Year: 1876

From the New York Sportsmnn.l


1t has been really inspiring at The close OF One
days racing at Jerome Park, to see the fourn hand
drags loaded to their utmost capacity with ladies' and
gentlemen, 20 away line the merry sound OF the
horn for the adjacent polo grounds Tho attendance
a. the latter has been very large and highly fashion,
able The club has been In great force The play was
carried on with splendid spirit and eclaL One game
was brought to abrupt conclusion by the falling OF
Mr.. William Douglas horse with injury him
SELF The gentleman thought to be great danger
for day but he is fair way recovery.
Beloved aud respected az he is this will afford great
satisfaction 10 everybody Some OF our oficious
friends, the reporters, as usual, made good deal
more OF this matter than was required. They de-
nounced the dangerous, ana demanded that 1t
should bo played In such manner AS 10 be quite HARM
less especially in tho presence OF tho ladies' Now,
this reminds OF tho modest request OF OF the
English bishops TO the Turks, that in the war which
had been wanionly made upon them they should light
not 10 hurt anybody. And 1t also suggests the
alarm OF Bully Bottom when Peter Ounce told HIM
that there was hon in the most sweet tragedy Of
Douglas injured because he was not
sureooted horsc-not because the Indian
game Q, polo essentially aa danger a4Ssr
sports and games OF British origin Fancy somebody
proposing the neignborhoods Of the Quorn the Hey.
throp and the Bcester huns that tho horses and
hounds should be sold of because gentleman mad
rib or two broken when bad ienccr Tell NJ bull
finch Or some twaddng sentmentalist Of the mod
crn and most perncious demanding of the boys
Rugby and the other public schools that they should
play football without tender care OF one anothers
shins paper chases so that any should fall at
the leaps Polo played by the club with great dnsli
aud spirit, and We have much greater respect Tor II
a manly amusement and useful exercise since there
have been lew falls and broken heads at II than we
ever had before.


"poLo AND ITS pLAYERs"-A DEFENCE OF THE


GAMz BY AN AMATEUR ATHLETE.


To EDITORS TEE EVENING PosT:-


nt. ,t,
the dangers OF polo induces to write few lines
which you may may not think worth printing


l have long noticed curious inconsistency In our
Journals, which, while constantly lamcnting tho
OF physical culture and lack OF interest in outodoor
sports in this country, invariably write down all at
temPs introduce TO practise any OF tho exercises
they profess in general way, to admire SO much.


While the lovo Of gain and the unremittlng attcn-
ton business which arc characteristic OF American
men are constantly condemned the unfortunate per-
sons attempt to do something to the furtheranco
almost any athletic sport arc criticised spending
their time and Their money oolishly and setting bad
example TO others


q most desirable thing among the very class OF young
men 10 whom you reier-those who are rich and who,
tor want OF out OF door amusements are tempted to
spend their time loungng about tho clubs at the
bcs ndulgng in the least improving OF exercises drv.
sports probably never be introduced in this
try outside of tho few districts in which IL now exists
and that school for kcenness OF eye promptpess OF de
csion and contempt Tor danger must be replaced by
tho next best thing, which take to be polo.


That the slight danger of the game comes In as one
of the elements OF It's attractveness is doubt true
and Is equally true of all the best sports-gsr hunting
fox hunting, seeple chasing buffalo hunting treakng
horses or mountaineering It's the element oi danger
that makes all these pursuits valuable cuitivatng
pluck, endurance, presence of mind an cooness OF
head, qualities when we can scarcely with
yet in advanced stage OF cvilza-
tion The relative danger OF different pursuits
scarcely be stated except by lie insurance
actuary but long experience in exercises OF all kinds
and especially among horses, leads me TO rank the
manly sports the order Of their respective dangers
follows :-Sleepechasing hurdle racing, fox hunt
Ing, polo, driving and riding.


the question how lar one set Of persons should
avoid spending money as matter OF example 10 others
is question OF Eocial economy too wide Tor discus
sion here; but polo is not more expensive than most
arms and legs. pony costs less to buy and to keep
than q saddle horse or horse and wagon, and you
will scarcely say that those persons who afford
should ride drive for fear Of leading those who
canuot into extravaganza.


One great advantage Of polo, As OF hunting is that 1t
is open to men who having always been horsemen,
have reached an age when their legs their wind
would be sorey tried by cricket base ball or lacrosse
and when they have passed the first blush OF youth.


AS to your suggestion OF playing polo on bicycles:
good bicycle costs about as much as pony although
does eat anything alter II is purchased; and
Gus a thing as a tumble from pony, examina-


on Of the records OF the English bicycle clubs would
convince you


Polo is fine manly game, nt for gentlemen to play,
FREQ many OF the temptations and objections
belong to other games and It ought TO be encouraged
rather than suppressed. TANDE4.


NEWPORT, r. l., Oct Q. 1876