The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1913-09-08
AUTO POLO GAMES
AT STATE FAIR
Worlds Most Sensational Sport
to Feature Grandstand.
STARTS WITH ARGUMENT
H. A. Hankinson, Originator, Tolls OF
Beginning of These Contests.
Team at Dallas Is on
World Tour.

Dallas. TeXas-"Auto polo. a new
game out of the West will be played
for the first time in the Southwest in
front Of the race track grandstand and
at the coming State Fair OF Texas
which opens Saturday, october Is, and
closes Sunday, November q" said Pres
ident j. j. Eckford yesterday.
Contract has just been closed for sl1
machines and eighteen men. who will
come to Dallas under the direction OF II.
A Hankinson of Kansas City, Mo-, the
originator of the worlds most Sensa-
tional sport. 1t is declared that this
game takes more harum scarum. dare
devil driving than any sport ever yet
evolved by man, and the enthusiasm
with which II has been greeted by thou
sands since the initial game in August
1912, assures something out OF the ordi-
nary in an entertainment way at the
coming fair Those who have seen au-
o-polo played declare there is thrill
every instant during the game and an
extra thrill thrown in for good measure
every other instant. The drivers that
Mr.. Hankinson will bring to Dallas ard
master hands and those who know any
thing of the art of driving an automo-
bile can not fail but marvel at the
rapidtv with which turns are made"
Mr.. Hankinson, who was in confer
ence with the Fair management prelim-
mary to closing the contract explained
that auto polo originated In an argu-
ment between two automobile statesmen
as TO which was the superior driver. "A
race between the two statesmen was
suggested" said Mr.. Hankinson, "and
their respective cars were stripped to
the chassis. In driving over the boule-
wards of Kansas City in search of
good clear rock road in the country,
free from obstacles or interference,
tin can which lay in the path of one Of
the drivers was struck by the front
wheel of his machine. The judges ac-
companying the drivers and who were
sitting on the running boards OF the
two small racers, began kicking this
can from one side of the road to the
other, each driver following as accu-
rately as possible his aim being to
place his machine in such position
alongside the can while in motion. thus
offering a good opportunity for his
partner to get a good kick at the can.
This was followed by a game of old
fashioned shiny In which the can was
very much battered and in which the
contestants made a tie as to driving
ability. Thus was originated what is
now National sport. The following
day a basket ball and couple Of heavy
mallets was purchased and an alfalfa
| field was selected as an arena. The
| thrilling spectacle that resulted con-
vinced those present, myself included,
In the possibilities of the sport
| After the initial contest daily practice
4 exhibitions were held for a period of
| five months Various young men were
given opportunities TO try out AS team
mates for the drivers, to act as their
mailer men. MANY applicants for po-
| sitions as mallet men were tried out and
after going through their daily practice
! those who were more adapted to this
| form of sport became accustomed to the
awkward and dangerous positions of
| hanging on to the side of a small rae.
ing auto polo car and welding heavy
three pound mallet while the car was
going at full speed" said Mr.. Hankin-
SON "In Aungust, 1912, the first game
drew in Kansas City and the third game
drew an attendance of 5000 people"
| Mr.. Hankinson explained that auto
polo is played in periods of ten minutes
each, five periods constituting one
game In the event OF tie score at the
end of the fifth period, an extra period
of periods may be added until one end
las scored a winning point over their
opponent. The beauty of contest of
this sort is that no two games are alike.
! Zach one is entirely different from the
preceding one" said Mr.. Hankinson,
therefore much more interesting than
automobile racing. aeroplaning. motor
cycle racing or in fact most any other.
sensational form OF amusement"
Several Of the original players in
auto polo are now on a tour Of the
world Eighteen players after making
n tour Of the big fairs of this country
will spend three weeks in Cuba, four
teen weeks in Soutl America, five and
one half months in Europe, returning
to the United States for one years en-
gagement at the Panama Exposition.
Auto polo games will be played in
front of the grandstand between the
harness and running events. Each pc
riod will last ten minutes which viii
take up the intermssion between the
horse races. There will he something
doing every minute in front Of tho
crandstand this fall.