POLO MAD.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 140, 20 July 1914, Page 3

POLO MAD.

REMARKABLE KAUEDOSCOPE. Americans seem to have been mightily disturbed by the recent visit of the English polo team. Thus writes the New York correspondent of the "Sporting Chronicle,'" Manchester: — "Never in the history of sport has there been such a wonderful kaleidoscope as over the international polo match. What has appeared in our papers is merely the echo of what has been ringing through the club and private di nner coteries. The first point is that Englishmen appear to attach so much more importance to the cup than Americans, and yet they were apathetic to a degree and quarrelled among themselves, trying to trip each other, or bring about the defeat of each other, until public clamour brought them back to commonsense and a perception of National honour. At least that is the way it is looked at here. Then when the team was formed at the eleventh hour, just five days before the ponies must be shipped, Wall Street —which discounts everything—gravely offered only even money against the British, and several wagers were booked . THE PENDULUM SWINGS.

"That set everything swinging again. I..ad the internecine troubles of the British only been 'rigging the market?' Was it really an efficient, powerful, well-mated team that.was coming? And so on. Then the pendulum swung in the other direction, and it was questioned whether the withdrawal of Hany Payne Whitney was such a handicap alter all, and whether the team would riot rally to and obey tho new captain, Waterbury, even better than they had Whitney. Anyone can find statistics to suit his mind, and so yards of 'play' during the past three weeks was analysed to show the new 'Four' was equally as good as the 'Big Four,' all of which will be forgotten, of course, should the new 'Four ' be beaten. PLAYERS HEARTILY SICK. "There is no doubt that the country is polo mad. For weeks there, has not been a seat on the west, stand, and there are no single tiekets left for the east or south stands. Tickets have been kept out of the hands of speculators, but there is no doubt that a heavy premium will be paid for certain seats before the days of play. Although not much given to prophecy, I should like to go on record with the opinion that if the British winthe trophy and take it to England, it will be many a day before there i- 5 any Lnitcd States worry, or enthusiasm over an attempt to win it back. "As a matter of fact, the plavers are heartily sick of this international match »vork; it breaks up the season here and in England; it robs a number of men of two or more fields for months; it breaks -■up crack teams to whicii the four men of each international team belong; and it is not much real fun. The international matches have become the property of the paying -public— and the public is a hard master, not infrequently ruming the sport it enthuses too strongly "over.

"Polo has hitherto been regarded as the one clean, irreproachable sport; but already it is proposed in England to ' split tho gate,' and the best friends of polo are, very excusably, greatly alarmed. If the British should win," I fancy international polo—for a space—will hibernate."

As the British team won, it may now be expected that international polo will hibernate!