The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1913-06-14
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What 4
Polo ; Player
Must DO
md Know

"RAfNEN for . polo matchr
Yes, there y such thing. but
1lrst one must become . polo
ylAysr. Polo players are not de.
vsioped in any limited period Of
t1me. Years Of hard work, not
weeks. - In other athletic pursuits.
ere necessary TO make ono At to
Daaiop up Ind down . neld, in COW.
10y fashion. WELDING long handled
mA,ist at . white bail ebout the size
q the kind used in playing duck
Qins. Nothing can be accomplished
until rider and pony learn each
GeAers ganns. To do this means that
ne player must hrst become an ex.
Qert horsemsn and then spend years
mastering the intricacies Of polo. hit
ting hard and with direction. from
~ sorts Of position, blocking and
checking. and finally to At IN On
team combination work.
Just - important = the training ana
<gvaopuent Of the ponies. On the
0sed and knowledge Of the mounts
Fsse the chiof reliance Of . team. A
yDny asast ct once Do0s0 speed and
stFsnGth. Then the animal 10 taught
NV % wheel sharply and follow che
oall' Finally. both player and mount
0Ow % Toficient that each one knows
Just what to DO. and It Is from this
SeAass Of players and ponies that "a
International team 10 selected.
MUST LEARN EVERY TRICK or
s8 q. PONY RIDING EARLY.
'srTo thousands the sight Of a rider
knocking . little ball about with long
mallst while ssiioping at high speed
looks fairly simpls, but the years OF
DrsQarstion spent In enabling players
aAA ponies to engage In . title match h
~ ~ Larry Fitzpatrick. manassr Of
stAs American polo ponies. who has been
q big factor In the success of the defend
Ing coordination against the English
team.
/. ''Irs no easy Job" began Larry. "hor
4, men 70 become expert polo players.
They have to commence early and learn
svsry trick Of riding. Polo can be
'piaysd only by the strongest OF horse
IN. Then comes the difncult course OF
Instruction necessary to overcome III"
faults of beginners-the inability to nit
hare while going fast.
s-'If q man hasn't nerve and DARING
he might Just ~ well give up all ideas
81 taking up the game. for polo requires
great nerve a. we'll a. skill There's
always the possibility OF bad spill or
the pony falling. but few players give
that q thought once In tho thick Of
battle
z NATURALLY members Of tho American
team are In excellent physical condition.
but that doesn't mean theS adhere to
strict training all year round. They all
fve pretty much in the open and that's
Z big aid. OF course. training for .
big International match Is begun months
before the games. 1t was early In the
spring that the members OF the Amsra-
can team went down 10 Lakewood to
start training and they have been 1t II
ever since. A. regards a diet guess
they eat whatever they like. for Tn sure
they don't consult me-" laughingiy an.
swered the genial manager.
HARD JOB TO TEACH PONIES 70
FOLLOW BALL.
According to Fitzpatrick. many Of thu
American ponies come from Westsrr
ranches. They are very strong ant
speedy. But in tho defenders stablsl
are ponies from Hawaii and other coun
tsiss. The best age for polo pony Il
from SIX to 6ght years. At that tint
ne animals have learned to follow thu
tall and turn quickly. Thsn they ar
q NJ asset 70 team, but It's som,
lob to teach them polo. according Il
ne genial Larry.
Comparing the mounts Of the twe
teams during tho hrst samA Trainss
yltspatr,ck made the rather startling
admission that the American ponies
we're superior to their English oousina
simply because they were driven better,
ssd this coming aftsr the hsraidad
herssmanship Of the invading British
sfncsrD.
PLAYgRs MORE DEMOCRATIC
THAN MOST ORDINARY PEOPLE.
n was on the practise heid st Meadow
Breeds that Fttspatrtck separated HIM
~ isag saeUSA fSeu hs hsssss ~ ess