Y E S T E RY E A R S
Capt. K. McMullen, F.W. Egan, Capt. L.W. Walford and Capt. W.F. Holman played for Britain.
public presentations, however, it later invited the U.S. to compete in France rather than traveling to the U.S. Townsend’s British friend, F.W. Egan, an arena
A very scarce program from the first Townsend International Cup, from the collections of Dennis Amato.
60 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
polo enthusiast managing the Deauville Polo Club, helped influence a British team to make the trip. A series of cables were sent from England, the last declaring a team was ready to set sail. The Indoor Polo Association set up a committee, chaired by Townsend, including W. Averell Harriman, George C. Sherman, Robert Granniss and other leading figures of New York polo to iron out the event’s details, including funding the visitor’s traveling expenses. The event reportedly cost about $17,000 to stage. Townsend offered a challenge trophy, which was said to cost several thousand dollars to make. According to the deed of gift, the tournament’s formal name was the John R. Townsend International Indoor Polo Challenge Cup, played in conjunction with national and intercollegiate championships. Overall, the action included 46 games in 11 days, attracting more press coverage and spotlighting the arena game. With Townsend’s encouragement, in 1923, Thomas L. Leeming donated a cup for the 7- to 12goal Class C Championship, while Wilson M. Powell Jr. donated a cup for the 2- to 7-goal Class D Championship. The following year saw almost a 100% increase in Indoor Polo Association membership. In its coverage of the Challenge Cup, the New
