|
HISTORY
OF THE GAME Its originator was a well-known Irish cyclist, Richard J.Mecredy. He invented the game because he found that, having retired from a very successful racing career, he must have some outlet for his energies which enabled him to keep in touch with cycling. He called it "Polo on wheels," and after mapping out a few rough rules persuaded some of his friends to try it out. They did this one Saturday afternoon when Mecredy and his fellow members of the Ohne Hast C.C. went for their weekly run to Scalp-a popular rendezvous some twenty miles outside Dublin. The inaugural games were a great success and both players and spectators were most enthusiastic in their support of the new idea. Not so the Editor of "Cycling." Under the heading, "The Latest Fad, he proclaimed that quite a little stir had been caused over the announcement of cycle polo and went on to add that although the new sport had it's attraction, the average rider's fear for the safety of his wheel would militate greatly against the acceptance of the game. Together with other sceptics, however, he was forced to admit shortly afterwards that cycle polo was not a mere trick-riding performance, but was, on the contrary, a scientific athletic exercise which was rapidly gaining favour in the land of it's inception-Ireland. THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL Some years later Ireland sent over a team to play in the First International bicycle polo game ever to be staged. The match was played on 28th.Septemberat 1901 at the Crystal Place and the Irishmen unmistakably asserted their superiority by beating England by ten goals to five. Bicycle Polo then suffered a distinct slump and, after the Crystal Palace International, little was heard of the game until July, 1908, when in connection with the Olympic Games at Shepherds Bush, a match was played between Ireland and Germany, which Ireland won by three goals to one. IMPORTANT
EVENTS
|
