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Show Polo is a game at ASiatic origin snd into England in 1872 by cavalry otticers who had learned it in India . Tbe players are mounted on ponies and muoh depend a on the skill with whioh these mounts are managed . Tbe game wes introduced into the United States a tew years later. Tbe polo field is 350 yards long and 150 yards wide . The, objeot at the game is to drive a small ball through two posts , as tor tootball, by striking it with In February , 1920, ths United States Governmsnt ottered to ths University 40 ponies end other equipment neoessary tor the staging at polo game'S . The UniverSity had no tscilities tor the care at these animals . Presi - dent John A. Widtsoe pr esented the matter to the taoulty and to the Boar d ot Regents . The Legislature was asked tor an appropriation at .19 , 000 , whioh made possible the erection of the stables where these 40 ponies and many others had the best at oare and attention. A cavalry unit or the R. O. T. C. , polo games and the Trottars ' Clubs made a distinctive contribution to student and army lIfe on the The students ot the University ot Utah played their first gs.m.e of pol o May 24, H23, on the Fort Douglas polo field . This game was Reserve Officers Training Cor ps and a team. :t'rcm Battery A, l45th Artillery of the National Guard. The score was , the National Guard 4 ; R. O.T.C . , O. The Uni versity team of this year was composed of Ivan L. Anderson, George W. Latimer , James G. Littlefield, Preston L. Grover , and Brenton Jennings . The players who participated were Ivan L. Anderson , George VI. :r..atimer and James C. Littlefield , three mea. The llsllal number of players for later games on the University scbedllle was four . The Coach was Major George S. Gay ; the Assistant Coacb , Lt. Jobo B. Murphy . There were probably polo teams in the military unit between the years 1923 and 1926 . but no account of their activity is recorded. In 1926 , Captain William C. Green organized teams of the Senior and Junior Officers Training Corps . 50me of the outstanding student poloists mentioned are LeRoy Smith, Fremont Rawlins , David Robinson , Hugh Winfred Latimer and Walter Henoch . The first scbeduled intercol legiate polo game was aet for May 10 and 12, 1928. Oregon State College sent a team to Utab for two games . Both grunes were cancelled on account of hea vy rains and the Oregon team left Salt Lalce City without having pl ayed a game . 'l\Yen t y- slx ponies had been trained and de vel oped by 1927 , and interesti ng Round Robin games were played by various classes and !101ts of the R. O.T . C. Ou t side compe-tition was very lJJnlted . The salt Lake Pol o Club furnished Intersectiooal games were later arranged and polo was finally recognized by the Associated Students and the players worthy of awards . In 1930, the University of Utah and the Agricultural College of Colorado were the only two Rocky Mountain colleges that bad polO teams . Later, competition was found between teams from Stanford , University of California, Arizona and Vlyoolng . The military staff' and army students often asked the Athletic Council to sponsor the pol o teams. There were diffioulties that the Council could not overcome . The polo teams were army organ i zations and students used army horses and army equipment. Students not in the military units could not play polo unless they furniShed their own ponies . This was i.m.possible . Eligibility r ules were not observed , the o.nly requirement being that a player must be registered in the R. O.T . C. There were no oaUeg1.8te opponents in Utah , and the nearest ones were 500 miles away. Teams that went from one state to another used mounts that they had never seen or ridden upon . Sometimes the polo field was sodded and sometimeS it was a dirt field. SOlDe years tbe government was more liberal with its money. At other times the lack of funds made outside competition i.m.poss l ble . Student enthUsiaSm inoreased for this great sport, often called the "Sport or Kings I" a game whioh required of the players Skill , daring, exper t horsemanship and Unusual things happen in polo as in other sporta . At Fort Collina, Colorado in 1932, the score W8S tied between teams trOlll the University ot Utah and the Agricultural College ot Colorado . During a tussle tor the ball, one ot' the Utah ponies kicked the ball betl,een the goal posts and tbe University team won the gac.e . The .1110- torizetion ot the military unit at the University ot Utah atter Horld ilar II put an end to a g8Jlle wbich was just beginning to cOGle into its OWD . DigiUollm.;. 0 2006. U ....... ityofLltlh. A.rightslHelWd. |
