The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-08-17
CREED PLACES
 ORIGIN OF POLO
London Mail Correspond ent Discusses Horse
 back Sport


 as an exclusive sort of sport and
 the history and playing rules of the
 game are Q mystery to many
 Americans. The national matches
 in this country, which will be at
 tended by the Prince, of Wales,
 have aroused more than the OrG...
 nary interest. Capt. Percy Red
 fern Greed, veteran polo player and
 correspondent of the London Daily
 Mail, who is writing special
 series on the matches for tho
 United News, explains the game in
 the following article:
 By CAPT. PERCY REDFERN
 CREED
 (By Leased Wire to Age -EleraId)
 (COpyright 1924, By United News.)
 NEW YORK, Aug. 15.--The. game of polo is very ancient and it's origin is lost in the midst of antiquity, the probability being that China was the country of it's birth. Polo is certainly the first team game developed by man kind, though we have no knowledge of the original number of players on q side. The game was brought from India in England by British army of ficers in 1870 and it's modern devel. opment dates from this time. The pres ent game is undoubtedly as different from the early game as magazine rifle is from bow-and-arrow.
 Let us conjure up before us the main clements of polo as played today. The ground is a parrallelogram 300 yards long by IJ0 yards wide.
 Eight Players.
 The goal, which is at the centre of the back-line, is 9 feet wide. There are eight players--four on each side. The game is divided into eight periods of z 1-2 minutes each. There is an in terval of two minutes between ench period to enable the players to change their ponies, as 1-2 minutes of stren- uous play entities the pony to rest, though he will come out again for one 5r more periods according to the pace of the game and the limitations of his owners stable. There are two um- pires who are mounted and whose duty it is to ride closeup to the game so that they may detect the slightest infringe ment of the rules. The only score is goal or a fraction of goal, which may come from q penalty awarded by the umpire.
 The ball is slightly larger than baseball Is made of English willow and painted shiny white. It weighs five ounces. The players mallet has n cane handle and a head which may be ob- long or cigar-shaped. made of willow or male bamboo. The handle may be from 90 to 54 inches long according tc the taste of the player. Polo play CTS have fads in regard to their mal- let's like golf-players over their clubs.
 The players are broadly divided into a formation which may be described as two forwards and two backs. The two The two backs are called No. and back. But the game, as can easily be imagined, is played at such a pace that it is kaleidoscopic in it's nature and any forward may at any moment find him self on the defensive as any back may find himself on the attack.
 Needed Qualities,
 What are the qualities for which polo calls from q king-pin player? 4 stout heart, quick brain, a temper which nothing can ruffle, a strong physique including an extra special eye and wrist and perfect horsemanship. A pretty comprehensive specification of which few can hope to make 100 per cent.
 And what of the pony? Of all forms of horse flesh the polo pony is perhaps the most attractive There is not the least doubt that ponies not only under stand the game but that they love it in, spite of the hard knocks which ineyit- ably come their way. The perfect polo pony must be as game as q pebble, az handy as top, as fleet as race-horse, as quick witted as his rider Go and stand beside him as he waits at the side of the ground with his stableymates, watching the game with his ears ready for >his turn to come. You can read kis thoughts.
 Between the pony and the rider must exist the most perfect partnership and understanding. They must act as one unit for in a game played at the pace of polo divided counsel cost dear in efficiency and missed opportunity.
 Great Spectacle.
 As a spectacle polo has no rival for those who revel in pace, color and move ment, and they are to be found in ev- cry country from China to Peru. Polo is the one game which has an equal appeal to the oriental and the western temperament, Born in the east, devel- Opeu out or all fee0gnltlon Tn the west and received back by the east again with enthusiasm-that is the unique record of polo. And small wonder for no other spectacle combines as does polo all the thrills of both a ball game and a horse-raee. The skill of Devereux Alilburn, the great American back, who is the most famous player in the world today in hitting the polo Rs.H kI, consummate horseman is driving to the last inch of it's speed a thorOughhred ..l. ........ ..ee ...L...l hnnl- hr L.s. LA