Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1913-10-03
AUTO POLO GAMES
AT STATE FAIR
Worlds Most Sensational Sport
to Feature Grandstand.
STARTS WITH ARGUMENT
~. A. Hsnkinson, Originator, Tells Of
Beginning Of These Contests.
Team at Dallas 10 on
World Tour.

Dallas. Texas--"Auto polo, a new
game out OF the West. win be played
fOr the first time in the Southwest in
front of the race track grandstand and
at the coming State Fair OF Texas
watch opens Saturday october is, and
closes Sunday, November q" said Pres
tdent j. j. Eckford yesterday.
Contract has just been closed for six
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. IL 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 tho
coming fair. Those who have seen au-
to-polo played declare there is a 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 are
master hands and those who know any
thing OF the art OF driving an automo-
bile can not fail but marvel at the
rapiditv with which turns are made"
Mr.. Hankinson, who was In confer
ence with the Fair management prelim-
mary to closing the contract explained
that to-polo originated in an argu-
ment between two automobile salesmen
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 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-
eompanying 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 bis machine in such position
alongside the can while in motion, thus
offering q good opportunity for his
aRartneT 10 get good kick at the can.
ms VA ''iiewed by q game Of old
fashioned shinny in wnien ~
very much battered and in which the
contestants made a tie as to driving
ability. Thus was originated what ~
Row a National sport. The following
day a basket ball and a 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
z After the initial contest daily practice
exhibitions were held for period of
five months Various young men were
given opportunities to try out as team
mates Tor the drivers, to act as their
mallet men. MANY applicants for po-
,.s,,..,ons 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 %
hanging on to the side Of small rac-
ing autopolo car ara welding a heavy
slthree- no,1nd mallet while the car was
solng at full speed" said Mr.. Hankln-
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
nolo is nlayed in periods OF ten minutes
ea.h. five periods constituting on
game. In TIE event OF tie score at IN
end of the fifth period, an extra perle
of periods may be added, until one en-
has scored a winning point over thei
opponent. The beauty Of contest {
this sort is that no two games are alik
s.Fach one Is entirely different from III
preceding one" said Mr.. Hankinsol
therefore much more interesting. tina
automobile racing, aeroplaning, motoi
cycle racing or in fact most any oth'
sensational form OF amusement
Several of the original players
uto-polo are now on a tour OF Il
world Eighteen players after makiT
a tour of the big fairs of this COUNT
will spend three weeks in Cuba, fou
teen weeks in South America, five al
one-half months in Europe, returnil
20 the United States for one years el
Eagement at the Panama Exposition
Auto polo games will be played
front of the grandstand between I
harness and running events. Each p
riod will last ten minutes which
take up the intermission between
horse races There will be somethi
doing every minute in front OF
grandstand this fall.