San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1926-01-07
FIRST 8. A. POLO
CONTEST 43
YEARS AGO
With Big Winter Meet
Coming Up, Sport Now
Headliner.

With almost score Of teams en-.
tered from all over the Southwest and
couple from points as distant as
South Dakota to the northward and
Mexico City to the south. the mid
winter polo tournament starting Jan
uary II, becomes one of the head.
line sporting events in San Antonio
this year.
Everybody in town understands the
game now and thousands of regular
fans turn out for the big event to
enjoy the sport.
But it was different 43 years ago
when small organization, mostly
of English horsemen, was formed here
called the Texas Polo Club, and, on
July Z, 1883, put on San Antonio's
first polo match. Captain Glynn-
Iurquand was the instigator and
might rightly be called the father
Of San Antonio polo" In that first
match, the Reds beat the Blues, 80,
or it might have ben the other way
around.
The LlNE-UPS.
With the Blues were c. Williams,
ii. G.. Mitchell. A. Russ and j. Mos
ley; with the Reds. X. NJ. Glazbrook.
A. STAINED. o. Fitzpatrick and S.
Wheatley.
1t is recorded in The San An
tonic Light Of the next day that the
costumes were of white flannel with
colored belts, caps and scarfs and that
the players were much admired by
the ladies'"
There was big crowd in San Pedro
Park to see the fun, and excitement
was provided at the very start when,
in the first scrimmage for the ball,
Williams and Fitzpatrick came to-
gcthcr in n head-on collision and both
riders and their horses were upset.
The game was delayed several min
utes before the endorsed poloists would
rcmount.
COWBOYS CHALLENGE.
The flat English saddles of the
polo club players caused a great deal
Of comment among the cowboys and
range riders present, but the skill
and grace with which the horses and
mallets were handled "wrung APP
plause from all"
Whereupon, several Of the cowmen
challenged the club to n match for the
following Sunday, July IA, and it was
accepted.
The second polo game in San An
tonic history was even more unique
than the first and attracted a large
crowd. 1t also was played in San
Pedro Park:
The cowboy lineup included Sam
Bennett, George Maltzberger, Manuel
Renter and Joe Davis, with Captain
Fred Parker on deck but not play
ing.
There was a little bet to make the
thing interesting. and the polo club
team cashed in by taking 80 de-
cision after a hard-ridden match.
The paper remarks that the game
was a revelation and a disappoint-
ment to the cowboys and their adj
hcrcnts. and the cow punchers learned
that there was much more TO this
game of polo than just riding"
HARD TO HANDLE.
It is further recorded that "the long
handled malIets in the hands OF the
cowmen were more often in contact
with their horses shins and the heads
Of fellow players than with the
ball."
The hard mouthed COW ponies, it
seemed once started down the field
after the ball, turned neither to right
nor left and avoiding an opposing
player was not on the program Mt all.
Handling that supple bamboo stick
five feet long and their ponies used
to the open ranges, was something
new 10 the Texans. They could ride,
however. and it was by hard. reckless
horsemanship that they managed TO
Eoen the score as low as ii was. 80.