Evening star., 1934-09-16
BY ROBERT b. PHILLIPS, JR.

BY ROBERT b. PHILLIPS, JR.
TUST when every one had settled
down to the comfortable notion
- that places on the American
international Army polo team
were in the bag, the Selection Com
mittee popped its decisions this week.
No one properly could accuse the
august solons of ulterior motives in
their choices. They have none, their
only object being to turn back the
obviously sturdy tide of Mexican in
vaSion and preserve the stars and
stripes forever In malletdom.
Nevertheless 1t did seem that Col.
Patton, Maj. Estes and Maj. Swing
might have contemplated the inciden-
tai joys afforded in making all the
and creating another blast Of excite
ment just at the time the local horse
world was beginning to get steamed
up over the first match, due this
Wednesday On the early returns, it
was apparent that Lieut.. Harry
Stadler would be at No. l for the
home team, Capt. Stub Davis at No.
2, Lieut.. King Kong Read. jr., at No.
3 and Maj. C. Square Smith at back.
Lieut.. E. A. Walker, who not so long
ago was pelting the willow around
West Point, was considered a posi-
bility as an alternate. So were lot
Of other people.
THEN out of a sky that was any
/ thing but clear. the Army polo
brain trust announced they
would start Lieut. Walker at No. 2.
Capt. Davis was shifted to No. l, and
the others remained as put, except
that Stadler landed on the alternate
list. This may have been an enor-
mously shrewd move on the part of
the ruling triumvirate. The last time
we saw Lieut.. Walker in action his
hitting was powerful, but his general
ship, apparent experience and knowl-
edge of the game suggested he might
look better against some Yales or
Harvards than he would meeting the
rough and ready gentlemen from
Mexico. Maybe he has learned SO
much in the ardent series Of trial
games that his elders will look by
comparison less wise than gray when
the shooting begins. 1t certainly is
not fair to bark at the committee or
at him until the first game becomes
history. That was not the intention
of this piece. 1t was meant in the
first place to break the news about
the lineup, If you'd not already read
the papers, and secondly to cover up
as gracefully as possible. We have
been going around for weeks predict
ing a team which has quantity dis
appeared before our eyes. II you think
this has cured us Of prognoStication,
guess again. Be 1t known that We
heartily believe the Americans will
win the series in straight games. Just
for good measure, We also hazard the
announcement that the West will de-
feat the East likewise; that the Rain
bow will trounce the Endeavour and
that John L. Sullivan could have
licked 'em all.
This business Of dragging the yacht
races into polo discussion may not
be so silly as it seems, If Potomac
Park field doesn't come out from un-
der the effects of the 40 days and 40
nights fairly soon. 1t is rumored the
Mexicans have been holding secret
practice in the Shoreham pool for the
last week. They may spring sur
prise yet. One thing is certain. They
have not been playing anywhere else,
unless the weather has aroused what
ever atavistic connection there Is be-
tween a modern Mexican officer and an
Italian gondolier.
1t was planned to pit the Mexicans
against some Middleburghers yester-
day. This would have given the best
line yet on their current rating as
team Word was sent here. however,
that all the geese in Goose Greek were
holding tournaments on Phipps Field.
The same sort of thing may stop the
Army internationalists from tying up
with their fellow officers in the prac
tice session scheduled at Potomac Park
this afternoon at $3.50. Better tele-
phone before you wade into the low
lands.
TAIRFAX was another of those
horse shows to be given a medal
because it managed to bring all
the local horsemen into action, pro-
duce amateur riders in the ring and
preserve a general air of congeniality
and sportsmanship. The aroma of