Evening star., 1937-06-21
In the Hunt
Country
BY NINA CARTER TABB.

b1 NINA SAhl len 1ADb.
TT Is very interesting to Virginians
and Marylanders to know how
the men from the horse sections of
these States always take their places
In this country and abroad in sport
Ing events. Last week I was much
impressed by our boys performances
In horsemanship at the " M. I. COM
mencement. There was cavalry drill
which was most spectacular and won-
dArfully done. Maj. George Wiltshire.
U. S. A., from Culpeper, Va, is head
Of cavalry there. In a horse show
held one day Virginia and Maryland
boys were outstanding in all classes.
So occasionally in the world of the
horse, the Virginia Military Institute
(called the West Point of the South)
comes TO the front. This famous mill
ta<y college, located in the foothills
Of the Blue Ridge Mountains at Lex
ington, Va, has recently added polo
TO its many and various sports. In
June. 1895, Col. Harry Cootes, U. S. A..
. well-known Virginian and an alum
nus of V. NJ. l., attended commence
ment and worked up interest in the
starting Of polo team. Capt. John
B. Horton, Field Artillery, and Maj.
Withers A. Burress, Infantry, now sta
toned at V. M. l. are the persons re-
sponsible for reviving interest in a
sport which held a high spot in this
school once before but which dropped
by the wayside about 10 years ago
because OF the lack of facilities and
proper conditions under which to play.
In the Fall of 1886 about 20 men
from the two upper classes started
the tedious task of training the Sc
lected horses from the Cavalry and
Artillery string of the post. These men
worked patiently and succeeded in
teaching the horses the fundamentals
Of their important work. This work
was carried on throughout the Winter
months, and not until the early Spring
did the men get a chance to swing a
mallet or hit ball.
THE first introduction to teamwork
was under indoor rules. The squad
practiced at this until the first week
In May, when it was introduced to
the faster outdoor game. The team
made rapid strides, and in the middle
Of May the squad was revised. Look
Ing into the future, the first classmen
were dropped, as were several second
claSsmen. who were not up to par.
Again 20 men were placed on the
squad, but this time 10 third classmen
were added. The number of players
WAS limited to 20, because of the great
number who wanted to go out for the
sport. These men continued through
out the year, half Of them playing
and the other half training ponies
for future use.
With the new squad, Capt. Horton
made great strides. Practice games
were held twice week and funda-
mentals were stressed in the practice
sessions the other days of the week.
The men who played were Randolph
Charrington of Warrenton, Va, Henry
Darling OF Augusta, Ga, Richard
Hutchison OF Washington, D. c.,
Frank Perker of Old Greenwich,
Conn. Walter Roussel of Baltimore,
Nd, Frank Smith of Alexandria, Va,
Orville Van Deusen of Front Royal,
Va, Richard Weightman of Chevy
Chase, Nd. and Harry Young Of
Sikeston. Mo, in the second class,
and Hugh Kerr and Mack Tabb, both
Of Middleburg, Va, in the third class.
The following third classmen were
detailed to train the extra ponies
Roger Beale Of Franklin, Va, Robert
Becker Of Poughkeepsie, N. Y, George
Andrew of Fort Riley. Kans., Misha
Kadick Of The Plains. Va. James
Hughes Of Warrenton, Va, Val Par
ham OF Petersburg. Va. John Paxton
OF Clearwater, Fla, and Robert Tow
ers Of Rome, Ga
Next year an effort will be made
10 play either some intercollegiate
games or some nearby Army team.
Frank Tango Smith is captain and
Walter Roussel is playing manager
Capt. John B. Horton, the coach, is
a three goal player and was sub
etitute on the 1885 Olympic polo team,
which represented the United States.
You will notice that in the lineup
OF 20 men picked from about 700 STU
dents of V. M. l., there are 10 from
Virginia, three from Maryland and
one from Washington.