New-York tribune., 1911-01-15
HONORS CO TO AMERICANS
Polo Superiority Is Recognized
by HurIingham.
NEW HANDICAP LIST OUT
Harry Payne Whitney and -Four
Compatriots Are at
the Top.


american players a compliment by takins
,oof from the latter's book. The victory
,ba team led by Harry Payne Whitney
,., years ago and their regaining Of the
.,,ernauonal challenge cup stirred the
british players as never before. American
-etbods at once became the burning topic
The English form list and the old of-side
-iav,ng rule at once received severe jolts.
q, &c not AT all surprising, therefore, that
,bs arst inklng that the anuquated FORM
,;s, was 10 be done away with came last
.,r,uer. AZ which time a tentative handi-
,an list was issued which gave the Amer'-
.on. high place. Tsss than week ago
t5,-l,ncbana officials issued the order thsI
,h. orfside -nle would be suspended for ire
.,-,tng season. in order that British play
.-s might have an opportunity OF consid-
o-,,r IN actual competition whether or not
~. American rule was superior TO their
own
The greatest honor however, Is conferred
nv the issuance Of the new Hurlingham
handicap list, which now includes o''
names The tentative list OF last july
comprised only 234 players. AT the TOP Ok
the list six players are handicapped at 'he
maximum OF ten points; five Of these are
American players: Harry Payne Whitney,
the captain Of the international team ana
three Of MS Meadow Brook colleagues
pevereux Afuburn, James NJ Waterpury'
tr and Lawrence Waterbury, who played
upon the 1899 team that won the cup ann
Foxhail p Keene who captained the team
.hat challenged England for the trophy
In 1902 W. s. Buckmaster is the only
Fnvlisbrnan who Is deemed the equal OF
these Americans, and Buckmaster is slated
N be one Of the leading players upon the
challenging team that viii come to this
country during the coming season.
Probably in no other sport has such rec
nenltion been accorded 20 an international
competitor. The action. by followers Oh
snorts. is regarded as unique and one
which places polo in a peculiar classinca-
-ion by itself as the game OF gentlemen
snortsn,en and so governed As leading
polo follower pointed out recently, in re-
viewing the list:
aside from the action Of recognizing the
superiority Of the American players VINO
secured the international cup two years
szo the birmingham officials In thei
a5ontion OF the American handicap method
nIace on record the fact that they dis
tinctlv regard the Americans as superior
N the team that they are TO send over TINS
wear and I may add now that there is not
,he slightest doubt Of the match being
paved at Meadow Brook or that the
Americans will begin practice within
couple of weeks on George Gould's field al
Lakewood
"Let me point ont that Captain Hardress
Ilovd who is 70 lead the British challeng-
srs is rated as nine-point man. WIN
,hrae executions. all Of the other players
VINO are likely to accompany him are rated
4, the group OF seven at nine points. ms
,,cndes Captain f. W. Barrett, Of the 18th
vuzzars. A. Noel Edwards. 9th LAncers;
Captain Leslie St. c. Cheape, OF the lst
Kings Dragons, all OF whom are soldiers
and RiversdaIe y. Grenfell. who played IN
,nis country at Narragansett Pier so ably
during last season. The English list at
This bandfcap also includes the names or
T N Freake and p. T. Nickalls, the lat
ter having played on several OF the dereno-
Ing British teams.
There are twenty-five players upon the
handicap mark OF eight points, and IN TINS
rroup Captain B. H. Mathew-Lannowe'
who is an officer of Captain Loyd's OLD
regiment the 4th Dragon Guards: 4. W.
= Palrnes. Of the 10th Huzzars; the Earl
of Rocksavage. Of the eth Lancers' and
Francis q GrenfeT. of the 9th Lancers.
6u ont the Hsr Of British players named
for the challenging team. This raung' ana
there is not a doubt but that II mas Deeh
most systematically arrived at, shows that
approximately half Of the team Is rated d
fun goal below the Americans ana the
others two goals When the performances
Of Francis O. Grenfen the Earl OF Rock
savage and RiverSdale GrenfeH, who COM
peted last season upon the Ranelagh team
a. Cedarhurst, Narragansett Pier and New
port. are considered according TO the rat
ings. the relative ability OF the Englishmen
may be fairly arrived at Ranelagh played
well and carried or the open champion
ship al the Point Judith Polo Club. How
ever II must be remembered that Ranelagh
did not meet any OF the splendid four that
were led By Harry Payne Whitney when
ne captured the cup So that for the basis
. Of a COMPARISON Il may be agreed that the
invading Euglishmen Of last year defeated
The Americans Of about their own class
and had in one or two instances consider
able OF Job IN doing it
Judging by recent news from Hurting
ham. the English association has taken
time by the forelock and IS making early
Preparations for the cup matches. Last
year Francis Grenfell succumbed to an
injury which resulted in the cancelling OF
ne International challenge from the Old
Etonian team. This happened after ar
rangements had been made 10 play at
Meadow Brook. and Harry Payne Whit
ney had his team in training. This year
i' Is possible that Captain Leslie Cheape
may he unable 70 compete as the brill
ant player has unfortunately met with a
pad polo accident IN India in tourna-
ment At Neerut lie had a bad fall from
MS pony and Is said to have broken his
wrist
As the matter stands. American players
snd followers Of polo are highly elated
oVer the adoption Of the handicap method
oV me birmingham officials. The interna-
uonal recognition also establishes unques-
uonably the position that Harry Payne
"otney and his Meadow Brook players
.oo IN The sport not only in this country
oot abroad where the judges OF form have
lSa many Years Of training by watching
U'e great PLAYERS OF the English army.
Altogether the birmingham officials are
.haefiaSing a monumental piece of work,
''r tney plan 20 handicap a total Of 80
p@3efs Their list is a most compre-
ensiFe one. his majesty the King OF
''ain being rated as a four man. while
o'hs John Jacob Astor. OF the LIST Life
.a'os IS rated at FIVE points. There are
a'4eatlons that in revising its polo classi-
""on and In changing rules Great Britain
~ Only realizes but acknnMledge the