The Churchill Series – Apr. 19, 2007

(One of a series of posts on the life of Winston S. Churchill.)

In yesterday’s post we learned , thanks to Churchill’s biographer, Martin Gilbert, and a librarian at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst that while a cadet there, Churchill’s “riding skills had been judged exceptional.”

His riding skills enabled Churchill to become not only a fine cavalry officer but an outstanding polo player, a sport he loved and played into his fifties.

While a subaltern in India, Churchill was a member of the team that won the championship for which British regiments competed each year. Later he played many years for the Commons team in matches against the Lords.

Lest you think such matches might be like an annual softball game between the House and the Senate, bear this in mind: We are talking of a time when riding was a highly esteemed and essential activity. Most members of Parliament had been schooled in riding from childhood. Many were not only skilled polo players but fox hunters and steeplechasers. The competition to make the Commons and Lords pole teams was fierce.

Now here’s something else: From his subaltern days onward, Churchill played with a significant handicap. He had torn muscles in his right shoulder upon his arrival in India. Ever after, the muscles attachment to his arm and shoulder bones was tenuous. He had to be careful lest he team the muscles again.

So it was necessary for him when playing polo to wear a halter-like device on his right arm to limit its reach and motion lest in the heat of a match he reach too far with his mallet, and easily tear muscles that never adhered to his bones as is normal.

There’s a picture here. You can see the halter on his right arm and the banding abound his chest cavity. Between the halter and the banding around his chest was an elastic belt that pulled the halter when he began to reach too far.

You ask: With that sort of handicap, how’d he become such a good polo player.

That’s part of tomorrow’s post.

Now I have to saddle up and ride out to “the paid work range.”