The San Francisco call. [volume], July 17, 1910, Page 16, Image 16

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

Image provided by: University of California, Riverside; Riverside, CA

                
Arthur Inkersley
IN Hindustan (the land. of .the Hindu,
just as Afghanistan and Belukistan
are the land of the Afghan and.
the Beluk) the great heat .and the
ifew comparatively cool hours during
Trhlch anything like active exertion is
possible prevent indulgence except to
a limited extent in .the ordinary ath-
letic sports cf A.merica and ttV'firitfsb "
tsles. Hence a good deal of'lnventive
ness and Ingenuity has ;been. expended
on such games as afford harmless
amusement and do not - require any
appliances that- are beyond, the some
what scanty' resources' of ttie. ordinary
cantonment, •or military post /Thus
arose the gymkhana, or outdoor'gath
ering for purposes of -recreation, in
cluding the. race meet, in which horses
of any sort take part, '.and ".the foolish
or amusing affair, consisting of horse
and pony races and humorous competi
tions for men and, women, .mounted
and unmounted, tent pegging, tilting
and other -sports. Every cantonment
in India holds a gymkhana •, periodi
cally, the ."card,", . or* . program, ..being
made up of flat, and obstacle, racing,
Jumping blindfolded, sack . and' egg
and spoon races, for the rank and
file of the- garrison;;: a *'chattl" \u25a0. race
for the natives, in . which "an.'earthen-^
ware Jar full: of water- is carried on
the head, and a. race in whlchrwheel
barrows are trundled; .while; the mili
tary officers t and- their . womenfolk • en-,
rage In; tent .pegging and I; til ting,
ihread-the-needle contests,* AunfSaily^
races, the ; "wand" .or / ''maze" ' event, ?
and "menagerie" races. ; '- • / ' \u25a0 '. ' >
In the tent- : pegging... and. stilting
event the competitors enter by couples,
the men priding 'at a: tenipeg,~flxed: Qrm-
Xy In the ground i and-, endeavoring -to.
pull it out and. carry.^lt. off ron rthej
point of ' a ". lance, .while : the .. ladles;' tilt'
at' a ring.' - "In l -the •thread- the-needle
"contest £ach." man> enlists * the r servlcesi
of }& lady; -then men,' mounted,^
. start from the line" and X ride j to- -the
point where the ladies stand awaiting
thetn; each man dismounts, - hands a
needle' j and 'thread to" .his V lady, who
threads the-needle as .expedltiously as;
possible and;' hands ,it'back;. r the com-r
\u25a0petltors .-reniount and.' gallop , tb;the ;
finishing' line. ..In. the 'Aunt .Sally rrace;
two men, "arid; two women ride fromUhe.
starting point, to. a"> fixed-p lace,;,, where
men".and .'women ".dismount;'; the /men i
hold • the V horses * while \u0084'the.v.;.w omen
. throw stones } at four ".empty /.glass ' bbt
| ties ; "as " soon . as the' bottles are fbrbkeu'
the competitors *rembunttandithe, part-,
ners race back -L to r; the \u25a0 post." .'ln the ; '
"wand'Or- maze event mounted competl-;
.tors \u25a0 ride* in and ouf-bf -rows^of -: posts,
or wands ' driven .'into the .* ground.-" at;
convenient- distances"ln-.-parallelrlineg;
they .must I'xnake" the \u25a0:'. ride"! without*
touching a; post.', 'A common ', event- for;
thjs 'natives is^the Jjihricklsha.rrace.\
The *: "ricksha w,**.'- as : ItVls ' termed". col-^
loquially, is/ a ,. sort *of * magni fled;? baby*:
carriage. Xsuchvas " the *,English/jcaHi.a;
"perambulator'/),"' fitted^ with , a P shaft :
and 'having '.two?' wheels ;", instead T - of:
' four. '*. Europeans ;: "ride Jand-.'i coolies !
;draw '. the .venlcle, ,twb- pulling -by. the'
i shaft : endi two .- pushing behind. ;S,Usu- i
. ally the last ; event r on i the. card' is; the"
menagerie . race,' -»whlch . -is % highly.
y amusing, i \u0084 '&'.'\u25a0 y', ;:^:- ' ;' - - ;\u25a0\u25a0.-•.';,:•
;" Inasmuch as '::\u25a0 many,'*", varieties;- of i
.'animals . are^ common ' In ;Hindu'slan^.it''
: is ' possible ' to 'get'v together * ai* varied '
/ assortment".-, f of : \u25a0 : competitors. T 'j *-; Among j
;thercreaturesiin?a>menagerie;racev*are"
I geese,'-.; roosters,*; guinea > pigs,' .l'rabblts.s
: little;. pigs, -which i; are? driven^ by
' ladles v With? reins ?of?ribbon.V- The ?'ef-"
| forts '. of \ the drivers \ to't get their,' awk-:
'• ward'- or '* unwilling : "steeds'* !, to; hurry J
'along [towards ;the i goal? pro voUeVtouch?
FIRST GENUINE
GYMKHANA
IN CALIFORNIA
HELD AT
CORONADO
>.mt* i-;.;;^,v,v;riiß^ result votten, l ) «eingrif'a :
\u25a0j f practical £ illustrations of >'the c principle \u25a0
Hhatt "the ; J face^ is i- 4 not* always f to'- thej
-swift." ;^. ; -.<;: ,; \u25a0!-:' >\u25a0?\u25a0'- „.-\u25a0:'/:; \u25a0 ::TJ ' v.:-
;..;, The gymkhana :^ is, 'popular^: in/ Great'
i'-Bititain -; arid '£ is % known'; in^% the^Urilted [
\u25a0\ Statej; r thoii grh" 'there *; lsVnbt> ln^' either :
\u25a0; these y co"untries;i wherel facilities if or •
sports i> of « all \ kinds i j^abpund, •»' the^saine '.
/reason ; for? the existence^.of f,th'e>,gy.m-j
/ khana* as 'in ';lndiai^where"jthes oppbr- '
jituhiUestlfor?\;recreatipnVfarV*llmiteiiS
v \Vheri l , the. ' motor] car; came ito^ Calif brniv
*i it is enlargedX'thb '% \u25a0exlgruous^v ( o'cabularyj
f ?bf..f.the ;' workaday^ 'Journalist * by^the j 1 lxir*
of ,^such^ terms, -4 borrowed^
'.from* the H iFrench,*vas|cbauffeur,ich!assis, J .
if tonn"eau; : t etct*rAmong.JotherXterins jthat \u25a0
ithe > automobile J brought j. •« its >> train;
: ; was i gymlihana; >> which % Is %al corruption;'
Ipf i Persian^, word .? gatjd^khahah'iby,!
/andjerronebusiassbqiation^wlth^
>Vgymi'^ari!libbreviation '*bfVgymhasiuTn4
.JThe 1 - Persian >>'^o7u^-V'Sttlis *a> baJlhouse
and • li Jappliid Tln^ Hindustanlto* an^out- :
I door \u25a0? meeting % for'- recreation.* \ >': i ~\ f *
; , 4 lAn (."automoibll'e fgyrnkhana" ;vas hejd
-oh fthe j grounds *6f i the', Cbronado' country
"\u25a0plubi-Jat jCoronado j-;beach tin ;i the j; spring ;
50fil9O7;^alidipr6ved'|hIghlyAInteresting.;
: i But .:>* these i ; events?-" -, though /•'.'properly.
;"*ntftfg:h -germed "- ."ay to' mobile k^iEynikha-;
mas," \u25a0iwere'nbtigytakhanas! in Jthe'sense;
i>irif whichl the Iwbrd' is/used' inVlndia; ?fbr :
, ? the^enulnißiand'Originar t grymklvana,'',as.
Vhas a been; stat^d//Is g based 3 upon,* a^ race ;
"t meeting]^ In \. wh|ch*'» horses V aiidj^ pbiales '
| take i- part;*) aiidt theVsports^ though Vof •
ftvaribjisrklnds,^r«}chl!bJly i *eftu*estrian. t j'*|i
* menagerie h: races.f; have hejd>J in
i ( the;feastern^states,'if : where;:;|Egrbpean'.
I 1I 1 de'as'f ar e X transplanted'^ nior c .:
ftthanliin^th'e^west;'Jbut;tthe^nfet^re)ikl;
i gyhifehknaf tield'iiii Calif brhfalWa^/giy eh'j
vlh7MarcV*of";thlsyy'ea^
£POlo£ fields jfof £th«"s ; Corpnado
I int connection H an-* 5
i;nuilimeetln«Hofithe'Bbu^ernfCalifq^."!
;;nla!, polo ?&rid*ipony^faci.nir^ association;:
rtft s'occurred &a< aVrctllefvto 'ridefs^poniea*
I and ] spectators' af ter/f bur /days ;of ' stren- f
&tt^s^^3t l^TO^lm^nfas^«ty^^
<: Bp6.'t. f t*,The. ! i first event' was"*the- 'jwahd" \u25a0\u25a0
fibr**' Vbendl n^.' h (as /it waslcalled v on" itho
1 4sbntestant»
\u25a0?. rodefihj ands> out vpassingr r^rstfi on>' tHe'
-, neari and f tjien J oil? the V off f side^bf :: J ten '
1 b tlclcs -f'set^ih-J; the * grrouhd^at^ intervals '
*:bf'^^:^-lS^*^".?''^^-rWera t; fo'uie«J;
; (a^aticlciiiMd;^eir»:^disqij'alin^.\^T
iflsSt t ihe"at| J waßX"wrpn '-•jbys|Har*yo Gordon I
>Patteey^'a v * Cainadf au/.V^Jib^nas Ibee'n >; %'
0 member j(of r.ttxe f.-polbt;team3?
.vfqrjsoh^e.ryears tpast*,? His ;timVt.wa.s^ J<>^
:\u25a0; seconds-"> ;TJi et, second >li63.t %yr&s~ .Vwo'n'
?• by ,;^ Fy an k" jD.> Hu d»6n , »: ahoth c r l^!^weil '
i*icnoY^i^pp'bfpjayeV^orfi^iy"ersriJq;^ia
Jdown ;a ;ipost:,"'ln| the
,Huclson\fouled'a wand and, Pattee rod a
' 4 B'entlyTh*ome<a'; winner!' ,• .' , -- /-. i
1 *Thej second *event .was ~a';racel around \
/aVpost"' 60 \u25a0 yards;; away : ' and., back l to
" \u25a0tartlngJllrie.^Elgh'tVentered, the'vwin- ,
'ner/y*. being H.',"F.".j Robertson - v of J * the •
t'Coronado', 'polo*,*- team.' "'an' excellent"
'rider); -;wh*q > -has .', many. *,years
[on V cattle '/ ranges. > H.^! G.'- Pattee-; was
fsecond,' and S. Fritz "Naye 1 of Coronado .
-third*/;-.:-;- -•;:\u25a0; !-^.; ;'•:/••
•; £ In -.the' "potato race" ' spuds were \ laid .
18 /feet U: apart, in f rows.'^each;.Srider
\u25a0 [having : ; h 1 s |o wa.ro w* to ,'rtde.^ The 'com- ;
! .'pe;titdrs,('ha!d 'to ..pick," the i potatoes up ,
r'on~-ithe ,?*end i of , a'- pointed * stick" and '
>ride' \backr,with *j them > the * starting
ipbint. l^* Robertson .-; again /proved * the ,
'-'wihrierV^with''"' Pattee' second* and "Nave
/third.>:.:K,'^;':;^-(j, / \u25a0'\u25a0 ;\u25a0 s v, ''-^.;.r.
•* '"stick {arid \u25a0ball" (race -a J pplo
\u25a0iball^ |ia : d v.to';.be \\ driven ': by -the r aid - of.
-a £ polo -, sti ck ; ! . throu gh r f our \ goals "; and ;
i.back' l to\the * starting j point.'...xThlsTrace \
"re^uiredithree'i heats. -Robertson- wonv
;:the ;firstf-in vli4B,V Naveriwas T victo"rious ;
; 'iin,-'ithe J -.second -r in^ I'iS, '^ while '-> Major.
* Colin *4 G^ißoss,;* formerly.^ aVnjemb"er. ; of ]
j^thV-'H; famous polo * team 'J of >'•• Calgary.^
;' Canada, -Abut > r now{a ; ' resident \ of." Coro-}:
j;;.naiao,lwon'ithej' thirds inv 1t29."L -± -In?- the \u25a0
g final '\u25a0j heat $" Majdrr^ Ross r fa'r.f surpassed '
( rhis Vfirst '> perf ormancei , dri vin g the t \>aX\\
'^ardtin'dv'.'a f course rrestlmated <4 at 'i about':
? %"60pf-yards/and>hlttihg>itibetweeri .the"
Jr four -sets ' of fgoal • posts = in; tfie^excellentc
jr'tihje'^ of i 1 :09.7. 't.The 1 , majorl; is "- a heavy ;'
jman i-.who § hits r.wJth % great % force {Hix- 4 !,.
? v-'-rl; i £^Tv \u25a0 *'
3 race; % was > the complex t and f f ur-^j
i^ishedS;the'^gfeatest? r ain6unt;?:off J'funTv
3 Bver y^cQ'mpetitor havlng L select6d a la'dyj
r(^l^i|r^ partner.'if. the
Sv4cie ; UHTith*a.'need!le*an'd*thTead;"'started i-*i -*
'•7-.>:.&f<"T.< !^. -„••-\u25a0' - r'\u25a0>siv.-s'v>':-r '\u25a0>siv.-s'v>':- : i~'-i>\>.., : \u2666'--'- *\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0••
;-Tlie San Call
fromthe'llne and. galloped toward the
row of waiting ladles,. each dismounted
5 and handed the neadleand thread to his
fair partner," who threaded "Jthe needle
as quickie as, her fluttered. nerves per
mitted and gave it. back to her cavalier.
\u25a0 The men . remounted- hastily and scam
pered back to the goal. The- couples
"vsre as follows:, Frank D. Hudson and
lira. H. G. Pattee, both of Riverside;
E. 1 Q. McVitty and Miss Dollle Bettner,
daughter of Robert Lee Bettner, one of
the „ strongest poloists -of Riverside;
Captain J.CL Besley of HeraosHlo, Mex
ico, and Mrs- Frank "WVHogari of Pasa
\u25a0dena;JS.'Fritz. Nave "and. Mrs. Nave of
*Coronado,*and Robert Lee Bettner and
;Mlss Mary Pinnell of Coronado. The la
dies/ 'in ..light ..dresses and gay hats,
made a* pretty' picture as they waited
in-a "row for their • chosen horseman.
'Miss ' Dollie Bettner accomplished hec
feminine task' with greater expedition
than 'any of the other fair ones, so that
her partner; E." Q. McVltty.Teached the
twinning post first. ' .', *''\u0084. \u25a0>"\u25a0
,-" ; J An" event! not. on. the card.. but emi
nently in 'keeping with the spirit of the
'• gymkhana, was' the cake catching: con
test, shown In one of the pictures. In
). the". front ', row" are R. M. - Tobln of tne
,;Burlin«pame /'polo'; team. Miss Eleanor
'.Sears of ; Boston, and. Major G..W. Hob
son of ,the' English poio". team: behind
.them are'MaJor.H. Romer Lee of ths
; English team; and MrsrHobson. Pieces
•;bf,;cake : ,are'; being ?down from
*ah # upper window.of the Coronado coun
try club "house ;and tn» people are try
jlng.to catch .them in their, mouths. - .
, ! Among"^p(srspns..well -known la San
Francisco" society .who were among the
'at the "gymkhana ' may •.>•
'mentioned" Mrs. .Henry T. Scott, Miss
/-Jennie ;Crocker, Miss Helen e Irwin. Miss
'Eleonor Sears. <TempletonvCrocker> and
Dukne ; Hopkins.'. M lss Sears, the famous
j-Bostonienrie,' '.did : riot ; .iappear, \u25a0 though
the \u25a0occasion ;was ; at ho r say > on». ; in . the
: breeches; j top * boots 'and , maicu-
L-line : tweed .-. coat; thatr'have "excited :so
'tntrch .attention among .the^paragraph
'tjfs/'bu^in'a, fairly i long T«kjrt of dark
v eioth,vwUbr x aVjacket?of' Norfolk, cut "ana
hat-- ado % rned»witfi~a '-. simple
j*rfbbo"ru* -;Another ;<-' photograph
ishows!^ Miss f;Eleonorr' Sears in the
f horsey; habiliments^that she. wore, cbni-