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STODDARD DENIES RUMOR OF POLO TEAM FROM INDIA

Calls Attention of Polo Followers to Next Week's Intercollegiates -- Is Hopeful of College Players

Louis E. Stoddard, Chairman of the United States Polo Association, denied yesterday that arrangements had been completed for the visit of a polo team of Indians to this country in 1927, as was reported by cable from London. The report stated that the Indian team would represent the Hurlingham Club of London, and would play a team from the Meadow Brook Club here for the Westchester Cup, the famous International Polo trophy.

Mr. Stoddard stated that 1927 happened to be the first year in which a British team could challenge for the international trophy, inasmuch as three-year spans were decided upon at the conclusion of the matches of 1924.

Informal discussions leading to a formal challenge have already been begun between the Hurlingham Polo Committee in England and the United States Polo Association here, said Mr. Stoddard. So far, however, nothing definite has been decided upon.

According to the rules governing competition for the Westchester Cup, said Mr. Stoddard, the British could select any four they liked to play for the trophy. If they should decide to select a team of British officers stationed in India, that would be perfectly permissible.

Incidentally, some of the best British polo players are now in India. One team there has already caught the imagination of British polo followers. It consists of Major A. H. Williams, Captain R. George, Major E. G. Atkinson and Captain J. P. Dening. It will be noted that only one of these, Major Atkinson, is familiar to followers of polo in America.

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Mr. Stoddard said that negotiations at present were in a quiescent state because of the Intercollegiate Championship tournament, at the Westchester Biltmore Country Club, in Rye, next week, which is engrossing the attention of his staff.

"Polo followers interested in future international polo," - said Mr. Stoddard "will do well to turn their attention to the college players. Many of these youths are players of unusual capabilities who before many more years have passed may well make their marks in international competition.

"Yale, Harvard, Princeton, West Point and the Pennsylvania Military College have entered teams in the Intercollegiate tournament and not one is without some very promising young player."

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