The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-12-13
ENDORSE POLO.
Automobile Game introduced
to Crowd for Approval.
Wet Field Reduces Thrills, but
Exciting Contest Results.

wet E1elQ REDUCES IuTl1ASS Wut
Exciting Contest Results.
The people Of Topeka appear to
have placed their stamp of approval
on auto polo. The sport was intro
duced in the city Friday afternoon by
Ralph A. Hankinson and his teams.
representing the United States ana
England. The English team won the
contest.
The result of the contest was a
minor consideration. The. people
1ourneyed to the fair grounds to In
vestigate. Much publicity has been
given auto polo but no one here had
seen the game. The crowd was estt-
mated at about 1000 people but may
have been less or even more. me
crowd appears to have approved the
contest but some were slightly disap-
pointed because the cars did not turn
turtle and the players were not
thrown in the air as much as was
expected.
The disappointment was caused by
the wet field which allowed the cars
to skid. Also it reduced the speed
and spectacular part Of the contest.
Water was on the field in some places
and in all places the sod was soft.
The goals are $50 feet apart. Tho
ball is placed in the center Of the
field and the cars with the malletman
crouching on the footboard on the
right side, rush from the goals to the
center and play begins. The ball is
struck with the mallet and the rush
is on. This can best be described by
comparing it with a rush following
the kickoff on a football field. OF
course there are but two machines,
L. ~
the speed is great. The estimated
speed of the car in approaching the
ball in the center Of the field is thirty
five miles per hour, but this was re-
duced by the wet field Friday to about
twenty or twenty-five miles per hour.
The drivers were unable to attain
high speed as the tires of the machines
did not have chains or ropes to pre-
vent slipping. The tires will be
wrapped with manila rope today and
a part of this will be eliminated.
Even with these handicaps the
players continued the contest with a
spirit of rivalry which equaled any
athletic contest ever staged In this
vicinity. The desire for victory was
so great that the players often quar-
relied during the intermission between
periods; heated arguments resulted on
more than one occasion.
Another demonstration was noted
in the third period when Garry Frank.
with the engine killed on the car OF
the American team forgot the rules or
the game and struck the ball while
standing on terra f1rma- The Amer1-
can team was penalized one-half
point for this play.
Another demonstration resulted at
the goal of the English team in the
fourth period when all the players left
their machines in hand to hand
struggle on the ground in an effort to
pass the ball between the goal posts.
the goal, but it went wide, struck the
foot Of the goal. The drivers at
tempted to block each other and the
malietmen attempted the same stunt,
and in addition; Frank a,s, attemptea CT 70
ed to break up the play. Stunts OF
this character allowed the fans An
opportunity to root for their favorite
team.
Naturally the American team was
the favorite but the English team bad
it's supporters. These plays caused IN
tense thrills and the result never failed
to bring applause from the crowd.
Auto-polo is spectacular. The cars
leave the goals with = rush The
drivers rush the metal steed to the
center with all possible speed. The
malletman 10 crouching on tho side
footboard with his mallet raised to
strike or hook the ball, as the occa-
sion may demand. Often one mallet-
man strikes the ball with force and
makes a long drive and at other times
the ball strikes some part Of the op-
ponents' cars, bounces back, high In
the air or under machine. The driv-
ers stop and turn thier cars as rapidly
as possible and rush on the ball. One
often reaches the spot with an un-
favorable chance of making drive.
Tho other car attempts to block the
play or recover the ball and the crowd
rises on their toes.
The privers are skilled in blocking
plays which might give their mallet-
man an advantage in gaining posses
sion Of the ball. The malletmen also
are skilled in blocking and nursing"
the ball which usually results in I'M
portant gains
The players are dressed in Jerseys
with helmets shin guards and other
paraphernalia which resembles foot
ball toggery. They train continuously
and endeav.r to keep their weight
down to a minimum.
Ray C1aypool, malletman on the
English team, appears to be the most
proficient in his line. He made ex-
cellent drives, was successful in block
ing the American team and recovering
the ball when he appeared to be
working under a handicap. He is &C.
knowledged to be the best among the
lot. J. Hankinson started the game
as malletmau on the American team
but was forced to retire in favor OF
Garry Frank at the end Of the frs
period, on account Of an injured wrist
which had not recovered from pre-.
viOus contests.
Frank was lighter and appeared t
have better Success johnson and Clay