Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-05-25
International Polo ASSured=-The
British Team Sails==Sullivan
Sails for Olympic Congress

New York, May 23-With the sail
ing of the English polo team for this
country today the American polo
authorities will be relieved of anxiety
regarding a situation which at times
promised to develop a fiasco in the
first of the international team con-
tests of the present season of sport
Less than ten days ago it appeared as
thought the match was to fall through
owing to the inability of Lord VIM
borne to secure a representative team
to compete for the cup challenged Tor
by the Nottingham Club. Great
pressure was brought to bear upon
the factions whose petty chickering's
threatened to disrupt the team and
the party which sails today includes
the following players and substitutes;
Captain H. A. Tomkinson, No. ;
Major T. Y. D. Bingham, No. 2
Major F. w. Barrett, No. g. and Cap
tain Leslie St C. Cheape back. with
Major B. H. Mathew-Lannowe, and
Baron Wimborne as substitutes.
While this team is admittedly not
the best combination in England, nav
ing been repeatedly defeated by wal
ter s. Buckmaster's four in practice
games, it includes players who are
ranked with the leaders of Enghsh
polo. Whether this combination is
strong enough to wrest the lnterna-
tional Polo Challenge Cup from the
nossession of the American defenders
is a question which is being argued
in polo circles throughout the two
countries. Experts maintain that II
is not as strong as the English team
of 1913 and the same contention Is
held when the American teams OF
1913 and 1914 are compared. There
is no denying the fact that the with
drawaI from active play of Captain
Harry Payne Whitney weakened the
Meadow-Brook four. Furthermore
there is no substitute now being con-
sidered for his place who Is WITHIN
several goals of Whitney's class.
Broadly speaking. both English ana
American teams as outlined at pres
ent appear to be 80 per cent. weaker
than was the case last June. when
the United States team won by 101a
to IA in two straight games.
Under these conditions much will
depend upon the team play and the
conditions of the Ponies in the final
ANALYSIS and in these respects the cup
defenders appear to have an ad-
vantage. The team that Baron
Wimborne took to Madrid has been
disrupted and remoulded less than a
month previous to the matches.
Whitneys decision to drop out was
known months ago, and provision
made for the breaking in of suitable
substitute and there is a general I'M
preston among poloists that should
the American team be defeated in the
opening game Whitney would be seen
in the saddle on the second day OF
play. So far as the ponies are con-
cerned it is an axiom of polo that
the invading team always plays under
a handicap in this respect.
Despite the handicaps, the chal-
longing team is not to be lightly con-
sidered. According to the English
handicapping system, the four as
named at present consists of two top
rankers and two third classification
PLAYERS Barrett and Cheape are ten
point or limit men, with Bingham and
Tomkinson rated at eight points each.
Major Mathews Lannowe is nine
point player and Lord Wimborne is
rated at seven. The English and
American handicapping systems differ
in the respect that while nine points
is the United States limit the Hurl-
ingham top ranker is ten point
PLAYER. Therefore, while the Water
bury brothers and Devereux Milburn
are nine point players in the United
States list they are ranked one point
higher in English handicaps. At the
present time H. C. Phipps is general
ly conceded as being the most likely
player to replace Whitney. He is
rated at six In the United States list,
which would give the American team
an average of SA, while the English
four under the American system would
have an average of eight, just 4 point
below the United States four.
The arrangement of the English
four clearly indicates the fact that II
will be stronger on defense than Of
Tense. The placing of Cheape and
Barrett at No. "a and back respective
". is in accordance with the English
system of play where the best players
gravitate to the rear line in order &c
hottar diraot tho attach and defence