The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-06-14
COLUMBUS MIGHT
HAVE BEEN A POLO
ENTHUSIAST

New York, June 14.-Although the
international polo matches between
the United States and English teams
which are resumed in England this
week, began in 1886. the game Of polo
was played before Columbus discovered
America.
The game was introduced in the
United States in 1876. but the sport is
centuries old. 1t originated in Persia.
ana was played in China and India
long before cavalry officers, garrisoned
in India, brought the sport to England
and made IT the sport Of kings"
Largely because Of the excellent
training in horsemanship which polo
affords, ii has been fostered by govern.
ment and army officials At the close
OF the recent war, Sir Douglas Haig
conferred upon the sport citation"
declaring 1t to be the most efficient
training for army officers yet de.
vised. During and since the war. the
game has been encouraged among
American army officers.
According to tradition, polo had its
origin in the court of Persian king.
IL Is said to have been invented by a
court physician for the purpose Of pro-
Viding physical exercise for his SOW
ereign and members of the retinue
About 600 A. D., shadowy legends have
1t that the Tartars who overran Asia
at that period, carried the game TO
China From Chinese archives. It ap-
pears that as early as 95l A. D.. there
was school for the training of polo
ponies. 1t was shortly after this per
iod that the wanderings of the Asiatic
peoples took the game to India. whence
1t has come down to England and
America
When James Gordon Bennett brought
mallets. jerseys and balls to this
country in 1876, he and several as
sociates gave the game its first try
out at Dickels' Riding Academy. then
located at 39th street and Fifth Ave.
nue., New York, the players formed
the Westchester Polo club, with their
grounds at Fordham. When the fash.
ionable New York set moved 70 New
port. R. l., in the summer OF 1877.
the Westchester Polo club moved there
also.
The game Immediately gained popu.
iarity. The Brighton Polo club was or
ganized at Long Branch. another fash
ionable summer place. The late H. L.
Herbert, until his death few months
ago, the president of the Polo Asso-
citation Of America, was one of the
founders of this organization. Forma-
tion Of the Buffalo Polo club followed
and in 1890 seven clubs, Philadelphia
Country club, Westchester, Meadow
Brook Rockaway. Essex County, Nor
ris County and the Country Club OF
Westchester, formed the Polo asso-
citation. Buffalo did not join until five
years later.
Action of the Westchester club in |
1856 in offering a trophy for inter-
national competition greatly stimulat-
ed interest in the game. The handicap |
lists for 1921 included players Of 9s
registered clubs Of the association,
situated from coast to coast, with the
Hawaii Polo and Racing club Of Homo.
lulu and the Manila Polo club also
active members.
Polo is now played at every army
station in which cavalry officers are
ocated and the army polo association
At Washington D, c., has approximte.
3 500 officers. In England, even more
han in the United States is the game |
IN established sport for army officers,
as Is evidenced by the fact that three
members Of the British team, recently
are army officers.