The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1913-10-03
AUTO POLO GANEs
At STATE FAI
Worlc's Most Sensational Sport
fo Feature Gro nostand.
STARTS WITH ARGUMENT
n. & .-s-sntor. Origin s.o', 1sle a.
eesttIrs 81 ThsHs Cs|teat%.
fss~ si Dallas 10 on
Xorla Tor.


~ Lac rs1as-'AI'o g1.c. ne~
ssn.~ r,.' - Ne West. ~iIi rs played
sOP ne IRE, tine "a tse So1thH est 10
'ronr rH iae rare 'raGk granGsfahd and
a. the 'ruiUg state FaI' oS TEXAS
Sfien op.rs Saturday, october ~. and
ctnses SUNDAY, November o. said Pres
cent }. J. Kekf0ra yesterday.
Contract haE just besn closed for sif
machines and eighteen men, Whp Till
come - Dallas under the direction Of IL.
Hankinson ~ Kansas City. Mo- the
originator Of the worlds most Een.a-
ilonal spOrt. IT 10 declared that this
game taxes more hafurn acarum, dare
oevil driving than any sport ever yet
evolved by man, and the enthusiasm
with which Il has been greeted by thou
Fauds since The initial game in August
1872 assures something out Of the ordi-
nary in an entertainment way at the
coming fair Those who have seen au-
10 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
Nr Hankingon viii bring to Dallas ara
master hands and those who know any
thing Of the art Of driving an automo-
| bile can not fail but marvel at the
| rapidity with which turns are made"
Mr. HankinFOn, who was I'm confer
euce with the Fair management prelim-
| mary 10 closing the contract explained
| that auto polo originated in an argu-
meHt between two automobile statesmen
| as 10 which was the superior driver. "A
race between the two s1lesmen was
rugRcBted." said Mr.. Hankinson, "and
| their respective cars were stripped 10
the chassis. In driving over the boule-
| wards of Kansas city In search OF a
good clear rock road in the country
/ free from obstacles or interference a
| tin can which lay in the path Of one OF
| the drivers was struck by the front
wheel Of his machine. The Judges ac-
ccmpanying 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-
ratcly az possible. his aim being 70
place his machine in such position
alongside the can while in motion, thus
offering "A good opportunity for his
partner 10 get a good Kick at the can
This was followed by n game OF old
fashioned shiny In which the can was
very much battered and in which the
contestants made tic as to driving
ability Thus was originated what IS
now a National sport. The following
day basket ball and couple OF heavy
mallcts was purchased and an alfalfa
field was selected as an arena. Tn,
thrilling spectacle that resulted con
vlnccd those present. myself Included
In the possibilities of the sport"
After the initial contest daily practice
exhibitions were held for a period oi
five months various young men were
given opportunities to try out as team
mates for the drivers, TO act as thei'
mallct men MANY applicants for po-
Ftions aR mallct men were tried out anC
after going through their daily practice
those who were more adapted TO this
form ~ sport became accustomed 10 the
awkward and dangerous positions o
hanging on to the side Of small rae.
ing auto-polo car and welding a heavy
three pound mallet while the car was
! going at fun speed" said Mr. lIlnkn
, son. "In Auueust 1912 the first game
drew in Kansas city ana the third gam,
drew an attendance Of 5000 people
Mr. HaulUueon explained that auto
polo is played In periods of ten minutes
! ench. five periods constituting one
game. In tho event OF a tie score AT thu
crd Of tho Ifth period, an extra pcrioC
of ucriols may be added. until one cu,
las scored "a winning point over thei
opponcut The beauty Of contest %
this sort is That no two games are alike
zach one is entirely different from tn
prcrcdiur one" said Mr. ITanknson
"thcrcforc much more Interesting thar
automobile racing. acroplaning, motor
cycle racing or i'm fact most any othe
sensational form ~ amusement"
Several Of the original players II
auto. polo are now ON "A tour Of thu
world Eighteen players after maltinl
n tour of tho big fairs of this countr,
will spend three weeks I'm cuba, four
teen weeks In South America, five an