New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-07
More than $4,000 Will See
First Matches for West
chester Cup.
WHITNEY'S ABSENCE
MAY PROVE HANDICAP
Dashing Leader, Who Fought in
Van at birmingham, Will Be
on SidelineS This Year.

some $4,000 persons VIII see with their
own eyes the games on Tuesday and Sat
.v.
Nlhoueh coming mainly from greater
'c'sey. WeStchester County or Long ISL
York. Westchester County or Long ISL
I'd. there will also be spectators in the
ch. slipping stands from the West. Texas.
. 'allfornia. Great Britain. India. Australia,
rance. Belgium, Italy, Japan, Egypt and
-pain. for there are polo clubs now flour
Ishing in all these places. Spain has al
most a brotherly interest in the match,
for the British team played at Madrid
throughout the winter.
The big silver trophy is held jointly by
the Polo Association of the United States
and the birmingham and Affiliated Polo
clubs Of Great Britain under deed that
uoclaims it to be indicative OF the polo
championship of the world and subject 10
challenge from any country. ~ was
boucbt and christened the International
Polo Challenge Cup by members OF the
Westchester Polo Club in 1888. so that
team from the birmingham club that mao
challensed the Americans for match al
Ncwport might have something worth
while TO play for. Time has proved tne
Newport polo paintings had prophetic
-ift for exact nomenclature.
There can be but one result in the POLO
match when experts are opposed on even
terms 10 novices. as was the case IN that
historic match in 1850. The cup went TO
London and stayed there. despite various
efforts to regain it for America, until
Meadow Brook team challenged, with the
consent OF the Polo Association, ana de-
fcated tho flower OF English polo in a
match at birmingham. Great Britain
through the birmingham Club, has sent
three teams to Meadow Brook TO try 10
bring the cup back. In 1909 and last year
the challengers were beaten: the stage is
set for the third tournament, and the
British challenging and American defend
ing teams are waiting in the wings FOR
the raising Of the curtain.
II. p Whitney has been the Nemesis
to punish the birmingham players for
tHoir Newport massacre OF our POLO
Lantlings. He planned the successful
foray across seas of 1909. and he is the
handspring in guarding the trophy, de-
fence that has welded the polo players
# America into a band OF brothers to aid
him. As captain and No. 3, Whitney was
IT, the field at birmingham. and in the
last two matches at Meadow Brook. This
year he has elected TO coach from the
sidelines, 4 self-effacement that brings
bone TO our players the lesson that "he
also serves who only stands and waits.
Big Four Is Big Three" Now.
throughout, Whitney has had the sup
tort of the men who were in the saddle
with him at observation-disclosures Mil
.urn, l.. Waterbury and J. NJ Water
bury. IT., this year the field captain. An
injury during the first game last year
brought l.. Z. Stoddard. the extra man at
birmingham. then into the playing line.
lie has not played this year on account
Of his wife's death, but on the prior &C.
casions he served with Rene La Mon
tagne. Malcolm Stevenson. II. G. Phipps
and Foxhal 7. Keene, in the practice
games La Montague is the new man to
complete the team. and he has won the
honor on his merits.
The British challengers are men wise
in polo. and who comes with the hall
mark OF successful players from Hur-
!ingham. where the blue ribbon" games
o. the world. barring the last two. and
tho pending international Polo Challenge
cup match. have always been played
Tho team will he Major Tomkinson. Cap
tain Cheape, Major Barrett and Captain
Iockett and the substitutes, John A.
Trail and Lord Wimborne, who will be
identified by poloists not versed in the
peerage as Lord Ashby st. Leger.
Betting men who thrive, or seek to do
so. by transmitting current gossip into
gold. are laying odds that the American
team will win. II. L. Herbert, chairman
since it's beginning in 1890 OF the Polo
Association, is more conservative. He
says: Il know tue challengers 10 be
strong. individual players and thorough
ly familiar with team tactics. They have
arrived ready 10 play. and not TO work
INTO condition b. practice games on Long
Island / expect and hope our team will
win. but I 90 not think it will be by
Ui1c margin. Polo between high class
teams is always an uncertain issue, in
which a little good or bad luck may be
the deciding factor"
Rules and Conditions for the Game.
three; the rubber game. II needed, to be
on June Il. II will be played at the
Meadow Brook field, on Hampstead
Plains, midway between the towns Of
Hampstead and Westbury. The rules or
the Polo Association Will govern the play,
except that By mutual agreement there
vii be no restriction on the height or
the ponies. The rules specify the ground
shall De an Oblong square. about go feet
long and 40 feet wide. with a ten-inch
guard from end TO end on the sides only
The guard" IS OF boards. hinged upright
ln tWelye-foOt sections. so they will fall
aat when hit by pony. and not trip II.
The ground Is Of turf
The goal posts shall be twenty-four
feet apart. AT least ten feet high, and
lixht enough 10 break II collided with"
70 insure iightness the posts are OF
papier-mache and hollow.
The ball shall be OF wood, with no
other covering than white paint; Is
inches In diameter, and not exceeding Eve
ounces In weight Msllets shall be such
~ are approved by the committee" The
tsis are ot willow and each Is weighed
and stamped b. the officials before the
game. The Tnslle;s have shafts OF red
Halacca or white rattan; the length Is
optional but the average IL b2lz inches
The degree OF supplcness u also option
al ale0 tho uR9 nj hand lO0Ds The grips