The Washington herald., 1913-12-14
FAMOUS Big FOUR
HAS DISBANDED
Yankee Players Who Beat
English Polo Four In 1913
Will Never Play Again.
MILBURN WILL LEAD TEAM
New American Combination to Be
Strong 0utft-Make-up Of Eng
Iish Club Also Uncertain.

Now that an International polo match
in 1914 practically is assured, the Ameri-
can sport-loving public may look for
ward with keen anticipation to witness
ing again this most thrilling, most won
derful sport in the world.
Pony polo takes front rank as a gen.
orator of thrills, as a creator of wild.
frenzed enthusiasm. We have seen le-
gions of baseball and football games,
looked in on few championship boxing
bouts, watched scores of daredevil per-
sons flirting with death on motorcycles
and in racing automobiles, but none
ever has sent the blood coursing half SO
fast or furnished as glorious a spectacle
as pony polo.
The American Big Four won over
the English invaders last June, but only
after playing the grandest, most death
defying game ever staged on any field.
But only after they were forced to the
end of human endurance, forcing to the
limit their powerful ponies, riding with
the speed Of a whirlwind, unmindful Of
life or limb, were they able to triumph
over the wonderful Britons.
What are the Americans chances Of
repeating the victory in 1914?
Difficult to Answer.
This is the big question polo enthusi-
asts are asking today, and 1t is one that
will be difficult to answer. The team
that represented the British last year
has been scattered to the four points Of
the compass; an entirely new quarter OF
invaders will make their appearance.
The chances are that the old big
Four combination which has brought
so much glory TO the Americans from
the polo battlef1elds never will play to-
gether again. A new team will be
l1N
as the greatest poloist that ever swung
maIlet, will be the only member left
of the famous Big Four"
The new American combination prob
ably will be l, Rene La Montague; 2,
Devereux Milburn; 3, Louis z. Stoddard;
back, Malcolm Stevenson. The Polo AS
ISOLATION, which names the team, figures
that with Milburn playing forward and
Stevenson as goal guardian, the Ameri-
can team would be noticeably stronger.
MiIburn is a wonderful player at any
position, while Stevenson's greatest val
Ne is in the back field.
Trio Never to Play.
Harry Payne Whitney. captain Of last
years American team, and Larry and
Monte Waterbury, the other two men,
bers of the Big Four" announced at
the conclusion of the match last June
that they never would play again. The
game, they declared, was too strenuous
for their added years and added weight.
and they announced they gladly would
step aside and give the younger element
chance for the glory.
Since England's challenge for the 1914
match has been received pressure has
been brought to bear on this trio to re-
consider their determination, but they
have reiterated that they never again will
take part in a match, either as regulars
or substitutes.
The new American combination, how
ever, ought to put up a mighty battle.
With Milburn to teach his three team
mates the tricks that helped the Ameri-
cans to victory in other years; with Mil
burns dashing tactics as their model.
the new trio soon should take rank al
most equal with the old Big Four"
Montague is one of the gamest men
that ever played polo. Scores of times
he has been injured in the club games
in which he has participated, but he
never WINGED, insisted upon being lifted
back onto his mount, and resumed play
with the same dash and vigor that char
acterized his game when in perfect
physical condition.
Stoddard figured in the 1913 interna-
tional match as a substitute and broke
into the second game He was inclined
to nervousness, which affected his play
ing somewhat, but did not obscure the
fact that he is brilliant rider, a sure
hitter from almost any angle, and a great
man. on defensive play.
Stevenson seems absolutely without
fear while on horseback He takes
chances that no other man does. More
than half the time he is out of the
saddle, urging his pony on to greater
speed, getting terrific force in his mallet
drives, and showing rare judgment in
following the ball, and picking it out of
scrimmages.
Greatest of All Players. ~
OF MiIburn nothing need be said out
side the fact that he is the greatest an
around polo player in America, if not
in the world.
The makeup of the English team still
is uncertain. However, it will be
chosen from the best players in the en-
tire Empire. Among those who win go
to Madrid in February to practice for the
international match will be Baron Ashby
St Legers, R. Grenfall, Capts. Lloyd,
Barrett, Lockett Tompkinson, Rallston,
and Palmes. From these the British team
and its two substitutes will be chosen.
In the meantime. the English and
American polo associations are securing
their respective countries for suitable
mounts. Much of the success of polo
team depends on its ponies. The English
team will have the hardest job in maxi
ing its selection, as 1t sold practically all
Of its 200 ponies before returning to Eng
land last June.
Most of the ponies used by the Ameri-
cans in the last match were young and
especially wiry, and practically every one
can be used again in 1914. unless the
Americans find new ponies WIN saefn