San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-02
Three International Teams
Face Picked Ameri-
can Fours.
ARMY MAKES ITS BOW
U. 5. Represented lnterna-
tionally by Soldiers
for First Time.
BY LAWRENCE PERRY.

New York, Sept. 1.-Americon polo
will have its highest expression in
September, when three international
tours will be in action at Philadel-
phia and Meadowbrock against the
pick of American players.
There will be carefully selected
British army team, the Count de Ma
dre's Tigers from India and four
made up of high-goal players from
the Nottingham Club. Interest chief
" concerns the British army outfit,
which will meet an American army
four in /. special match series.
This is rather dramatic inasmuch
as it marks the first entrance OF
team representing our army in inter-
national play in this country. A four
representing the army di. play in
England in 1919 and, while no signifi-
cant victories were won, the soldiers
gave very excellent account of them
selves. The army also was represent
ed in the last Olympic games.
They were hardly match for the
crack fourS of the British army which
throughout the history of the sport
in England has been the backbone OF
polo. but they did give hint as TO
what might be expected in the flu
ture. The team which will probably
face the British soldiers this season,
viz, Maj. A. ii. Wilson, Maj. l.. A.
Beard. Lieut.. Col. Lewis Brown and
Mai. w W. Erwin. or Major Eerr,
should play real polo and yet success
against the Britons. with their back
ground of polo tradition and their per-
sonal prowess, would b. n great deal
to expect.
Should Boost the Game.
All that can be hoped for is a cred
liable showing and the assure nee that
with international polo established rs
between the two armies, the Ameri-
can service game will develop by leaps
and bounds.
As the case now stands, no Brit
ish international four can have any
hope against the best team that Amer
lea could put into the field for in
ternational play without including two
or more army representatives in the
lineup. whereas cur big four is COM
pletely civilian, though it may not be
for long.
The time will come, provided the
War Department is generous in the
matter of placing our officers in 20
sition to obtain mounts of the high
est class. wien our international teams
will most surely have a military fla
vor. As the case stands, however.
when our polo prestige is at stake we
call upon Devercux Nilburn of Ok
ford, Harvard and Meadcwbrook, prob
ably the greatest lack in the world: .
upon young Tommy Hitchcock, an Ok
ford student, who IS an American
aviator was captured by the Germans
and escaped: upon j. Watson Webb,
the hard-hitting left-hander and New
York business man. and finally upon
Louis +. Stoddard of New Haven,
former Yale football payer and vet
Gran internationaliSt. Then as play
ers who rate very close TO these in
ternationalists, there are Malcolm
Stevenson, Morgan Belmont, L. 5.
Won Stade, young Robert Strawbridge,
+. II. Prince. j. G. Cooley. Hal Phipps
and his brother, jay; Cheever Cow
din end other civilians who play the
game up to the hilt.
Two Soldiers With Invaders.
As contrasted with the unmilitary
aspect of our highest handicap teams
consider the Nottingham four which
will play here in September. Capt
Frederick Z. Guest and Maj. f. W.
Barrett, two soldiers. and Lord Rock
savage marquis of Cholmondeley)
and Earl Hopping. civilians. Hopping's
case is interesting. He is an Ameri-
can, forward of caliber the writer
has always believed is not excelled in
this country. He vert abroad two
years ago as a substitute OH our in
ternational four. was taken up in Eng
land and has played there ever since,
receiving recognition which he never
received in his own country. Now lie
comes here as member of a team rep
resenting the oldest, greatest and most
powerful polo organization in the
world.
In order that America may net
have too great an edge upon our WIS.,
itors, the famous big four has been
broken up. Two of them, Stoddard
and Hitchcock. will play upon a four
bearing the name of Shelburne. the
other two players being Stephen San
ford, who developed his game abroad.
and Morgan Belmont--a powerful
indeed. The other two
American internationalists. Milburn
and Watson Webb, will play upon
the Meadowbrook four. the other play
ers being +. s. Won Stade and Rod
man Wanamaker. Still another
American four. the ORANGE county
team. will consist Of near-internation-
nlists. viz. W. A. Hartman, Raymond
Belmont. Malcolm Stevenson and r.
F. Strawbridge. and finally there will
be- the Flamingoes. Jim Cooley. Harry
Fast. Elliot c. Bacon and F. II.
Prince. OF the American tours, the
Meadowhrook outfit looks to be the
strongest.