New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-06-01
Chance to Strengthen
The Invading Polo Team

Cheape: No. ., I. VI. Freake No 3. Cap
tain Edwards; back. Captain Ntson.
Further. after studying the play OF
Devereaux Milburn. the great American
back, In that same game and in dis
,inctly fast practice game FOR the cup
defenders on John $. Ph.pps's polo field.
near Ncstbury. / shall not be surprised
should he play No. B. instead Of his usual
place at back. for the American team.
During last Sundays game, al which
the five British challenGers were inter
ested spectators. | noticed that IL. 7.
Whitney. captain and No. OF the Bis
Four" that won the cup n birmingham
In 1893 and defended II AZ Meadow BROOK
in 1911, frequently changed positions on
the Held with Milburn IN order that tho
latter might 40 up into the game or the
forwards.
In the particularly sharp practice game
PLAYED by the challengers tho next DAY
/ was struck by the fact that Mtlourn
appeared on the scratch team opposlns
them and made no pretence OF playing
back lie came out a. No. and played
that position throughout eight busting
chukkers, OF which tho seventh ana
eighth were played hard and fast. afford
Ing much more exciting polo than one
generally witnesses In practice.
IL occurred To me that Milburn had
taken advantage of "A valuable opportu-
nifty to accustom himself 70, or try ms
hand at playing as No. against the
challengers. IL Is not usual for members
of the big Four 10 play on teams made
up Tor the purpose OF opposing the chai-
lengers In practice games, but Mllourn
IL said TO have expressed desire 10 set
into that game for some extra practice,
and seemed To alternate between splendid
efforts and studying the game OF his OPP
ponents.
Whether the Big Four will represent
the United States for third series OF In
ternational matches seems 70 he moot
point. II IT should be decided to
strengthen the American attack by play
Ing Milburn at No. 8. one reasonably
might expect 10 find Malcolm Stevenson
played that position finely In the big
practice game on Sunday, and IL may
nave been due considerably 10 his dashing
and shlful defence that the final score
was SO close.
Foxhall Keene. Rene La Montague and
Stevenson were wide awake Tor the Wan
derers, and played fast and hard polo as
may be inferred from final score OF
GU to o.
From tho run OF the game 1 should
judge that 1t had been agreed To forsake
team play or combinations for the ocCa-
sion. with view TO affording the selec-
ton committee pretty good chance TO
gauge each players prowesS In IL slash
ing fast game. with every man relying
upon his own efforts rather than upon
clcyerly conceived and oft practlsed com
binations
During tho week the belief has gained
ground that tbs game proved L valuable
exhibition. That being so. IL must have
been rendered doubly valuable by the
heavy midweek rains that have prevented
another fast rehearsal of the same kind.
especially as the interval before the first
international match is growing short
In its fast practice game early In tho
week the British challenging team was
opposed by IL scratch team that included
Mr.. Freake at No. and Mr.. Miburn at
No. 3, with a moderate No. and use
full back in Rudolph Agassiz ian Ameri-
can international OF 1892, when Mr. Keene
took n team over To Nottingham and
won the first OF three matches for the
cup. Ereake and Milburh made a par
ticular effort at combination. and tho
scratch team We're beaten 10 goals TO I'm
six chukkers by the British challengers,
who scored eleven times, but twice were
penalized half a pont for fouls by Cap
tain Cheape. or the eleveu~goals Captain
Cheape scored ). Captain Edwards and
Captain Ritson ,.
These six chukkers were chiefly vaiua-
bic for the opportunity afforded tho chal-
lengers for practising combinations and
team play. At their conclusion a change
was made that led UP 70 two chukkers OF
fast and keen polo.