A sharp contrast in numerical strength was noted yesterday afternoon when local polo players turned out at the Race Course to hold the customary early. season practice games. During the course of the afternoon only 18 players were seen in action and this number, when compared to the thirty odd that would invariably. be present during the opening weeks in the past years, fully illustrates the shortage of polo players which Shanghai is suffering from more than ever this summer.
Apart from this unfortunate fact, however, those who were present were given a full afternoon's workout and no less than twelve chukkers were played. 4 The standard of the game was noticeably well below that of the last few years when high-handicapped teams could be drawn up with the minimum of effort. Yesterday's friendly chukkers~were nevertheless fairly even as the Hon. Field Secretary succeeded in splitting up the more experienced players thereby making the participating quartettes more or les; of even strength.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.