on sale
close by-they averaged from 13 to
l5.2 hands high, and half a dozen were
at once secured. A field recently
moved was found. and putting a flag
in each corner, they placed the ball in
midfeld and charged for it. After
many scrimmages and many falls the
ball was sent over the end line.
This queer performance attracted
great crowd Of people who were at the
seashore, and the papers the next day
reported full fedged and high class
polo established at Long Branch as
we'll as Newport. Following the first
days play, Mr.. Herbert found some
mallets which had been imported for
Mr.. Bennett, and succeeded in secur-
ing half dozen.
After vicissitudes the Brigh-
ton Polo club was organized and
played two days a week during that
season. The only real club then ex-
listing was the Westchester Polo club.
1t divided itself into two teams-one
representing the club and the other
called the Queens County Hunt Team.
The first public match was played at
Prospect Park, Brooklyn, 1879, be-
tween the two teams named, who were
then playing five men on a side. Mr..
Herbert was a member of the West |
chester team which succeeded in
its opponents.
About that time the game was
started in a crude way in Buffalo and
in 1880 the Manhattan Polo associa-
ton was organized, playing on a
ground at 10th street, Manhattan, but |
the game was only played there two or
three years owing to the scarcity of
players.
The Meadow Brook club was organ.
lied in 1851, and between that date |
and 1890, the year in which the Polo
association was formed, eight clubs
had grown into existence. Mr.. Her.
bert was elected chairman of the as
ISOLATION, and has continued to be
elected each year for twenty years.
The elimination of the offside rule, the
system of handicappdng and many
other changes were made both before
and after the organization of the as.
ISOLATION until now there are seven
clubs in full membership and two ap-
plicants for election.
Every one is familiar with the hap
penings of the last year or two; they
have eliminated, however, in the de-
feat of nation which has held un.
though disputed sway
over the countries of the earth since
the birth of the modern game and
which has now succumbed to the boys
whose fathers played with croque'
pals and mallets with rake handles.