Ah, Bicycle Polo—the other Sport of Kings, born not in some lavish royal paddock but, legend has it, on a rough patch of land outside Dublin called The Scalp. Picture the scene: it’s 1891, and one Richard Mecredi is leading the charge on a rather unconventional kind of steed—a bicycle! I’d wager the locals thought he’d lost his marbles, but here we are over a century later, and it’s still around, clinging to the edge of sporting respectability.
After a few spins around the emerald fields of Ireland, Bicycle Polo made its way across the Irish Sea to England and, before long, to the continent. In 1897, the Americans gave it a go too, starting their own club. Then in 1908, it actually made it to the Olympics in London. Yes, that’s right, while other athletes were tossing javelins and leaping into sandpits, there was a group of chaps on bikes swatting a ball with mallets in Shepherd’s Bush. It’s the stuff of legends—or at least pub quizzes.
Like many eccentric pastimes, Bicycle Polo nearly died out during the First World War, but it was back in the 1930s, rolling out in a modest but determined revival. And today, it still attracts a dedicated crowd—admittedly, not quite the polo-poncho-and-panama set, but loyal fans nonetheless.
So, how does this alternative polo play out? It’s similar enough to the horse-bound version, minus the pricey ponies and a pair of pedals. There are two teams, a handful of goals, and the simple ambition to outscore the opponents. Matches are divided into four “chukkas”—that’s polo-speak for “quarters.” Each chukka runs for ten minutes, with breaks to let the players catch their breath, especially considering the mishaps and mayhem that come from mallets and wheels mingling on the pitch.
And finally, if you need proof that this curious sport has a serious edge, look no further than the World Championship, where India beat Canada 8-7 to clinch the title. Not bad for a sport invented by a man on a bike in a field, proving that sometimes the best ideas are born in the unlikeliest of places.
#polog #bikes #cycling #worldcup