The San Francisco call., 1910-01-09
MEMBERS ADOPT
AMERICAN RULES
More Strenuous Style of Play
Chosen by San Mafe0 Men
for Future Games

In fast practice game of polo yes
terday afternoon the Whites, cap
tained by John Lawson, defeated the
Reds, under the leadership of Walter
Hobart, by a score of to on the El
Cerrito field, San Mateo. The game
was close throughout, and though but
a practice affair, attracted a large
crowd.
The Reds played with only three men,
while the Whites had a full team. The
score was tie at the end of the sixth
period and it was necessary to play
an extra period. In the final squirt
the Whites came on with a rush and
registered the goal which gave them
the victory.
The teams will line up in a regular
game on Charles w. Clark's field this
afternoon at 2 o'clock. All of the crack
players will be included in the makeup,
The members of the San Mateo polo
association have decided to hold their
regular match games on Saturdays in
stead of Sundays hereafter during the
season The reason for this change is
that the hard play of the regular
match games leaves the men in poor
shape for business on Mondays. There
fore the regular match games will be
played on Saturdays and members
games on Sundays Another change Is
that the games, for the present at least.
for this season, Will D6 pidgcQ uHutl
American rules instead of under the
English, which have hitherto been in
vogue on the local fields.
Among the main points of difference
between the rules is that in the Ameri
can rules the grounds should be 450
feet wide, while the English rule calls
for $50 feet The same length of 900
feet holds in both rules. The English
rule requires that the ball shall not
exceed 81 inches in diameter and shall
not exceed ~ ounces in weight The
American rule requires that it shall
NOT exceed ga inches in diameter and
: ounces in weight The English rule
pernits of an umpire being appointed
bv each side in important matches, and
q third to act as referee, their decision
being final. The American rule is that
~. two captains shall agree upon
referee. whose decision upon all ques-
tfons of actual play shall be final, but
as regards eligibility of players, han
dican or Interpretation of the general
T,,es an appeal may be taken to the
committee.
The duration of play in match shall
he one hour divided into six periods of
IN minutes each. with an interval of
three minutes after each period except
the third. when the interval shall be
eve minutes, is the English rule. The
American rule requires that there shall
he four Der1OUS VI Id iuluQbcS cdC1
actual play. two minutes shall be al
lowed after each goal and an interval
of seven minutes after each period un-
less otherwise agreed. In the English
rule the teams are required to line up
on 80 yard line for a knockin, but
in the American rules it requires that
they shall go back to SO yard line.
The English rule allows a player to
crook an adversary's stick. but the
American rule prohibits this play.
BY the adoption of these rules it is
going TO mean much more strenuous
game for the players than under the
English rules, inasmuch as four periods
of Is minutes each is a harder game on
the men than six at 10 minutes The
rule concerning internission between
periods has not been strictly lived up
to by the local players, sometimes al
most 10 minutes being taken out before
play has been resumed and if the
American rules are strictly adhered to
there are good grounds for the change
of the day for the regular match con-
tests