Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

POLO MALLET

Date Range From

1900

Date Range To

1915

Materials

WOOD, TAPE

No. Pieces

1

Height

4.5

Length

128.0

Width

22.2

Description

WOODEN MALLET, BAMBOO SHAFT, HANDLE WRAPPED IN BROWN TAPE, BECOMING UNGLUED. SURFACE OF MALLET HEAD WORN.

Subjects

RECREATIONAL DEVICE

Historical Association

SPORTS

History

THE GAME OF POLO WAS INTRODUCED ONTO THE PHYSICAL AND CULTURAL LANDSCAPE OF SOUTHERN ALBERTA PRAIRIES IN 1889. THAT YEAR, PINCHER CREEK RANCHER CAPTAIN EDMUND M. WILMOT RETURNED TO ALBERTA FROM ENGLAND, SPORTING POLO STICKS AND BALLS, AND FORMED THE FIRST POLO CLUB IN CANADA. IN 1935, FREDA GRAHAM BUNDY WROTE IN THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD, “(POLO), BEING A GAME WHICH REQUIRED EXPERT HORSEMANSHIP, SEIZED THE FANCY OF ALL YOUNG RIDERS, AND IN A VERY SHORT TIME [1890S] COWLEY, NORTH FORK, PINCHER CREEK, HIGH RIVER, MACLEOD AND COCHRANE ALL HAD TEAMS.” THIS POLO MALLET WAS GIVEN IN THE 1980S TO MICK PORTER BY HIS COUSIN MARY ISABELLA “MOLLEY” MILVAN (NEE GUNN). THE BALL WAS USED BY PORTER’S MATERNAL UNCLE HARRY GUNN DURING HIS MEMBERSHIP WITH THE NORTH FORK POLO CLUB. IN ADDITION TO GUNN, PORTER’S FATHER (GEORGE ENGLISH PORTER) AND MATERNAL UNCLE HAL BURN WERE ALSO MEMBERS OF THE CLUB. IN 2008, MICK PORTER STATED THAT HIS FATHER WAS “A MEMBER OF THE CLUB BEFORE HE GOT MARRIED (BUT THAT) AFTER HE STARTED RAISING A FAMILY THAT WAS THE END OF THE POLO FOR HIM.” IN 1905, THE NORTH FORK CLUB SPREAD THE POPULARITY OF POLO AFTER IT PROVIDED A DEMONSTRATION OF THE SPORT IN WINNIPEG. SEVEN YEARS LATER, THE TEAM RETURNED TO THE CITY TO COMPETE FOR AND WIN THE EARL OF WINTERTON CUP WHICH REPRESENTED WESTERN CANADA’S POLO CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT. INFORMATION FROM TONY REES. POLO: THE GALLOPING GAME. (WESTERN HERITAGE CENTRE SOCIETY, 2000). PG. 10. FOR INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT OF MICK PORTER AND RELATED RANCH DOCUMENTATION, SEE PERMANENT RECORD.

Catalogue Number

P20080020002

Acquisition Date

2008-08

Collection

Museum

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