Back to Album belonging to Colonel F F Colvin 9L (1860-1936). Contains newspaper cuttings and paper ephemera
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Item 0034
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| Accession number | 912L : 2124/6 |
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| Transcription |
1884 THE INTER - REGIMENTAL POLO TOURNAMENT . [ FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT . ] UMBALLA , 31st March . THE month of March has seen quite a polo jubilee at Umballa . I have already sent you ao counts of the Infantry and Native Cavalry tournaments , and I have now to present your readers with a few details of the several matches in this the more important contest . The absence of the 10th Hussars ' team was not the least conspicuous feature of this tour nament . The sympathy of all who have wit nessed the splendid contests held at these tour naments has been not only with the 10th , who have had to leave India almost on the eve of the tournament , and without being afforded an op portunity of regaining the Cup they lost last year , but is extended also to another splendid regiment that has taken a distinguished part and had a close struggle for the Cup on three previ ous occasions , but owing to the breaking up of its team , due to the exigencies of the service , has not been able to be present this year ; I refer to the Rifle Brigade . Subsequent to the publication of the seven teams that had entered , an eighth was added , that of the 2nd Regiment , Central India Horse . This gallant team , which is facile princeps in the Bombay Presidency , where , by the way , polo hardly flourishes to perfection , very plucki ly elected to come up to the centre of polo and give battle to the champion teams , by entering for the Native Cavalry contest , and also for the Inter - regimental Cup . Mr. Hughes - Buller , of this regiment , has had the advantage of some months ' residence in Umballa during the past year and has profited vastly by practice there . Indeed , there is no better player in any team than him , and , as I have before said , without him his team would be weak . Besides the eight entries , the Rifle Brigade and the Royal Artillery from Bar eilly subscribed to this season's Cup . A new team with that of the O. I. H. was that of the 17th Lancers , who also came up to this side of India from the Bombay side and were cordially welcomed . Having only recently come off a long march and been without practice , they had the additional misfortune of being drawn in a tie with the 9th Lancers ' first team , and were early expunged from the competition lists . They , however , played other private matches and showed themselves in good form . Next year they promise to be a dangerous factor in the tournament , and mean to spare no money to mount themselves . If any change was observable in the teams , I think it was that as a whole they were more powerful than those that have played before . I may especially instance the Carabineers , 8th Hussars and 13th Hussars , and the King's Own Borderers . The whole of these teams played infinitely better this year than they did last and previous years . The 9th also have not only im proved , but have extended their excellence to such a degree that the whole regiment has been in fused with it , and to the surprise of many they brought two teams in place of a single one , and for the quality of both one need only refer to the match between them . Yet this is not all ; the regiment could have brought a third team of almost equal merit to the front . On the afternoon of the 23rd instant there was the usual parade of the ponies of the 8 teams , con sisting of about 200 very fine specimens of polo ponies , and the sight of these was enough to bring tears into the eyes of polo enthusiasts as the re flection could not fail to force itself on them that the great polo pony supplying province - the Pun jab - will soon have no more ponies . Under the encouragement given to breeders all of them are going in for mule produce , and the country - bred tattoo will soon be an extinct species . I can add nothing to the details of each of the matches given below . All are agreed that the one between the two teams of the 9th Lancers was the best game they have witnessed at any of the tourna ments . Even those who saw the close match last year between the 9th Lancers and 10th Hussars may be assured that this one was quite as good . A meeting has been held in regard to the tour nament for next year , and it has been decided to hold it at Meerut on the 9th March 1885 , and Captain Fell , of the 8th Hussars , is to take up the Honorary Secretary ship in place of Major the Hon'ble H. Legge , who resigns after conducting two tournaments to a most successful issue and earning golden opinions for his courtesy and tact . FIRST TIES . First game , morning , 24th March . 9th Lancers ( first team ) versus 17th Lancers . Maj . B. Gough ( back ) | Captain Neeld . Mr. Cameron ( back . ) Mr. Herbert ( back . ) Renton ( back . ) D'Aguilar . Won by 9th Lancers by 10 goals to 2. The 17th Lancers , who have but recently arrived at their destination , Lucknow , after a long march , and have besides not had the advantage hitherto of playing with good teams , were unfortunate in being drawn with such a strong team as the 9th Lancers . They , however , played a most plucky game , but the 9th had not much difficulty in se curing their advantages , and rapidly ran their score up to ten against the 17th Lancers ' two when time was called . Messrs . Jenner and Cameron played splendidly . 201 13 99 35 Jenner . Colvin . Second game , evening , 24th March . 8th Hussars versus 13th Hussars . Captain Fell . Mr. Vesey . Captain Braithwaite . Mr. MacDougall . Burn . Duff . Smithson . McLaren . Won by 8th Hussars by 4 goals to 2. This was a very even and well contested game for the first half period of play , during which the two sides secured a goal each . Soon after the half time the 13th got a second goal , and in ten minutes later the 8th equalised the score add ing one more goal to their score . Twelve minutes elapsed before any further result , when another goal fell to the 8th , and just before final time was called the 8th made a fourth goal ; the game concluding in favour of the 8th by 4 goals to 2 . 39 Third game , morning , 25th March . 9th Lancers ( second team ) versus King's Own Borderers . Pagrinle Ir . G. N. Mayne . J. Reid . L. Gordon . R. Taylor . Won by 9th Lancers by 4 goals to love . The first goal was got by the 9th after nine minutes ' play , and before the game had lasted 20 minutes they got a second goal . Play proceeded evenly for another 16 minutes , on the termination of which the 9th secured a third goal , and no other results Capt . Lord W. Beresford . Major Scott Chisholme . Mr. Little . Duff . " 3 95 Captain Hallowes . Jones . 99 were obtained till , when close upon the conclusion of the hour's play , the 9th scored their fourth goal . It was a very fast and exciting game ; both being local teams , and having a large share of sympathy on each side , every changing feature in the play was watched with increasing interest . For the K. O. B.'s Messrs . Gordon and Reid played splendidly , while Messrs . Little and Duff elicited much applause for their brilliant play , and both supported each other splendidly all through . Fourth game , evening , 25th March . The Carabineers versus 2nd Regiment Central India Horse . Captain Masters . Mr. Hughes - Buller . " Daly . Mr. Owen . " Beddy . " " Watson . Resulted in a tie with 2 goals all . The first goal was got by the Carabineers three minu tes after play commenced , and in another sixteen minutes the C. I. H. scored a goal . Nothing was added to either score for the next half hour , but after that lapse of time the C. I. H. scored a second goal , and their example was quickly followed by the Carabineers , who within another five minutes of play brought up their score to 2. During the remainder of the game play was very even , and finally , when time was called , the game stood 2 all . It was decided to play off the tie on Wednesday evening . Fifth game , evening , 26th March . The same teams met to play off the tie . The Carabineers played better together than on the previous evening and succeeded in scoring two goals during the hour's play , and the tie was decid ed in favour of the Carabineers by 2 goals to love . Captain Masters and Mr. Hughes - Buller play ed well for their side . Captain Masters ex cited much curiosity by his peculiar style of play , holding his stick in either hand according as Captain the ball was on his right or left hand . Hallowes " half back , " and Mr. Owen " back , " played particularly well SECOND TIES . These were drawn after the tie between the Carabineers and Central India Horse , when it was decided whichever won was to play the 8th Hussars . The two teams of the 9th Lancers be ing drawn together were to play on the morning of the 27th , and the match excited much interest , though there was some disappointment , as it was hoped the two teams would have been drawn against others , and thus have had a chance of playing the final match and , as has previously been the case , provided the best game for the last . But the spectators lost little by this plea sure being anticipated . First game , morning , 27th March . 9th Lancers ( first team ) vs. 9th Lancers ( secon team . ) Won by first team by two to one . Thiiv was one of the most exciting and brilliantlie played games ever witnessed during any sear son's tournament . A very large number of spec tators , including all fashionable Umballa and numerous visitors , assembled on the ground to witness this match , which had for some time previous excited speculation . Play be gan at 10 minutes to 7 A M. The ball w immediately carried into the second teams ' half of the ground and kept there for the first 5 min utes , and in the succeeding 5 minutes the second team returned the compliment by carrying it to the opposite side , but neither side yet effected any result . After changing ponies the second team succeeded in obtaining a goal within 2 minutes of the ball being in play . After the usual interval play proceeded , and for 15 minutes the ball was never out of play , but was kept moving about pretty well in the centre of the ground , the backs of the two sides playing splendidly , and never once in the repeated at tacks allowing the ball to go past or missing it . It was altogether a most splendid quarter hour's play and unparalleled in the annals of polo . Of course it was a terrible strain on the ponies . Ponies were again changed , and after playing for six minutes the first team obtained a goal . The excitement on the ground was now at its highest pitch . Both sides renewed the game with the greatest determination . Play continued for 27 minutes with two changes of ponies , during which period neither team ob . tained any advantage . When time was finally called the score It stood at one goal each . was then decided to play for another ten minutes , and after an exciting and well - contested struggle Mr. Colvin succeeded , when within half a minute of time being called , in securing the victory for the first team by a splendid hit which drove the ball through the enemy's goal . The play of the two forwards , Messrs . Little and Duff , of the second team , was much admired , eliciting repeated applause from the spectators , and was fully equal to the form displayed by them in the match with the King's Own Borderers . Major Chisholme's back play was brilliant and of great support to his side . Lord William was half back and played with his usual dash , and splendid . ly supported the efforts of the forward players , while he was ever handy to defend his back from the attacks of the opposite side . The play of the first team in combination and in dividually was simply perfect , and one can hardlo select any particular player for praise ; eac individual playing his own part and assisting higi side to admiration . ac The collision that occurred at one period of th game between Messrs . Cameron and Little , in which the latter's pony fell , very fortunately with out injury to his rider , resulted in a foul being claimed by the second team which was allowed by the Umpires . The second team , in virtue of this , obtained a free hit from the spot where the ponies also at different periods of the game fell foul occurred . Major Gough's and Mr. Duff's with them , but fortunately without any harm . The victory of the first team was received with sympathies of the majority during the play were great applause , yet it was no secret that the with the second team . Hoe Grove and Second game , evening , 27th March . The Carabineers versus 8th K. R. I. Hussars . Resulted in a tie with two goals all . Soon after a busy time of it , the Carabineers scored the play commenced , and after the ball had had another half - hour's play , when the 8th , after some first goal . Play continued very even for about fine play , succeeded in placing the ball between their adversaries ' flags . The game had not con tinued for ten minutes when the 8th added an other goal to their soore . The play now became very brisk on both sides and there was some excellent individual play , Mr. Beddy , Carabi neers , especially obtaining a capital run for near ly the whole length of the ground . During the latter part of the game it looked as if the 8th Hussars were to be declared the winners as the score then stood , for no further advantages seemed likely to be obtained , when almost at the end of the hour's play the Carabineers made another goal a and brought the score up to two all , where it stood when time was called . It was too dark to play any more , even if the two teams had elected to play for an nmediate decision . It was accordingly arranged to play off the tie on Saturday evening , especially as the Carabineers ' ponies after playing a match and two ties almost consecutively needed rest . It is fair to mention that Captain Hallowes again played a splendid forward game with Mr. Beddy , while Mr. Owen was a reliable and active baek . For the 8th Hussars Mr. Burn played in his usual fine form for the greater portion , of the game , but the accident he met with to his stick hand recent lv somewhat crippled his play at the end . Mr. Vesey proved himself a powerful acquisition to his team . Third game , evening , 29th March . The tie between the Carabineers and 8th Hus sars was played off this evening . For two periods of ten minutes each the two teams , who with res tored ponies came fresh to the fray , played with great determination , and the game was a very even one . The 8th Hussars , however , showed to advantage towards the close , and before time was called at the conclusion of the 20 minutes the 8th had made the first goal . The excitement on the ground was now much enhanced , and the two sides had about an equal share of sympathy . For 26 minutes more the play continued without any result beyond vigorous attacks on both goals , bur , after the lapse of that time , a goal was made by the 8th Hussars . The remaining time was very even play , neither side gaining any ad vantage , and when final time was called , the 8th were victors by two goals to love . Fourth game , morning , 31st March . 8th Hussars vs. 9th Lancers ( first team ) . Won by 9th Lancers by four goals to one . The final game for this tournament was played between these two teams this morning . The 8th played well together and with most determined pluck , while the 9th for the first part of the game did not show in their usual form and appeared to be taking matters easily . The consequence was the 8th Hussars frequently had the ball in the 9th's ground and succeeded in scoring the first goal . After this the 9th began to play up and pressed their adversaries very hard , which the Hussars as stoutly resisted ; but the 9th were manifestly su perior to their rivals , and in the latter half of the game succeeded in scoring four goals . When it wanted eight minutes to complete the hour's play the 8th elected to give up the contest which they had carried on so vigorously , and though beaten , their defeat has been by no means a humiliating one . The final game thus concluded in favour of the 9th Lancers ( first team ) by four goals to one . A town young man went to call at a country farmhouse to see his sweetheart , who had charge of the dairy . When the old man opened the door he asked him timidly : " How is the milkmaid ? " the farmer slammed the door and replied : " Our milk isn't made - it's got from the cow . " " What are these cups for ? " asked a well - dressed man of a jeweller , pointing to some elegant silver cups on the show - case . " These are race cups , to be given as prizes to the best racer . " If that's so , suppose you and I race for one . " And the stranger , with the cup in hand , started , the jeweller after him . The stranger won the cup . Cabby ( with surprise ) : " A shillin ' , sir ? Why , it's more'n two mile ! " Fare ( calmly ) : " No , it's only a mile and three quarters ; but you were an awful time over it with that old screw of yours . " guvenor ! Well , then , I'm blest if I haven't been driving a Cabby ( with indignation : " Screw is he , pair of them , and no mistake ! " amea estdiers éless dift . tue ( owsones tremember , Carry them on ours to keep ! 25 Tuotes , ani de floring Borcher die Bear them for Pelatihin lie elately for witnesſ our heads , ther out of the trong The badge of te great - coldier The badge of we weg zo go ! k Fordes of the faithles Sordion 1885 A g 12 1 row sorros 1 But not you iful few ! on a brane alyst you tonely , not in the scheiden jate p садить Do our conguat Eupland Cont Aly & strike – too late ! печ выло это Erden . G.R. Payor e Anden wie , ſer 1885 tue ſélent éty ! sky ! 1 |
