The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-05-09

Hitchcock, Son Of PoIo-PIoyins
 Father, Was Coached By Mother
By HARRY GRAYSON (NEA Shorts EditOr)

The HitchcockS composed the only 10-goal father-and-son combination in United States polN history.
 Thomas Hitchcock, ST., played on the first American international team against England at Newport in 1886, was one of the group of Long Island men who played and sup ported polo practically alone in this country generation and more ago.
 Thomas Hitchcock, ST., was one of the finest strategists of his time, yet Thomas Hitchcock, Jr., learned more polo from his mother than from his father.
 Tommy Hitchcock was not the only youngster of the Westbury countryside taught the sport of rajahs and Kipling heroes by the grand lady who was Mrs. Hitch cock.
 Just prior to 1914 before the au- tomobile began really to disturb the peace and quiet of Long Island horse country, you could have seen a strange sight on many morning as you passed Bread Hollow Farm, the old Hitchcock place.
 HOW POLO STARS WERE BORN
 You could have seen 8 tow-headed youth of 13 or IA, 8 brother a couple of years younger, sister a year or two older than the tow head, and a spr1ghtly horsewoman who was their mother forming one team against quartet of youngsters or perhaps Q team including . father or older brother of another family.
 This was Mrs. Hitchcock teaching boys and girls to ride and play polo. And the tow-headed youth of B or IA, of course, was Tommy Hitchcock.
 Out of that youthful group fastered by Mrs. Hitchcock grew the Meadow Larks. In winter and early spring they played at Aiken, s. C., where Mrs. Hitchcock established the the horse colony and number of them lived during part of the year. In summer they played at the Hitch cocks, at Meadow Brook or on 8 neighboring field.
 Tommy Hitchcock was only one of the splendid players who ob- tained his start with the Meadow Larks. There were Winston and Raymond Guest, Mike Phipps, Ebby Gerry, Stewart Iglehart. Others like them came along later.
 No polo player or enthusiast ever talked with Mrs. Hitchcock without being profoundly impressed with her knowledge of strokes and tactics. Long after Tommy Hitchcock be- came an international star, his mother coached him. She uttered Devereux Milburn, the artist, and J. Watson Webb.
 FULFILLED FATHERS HOPE
 It is easy to see how Tommy Hitchcock was ready for big time polo as quickly as World War I was concluded. At 16 in 1916, he rode with Q Meadow Brook team to his first national junior championship.
 Hitchcock attended Harvard fol- lowing World War I. Then he went to Oxford in the fotStepS of his father. He was at Oxford when the American team challenged in 1921
 And on a day in 1921, Tommy Hitchcock fulfilled the hope his father expressed years before his birth.
 He rode out at the No. 2 position with the United States Big Four on the green turf of the Birmingham clubs sacred polo field in London With Louis Stoddard, left-handed Watson Webb and the great Mill burn, the fearless, blue-eyed kid swung a smoking malet that helped humble the British in straight con- tests, 11- and 10-6.
 Brave Tommy Hitchcock, an old time warrior now, was still firing when the end came.