New Britain herald., 1927-05-21
ROLLER POLO FANS
 AWAIT FIRST GAME
Casino on Church Street to Be
 Completely Remodeled

Announcement during the week that g franchise in the American Roller Hockey league is to be grant ed to Frank McDonough. proprietor of the Casino Bowling alleys and that the game would be played ill the Church street auditorium next winter, has created unbounded in terest among the fans of 25 years ago.
 MT. McDonough stated today that elaborate plans have been made to renoyate the Casino so that it will be a suitable place in which to view the sport that was so popular here two decades ago.
 A marquee will be placed at the front entrance. The present entrance will be torn out and a new one built in. The walls of the hall leading to the playing surface beyond. will be succeed and redecorated with new lights.
 In the hall proper, new dressing rooms for both men and women will be built and shower baths will be installed in each Of them for the use of anyone who takes part in sports on the floor. An entrance into the Stanley hotel will be brol- en through the present wall so that there will be no necessity of people emerging outright into the street.
 The interior of the hall will be renovated and decorated. The floor which is in good shape. will be scraped and polished to make it smooth. Bleachers will be built and the balcony will be sufficiently propped with 400 seats being added to it's capacity.
 Work on the place will be started about August l, Mir. McDonough said. and will be completed in plen- " of time for the opening of the roller hockey season.
 First Roller Polo Team
 Announcements that the game then known as roller polo is to re- turn to this city has brought back many "reminiscences of the games which used to be played here. The Casino itself was originally built for polo. c. Hills, well known horse man of quarter of century ago and then proprietor of the hotel, erected the building and turned it over to William Parsons. then city engineer. for use as polo hall.
 A club which became the cham pionship roller polo team was form ed and many will recall the lineup. Parsons, himself q great player, was . rush; Nick McGilvray and Jack Russell were stars in the same posi- ton. Fred Jean, last season with Holyoke; Barney Doherty, now with New Haven; Holderness. Burgess and many others will be remember ed for the games they played both at the Casino and at HannIs arm ory on East Main street.
 But New Britain was famous not alone in the polo world for it's pro- tessional team, but for the quality of teams it had in it's now famous amateur league. It was a widely known fact when polo held the boatds in the old days. New Britain possessed the finest amateur league club in the circuit.
 These Were the Stars
 Among the players who starred in those days were: Eddie McAloon, the Fusari brothers, Pete and Jack. Jimmy Clinton. Pat Delaney. Frank Hoole. Albert Swanson. considered one of the best; Bobby Beach. Jud- dy, Mort Rhodes of the New Britain Ice Co.,. Jack Toner from "Nigger'' member of the Waterbury club, Red" Bayer. Jean Johnson, Jack Coffey. Leon Gladdng and others too numerous to mention here.
 Teams made up of these players used to hold forth in the contests preliminary to the league games and there was as much interest in them as there were when New Britain was having hard fight to retain it's leadership in the pennant race.
 
 which the Fusaris could take a ball down the court while Eddie Me Aloon and Jimmy Clinton were al ways considered the class for play ing and good skating Swanson was considered good enough to be a member of the professional teams playing in the league and he and many other New Britain amateurs made the now famous trip to E.u- rope to show their ability as roller polo players.
 The rivalry created in the anna teur league, especially between the industrial teams entered was bitter and red hot. Sizzling games were played with fights galore resulting
 If You Missed This. Weep
 However, 'he game played about 20 years ago between two teams from the New Britain lodge, B. r. o. E.. for the benefit O. the flower fund. Is the one that stands out prominently in the minds of those who never used 10 miss game
 NJ. r. Leghorn. M. J. konncy. Joseph Halloran, Michael Ryan. Marty Rush, the late John J Crean and others took part in the famous game. Only one or two could travel on roller skates and it will be many year before a spectacle to prov oke so much mirth will be seen.
 The entire population tried 10