Sometimes the story ideas for this article seemingly come out of the ether …
I was watching a tv program last night that explored the early 1920s phenomenon of “Auto Polo”. I had a laugh recalling the historic pictures we have of auto polo from the Cooksville Agricultural Fair in the 1920s. Then today, responding to an inquiry, I inadvertently opened a book to a chapter of the Cooksville Fair where it highlighted a story about the “Auto Polo Contest” in 1922. Thank of a combination of polo, car racing, and a demolition derby!
What finally convinced me we should write about it was another inquiry asking about early sporting endeavours in historic Mississauga – and I just had to include a note about auto polo! So here we go!
Automobile Polo, or Auto Polo, first took shape in the United States around 1911-12 as a creative way to boost sales of the 1911 Model T Ford. The earliest recorded match happened in Wichita, Kansas, on July 20, 1912, though a few games had already been played as early as 1908 in New York City’s regimental armory. By late 1912, official rules were established, and a major tournament was held in Washington, D.C. The sport quickly gained traction, with clubs forming especially in New York City and Chicago by the early 1920s.