Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-12
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By FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

Aiken, ordinarily an inconsplcuous
health resort Of South Carolina. has
been, and will continue to be for the next
few days, the center of interest for the
polo players of the United States. On
the polo grounds Of this little city, seven
teen miles north Of Augusta. Ca, Ameri-
can men and ponies are being schooled
in the ancient game Of kings against
that day when challenge team from
England shall cross the Atlantic to wrest
the international cup brought back by
the Meadow Brook Club in 1909 otter 1t
had been in the keeping Of the Hurting
ham Club of England since 1886.
The fact that American teams are now
the peers of any polo players in the world
is only another evidence Of the fact that
the Yankee plays with the same zest
with which he works. Our British rivals
have the advantage of longer experience
In polo, but this has been discounted by
the proverbial American spirit and the
breeding of a polo pony that Is rapidly
taking first rank.
The origin of polo. like that OF chess.
is buried Yin antiquity. There are &C
counts eXtant of the game being played
in Persia as far back as the sixth GEN.
fury before the Christian era, and de-
tailed descriptions Of games thousand
years ago are to be found in museums,
also drawings showing the method OF
play. 1t is generally conceded that the
game originated with the Persians and
was carried into India by the Mohamme-
dams, who became devotees of the sport
after their subjugation Of the Persians.
The Indian tea planters began playing
the game as far back as 1854, and they in
turn passed
English Got Game 1t on to the
From Indian Planters. mercha mt
In Calcutta The 10th Hussars, re-
turning to England after their period or
service in India, brought the game with
them in 1870, and year later there was
held at Aldershot the first match of what
has since become one of the most popu-
lar sports. Five years after the Englsh
invasion of the Persian sport James Cor
don Bennett, proprietor OF the New YORK
Herald, inaugurated the first polo match
in America. The sport sprang into popu-
larity at once, and the fact that Sir James
Watsons team of English players came
to New York and, under American rules,
lifted the International chaiiense cup III
more than a victory would have done.
The cup remained in possession OF the
English until 1909
In 1909 H. 2. Whitney announced that
a team from the Meadow Brook Cluo
would visit England and attempt to
bring home the prize cup. a handsome
trophy two feet high and costing LOCO.
The horses for the American team,
twenty-nine in number, were shipped
to England long before the contest, so
that they could recover from the Ell
fects OF the sea voyage and become. IN
q measure, acclimated. The first match
was scheduled for June %. Some time
before that the Americans were badly
worsted by an English team, and the
British were confident OF final victory.
Just a few days before the big contest.
however. a preliminary tournament
was held, in which the Americans came
off with flying colors. AT last the
English saw that the struggle was TO
be one OF the biggest battles IN the
history Of the game. In the first match
the American team won by the score OF
to 5. The second and last game had
to be postponed until July on account
Of rain, but in this the Americans
achieved an even more decisive VIC
tory-S to 2.
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