302 POLO ABROAD. [Chap. XIII. 



E. C. WInthrop, -jun. Mr. S. Sands, jun., was time- 

 keeper and Mr. S. H. Robbins the referee. If anything, 

 the American players displayed more dash and spirit than 

 their competitors, but the superior strategy and com- 

 bination play of the visitors so outclassed the work 

 of the home team that the result was a victory for the 

 former, the Englishmen registering ten goals as against 

 four scored by the American players. This game 

 demonstrated the necessity of an entire change in the 

 character of American polo, and the players, recog- 

 nising the advantage of sustained combined effort over 

 brilliant individual play, quickly adopted that style and 

 have practised it ever since. 



'' Players soon became so numerous and so expert 

 that the introduction of a system of handicapping was 

 deemed expedient. This was distinctly an American 

 innovation, and, as events have proved, is decidedly 

 beneficial. It is a very simple arrangement, and con- 

 sists of penalising players with a certain number of 

 goals commensurate with the degree of dexterity they 

 evince in actual play. When the system was inaugu- 

 rated in 1888 Mr. H. L. Herbert was, by mutual con- 

 sent of the players in the East, appointed official 

 handicapper, and for several seasons arranged the lists 

 to the satisfaction of all concerned. But as new clubs 

 were started and the system extended it was too much 

 to expect that one player should be burdened with all 

 the work, and so, after a time, the duties of the office 

 devolved upon a committee made up of delegates of 

 the Eastern polo clubs, who now agree upon the 

 handicap changes which, at intervals during every 

 season, are deemed necessary. 



'' Following the introduction of the handicap system. 



