MOTOR POLO IN ENGLAND.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144146, 16 July 1913, Page 7

MOTOR POLO IN ENGLAND.

' A DISAPPOINTING GAME,

Motor polo wus seen for tho first time in England last month, when four of Mr. Itichard S. Klcgin's players gave an exhibition at llanolagh. There most base been, says the London Times, between 3,000 and OjOOO .spectators present when tho two cars, -ouch starting from its own goal lino, raced for tho bail, which was placed in tho centre of the. ground. Tho cars wore skeletonized, and strengthened examples of the familiar Ford typo. The driver had an elevated seat behind; the ma.lJoi man crouched in front, holding on to on upright hand-rest whenever it was necessary to lean out in hitting the ball. The players wore leather caps with ear flaps and leaithor jackets, such as are used in American Rugby football. Tho ball was of tho same shape and size as that employed in the same devastating pastime, while the mallet seemed to bo tho implement familiar to croquet-players, With a somewhat longer handle.

Tho swift, ansbdiko machines and their armoured occrapants (who reminded one of small active beetles) were an uncanny and i-suther fearsome spectacle. The impression that the cars were living creatures belonging to the entomologist’s domaian was deepened by thoir exasperated buzzing, as of a wasp in a window-pane, as they circled about the ball. It might have been a picture out of some roimunce of “advanced science” by Mr. H. G. Wells but for tbb unfortunate/fact that each player’s back displayed in bold white lettering a suggestion that the United States produce the only tires suitable for motor polo. This ingenious device rendered tho affair less romantic, though it increased one’s respect for that crowd-compelling artist, tho American advertiser.

Tho spectators wore disappointed at finding that each teaan consisted of a single car with its occupants; they had confidently expected a four-a-sido connest, or at any rate a foursome which would have provided opportunities of exciting entanglement® and occasional collisions. However, when at the beginning of tho game tiki cars raced for tiie ball in tho centre a head-on collision seemed possible, and everybody was agreeably thrilled; hot they swerved aside in time. There were, it is true, several exciting incidents. In the second ten minutes one of the .cars turned over and caught fire, another being brought up to take its place. Juater on a goalpost was charged over and smashed; tho last period indulged tho dwindling assemblage with the spectacle of an ample policeman running actually running—to avoid being ridden, down. By that time hardly a couple of hundred spectators were haft; the others had streamed off to watch what a. lady rightly, even righteously, described as “the real polo” and to divert themselves otherwise.

Motor polo as a game iS'Certainly not worth while: it is slow to a degree, especially when the ball sneaks under a car and refuses to bo extricated. It would bo easy, no doirltt, to make it very dangerous, and wrtfc several cars on each side and sufficiently reckless drivers that section of iSie American public which likes to go out and see somebody killed might pay dollars to see it; but no amount of danger would remove the fault of its slum’ monotony, and of all diversions a gi-rnie wliich is both dull and dangerous is most unworthy of tho support of intelligent persons. On the wliolo Mr. Punch’s suggested counter-attraction bathchair croquet—would be a more exhilarating entertainment.