Museum of Polo

Hall of Fame

The Hall of Fame at the Museum honors the heroes of the sport, each year inducting icons of the past and eligible living heroes of polo into the ranks of the great.

Title	Summary	Induction Date	Read More
Cecil Smith	Cecil Smith won the Monty Waterbury Cup first in 1930, won the U.S. Open five times and represented America versus Mexico on three occasions.	April 6, 1990	View
Thomas Hitchcock Jr.	Thomas Hitchcock Jr. was one of the very finest 10-goal polo players of all time, and he has left a great legacy for polo players everywhere.	April 6, 1990	View
Stewart B. Iglehart	Stewart Iglehart was a five-time winner of the U.S. Open and represented America on four occasions versus England and Mexico. Read More.	April 6, 1990	View
Harry Payne Whitney	Harry Payne Whitney was a major force in yachting, thoroughbred horse breeding and racing, the appreciation of sporting art, and philanthropy.	April 6, 1990	View
Devereux Milburn	Almost 80 years ago, speaking of Devereux Milburn, the British press stated that the American Back on the field should be described as the greatest player in the world….	April 6, 1990	View
Robert Skene	Robert Skene played so well with the Ashton Brothers Australian team that he was invited to try out for the British Team set to challenge America…	April 6, 1990	View
Harold L. Barry	Harold Barry was the youngest of four brothers in the first generation of this famous polo playing Texas family…	March 15, 1991	View
Elbridge T. Gerry, Sr.	Elbridge Gerry played polo at school in Aiken and with the Meadow Larks, both under the tutelage of Mrs. Thomas Hitchcock, Sr.,.	March 15, 1991	View
Eric Pedley	Eric Pedley was a famous member of one of California’s first polo playing families, starting his career as a boy on a Shetland pony…	March 15, 1991	View
Winston F. C. Guest	Winston Guest started his polo career at an early age and continued at Yale winning the Intercollegiate Championship in 1926…	March 15, 1991	View
J. Watson Webb	James Watson Webb was the only left-handed 10-goal player in the history of polo…	March 15, 1991	View
George K. Oliver	George Oliver was born into a world of horses, a world which remained his life-long interest. He received a 9-goal rating in 1948…	March 15, 1991	View
Louis E. Stoddard	Louis E. Stoddard started his polo career with the New Haven Polo Club at the turn of the century and in 1909 was named sole substitute…	March 15, 1992	View
Carlton Beal	Carlton Beal represented four generations of his family in polo. He began polo on a bicycle…	March 20, 1992	View
James Gordon Bennett	James Gordon Bennett saw polo played in England and France and brought back to New York some equipment and a knowledge of the Hurlingham Club rules of play…	March 20, 1992	View
Foxhall P. Keene	Handicapped from 1888 to 1918 – fourteen years at ten goals and sixteen years at nine goals – with never a man handicapped above him…	March 20, 1992	View
Dr. Clarence C. “Buddy” Combs Jr.	Clarence C. “Buddy” Combs Jr. inherited his interest in horses and polo from his father. He developed his skills…	March 20, 1992	View
Alan L. Corey, Jr.	Alan Corey was an outstanding polo player known for his tactical skill and horsemanship. He began playing as a student at Aiken…	March 20, 1992	View
Philip L. B. Iglehart	For Philip Iglehart, polo was more than an avocation – it was a tradition to honor and nurture…	March 18, 1993	View
James “Monty” Waterbury	Few players had a shorter yet more illustrious career than James Montaudevert “Monty” Waterbury Jr. A 10-goaler, he was a member of the legendary team – The Big Four…	March 18, 1993	View
Lawrence Waterbury	A versatile, all around athlete, Lawrence “Larry” Waterbury was a competitor with an insatiable appetite…	March 18, 1993	View
W. Ray Harrington Jr.	A native of Texas, Ray Harrington Jr. knew a saddle as a child, but did not begin playing polo until he was in his twenties…	March 18, 1993	View
John T. Oxley	At the age when some players consider hanging up their mallets, John T. Oxley picked his up for the first time, at the age of 46…	March 17, 1994	View
Michael G. Phipps	A star in the era of stars, Michael “Mike” Phipps was a member of the best all-American team ever – the 1939 forty-goal “Dream Team”…	March 17, 1994	View
Northrup R. Knox	Born to polo, Northrup “Norty” Knox could claim considerable achievements both on and off the field…	March 17, 1994	View
William R. Linfoot	One word describes Dr. William “Billy” Linfoot: inspirational. Rated 9-goals, he was one of the world’s best offensive players…	March 17, 1994	View
Louise Eustis Hitchcock	She is the clear proof that not all polo legends are made astride a horse. Louise Eustis Hitchcock was a passionate poloist…	March 3, 1995	View
Roy M. Barry	Seemingly effortless talent is what Roy M. Barry always projected. While a 9-goaler, he, with but a few others, held the mantle of America’s best…	March 3, 1995	View
William A. Mayer	A determined competitor and a gentle heart rolled into one, that was William A. “Billy” Mayer…	March 3, 1995	View
Paul Butler	If polo was ever in need of an angel, it was at the time when Paul Butler gave a beleaguered postwar sport a lavish new center and a home for the U.S. Open Championship…	March 3, 1995	View
Robert E. Strawbridge Jr.	A big man in a big era was Robert E. Strawbridge Jr. For 20 years he stood at the helm of the United States Polo Association overseeing the famed pre-war flowering of the sport…	February 9, 1996	View
Stephen J. Roberts	Say “intercollegiate polo” and coach Stephen “Doc” Roberts emerges head and shoulders above the rest…	February 9, 1996	View
George H. Bostwick	Versatility was George H. “Pete” Bostwick’s middle name. When not playing as a fast and slippery forward, he might have well been astride a world class steeplechase…	February 9, 1996	View
William T. Ylvisaker	A bright meteor in polo’s sky, William T. “Bill” Ylvisaker had an astonishing presence in some 50 years in the saddle and the committee room…	February 9, 1996	View
Fred W. Dailey	The ultimate goodwill ambassador, Fred Dailey required no prodding as he represented, with charm and dignity, the best of American polo….	February 7, 1997	View
Lewis A. Smith	A 9-goaler, versatile anywhere on the field, Lewis A. Smith’s mastery helped anchor American polo in the recuperative postwar years…	February 7, 1997	View
Stephen M. Gose	Any sport would judge itself fortunate to have a friend like Stephen Gose, even once in a generation. An amateur who epitomized sportsmanship, he fielded numerous U.S. Open teams…	February 7, 1997	View
Guillermo “Memo” Gracida, Jr.	Exploding onto American polo as a young man, Guillermo “Memo” Gracida, Jr., has been a star ever since. In his prime, he was 10-goals from head to toe…	February 7, 1997	View
Malcolm Stevenson	“Genius at number three” is how 10-goaler Malcolm Stevenson was described. In an era of test matches, of headline-making international rivalries…	March 6, 1998	View
Norman Brinker	The spirit of the competitor and the heart of the civic-minded add up to the eminence of Norman Brinker…	March 6, 1998	View
Tommy Wayman	The first native son in a generation to earn a 10-goal rating, Thomas “Tommy” Wayman restored hope to a polo nation yearning for old glory…	March 6, 1998	View
George C. Sherman Jr.	The obligation and honor of lineage, that is how George C. Sherman, Jr., saw polo. And he so loved it, too…	March 6, 1998	View
Lester (Red) Armour, III	Heralding the second flowering of American polo, Lester “Red” Armour, III, rode mightily in the saddle, delighting the throngs of polo’s new fans…	February 26, 1999	View
Harold A. (Joe) Barry	In the tradition of the Barry excellence, Harold “Joe” Barry, a galloping oak tree with the soul of a poet, took his place in the forefront of American polo…	February 26, 1999	View
Al Parsells	A shining light in the gray post-war era, Albert “Al” Parsells accomplished so much and did so against steep odds…	February 26, 1999	View
Elmer Boeseke	The right man at the right time, Elmer Boeseke, Jr. was as tough as he was tall. Versatile in all four positions, his performance…	February 26, 1999	View
W.L. (Willis) Hartman	Willis Hartman’s legacy is substantial and his contributions are numerous. From his home base in Wichita, Kansas, his words of guidance….	March 3, 2000	View
H. L. (Henry Lloyd) Herbert	A founding father of American polo, H.L. Herbert was instrumental in establishing and nurturing the sport in the United States…	March 3, 2000	View
Robert E. (Rob) Walton	Part of the famous Walton Clan of California, Rob was known best for his fierce determination on the polo field…	March 3, 2000	View
Bart Evans	As horseman, trainer, breeder and player, Bart Evans’ success came “by the bootstraps.”…	February 17, 2001	View
S.K. (Skey) Johnston, Jr.	Polo needs more friends like Skey Johnston. One of the last of the left-handed players, he gave of himself to benefit the sport…	February 17, 2001	View
Robert (Bob) Uihlein	When polo needed leaders, Robert “Bob” Uihlein, Jr ushered in a new age for the sport. After World War II, he was the driving force behind the Milwaukee Polo Club…	February 17, 2001	View
Thomas Hitchcock Sr.	Thomas Hitchcock was an accomplished steeplechaser who learned polo as an Oxford undergraduate and began playing in the U.S. with James Gordon Bennett…	February 16, 2002	View
Glen Holden Sr.	During his 40 years of polo, Glen Holden’s tournament wins include the Pacific Coast Open, the U.S. Open Championship and the Governor’s Cup…	February 16, 2002	View
George Haas Jr.	George Haas won his first trophy at Yale in 1938 and for the next 62 years competed and won club and high-goal tournaments…	February 16, 2002	View
Bennie Gutierrez	During the 1960s and 70s, Bennie Gutierrez was one of the highest rated players…	February 21, 2003	View
Delmar Carroll	Delmar (Del) Carroll was considered one of the greatest offensive players of his era, earning him the nickname “Mr. Speed.”…	February 21, 2003	View
Rodolphe Agassiz	In 1894, Rodolphe Louis Agassiz became one of the first 10-goalers in the United States…	February 20, 2004	View
Charles Smith	Ranked as a 7-goal player in 1966, Charles Smith won many high goal tournaments: the U.S. Open five times, three C.V. Whitney Cups, the Gold Cup twice…	February 20, 2004	View
John C. “Jack” Oxley	Jack Oxley’s continued dedication to the sport has had a profound effect on American polo…	February 18, 2005	View
Will Rogers	There may have been no better spokesman for the sport of polo than Will Rogers…	February 18, 2005	View
Paul W. “Bill” Barry	Bill Barry was a true horseman, and for more than six decades, generations of players from all over the country sought to be mounted…	February 17, 2006	View
Raymond Guest	Raymond Guest played in the Golden Age of Polo, when the best players in the world were amateurs competing for honor, glory and a good bit of fun…	February 17, 2006	View
Robert D. Beveridge	Bob Beveridge played polo for 35 years and was the embodiment of the gentleman polo player. By the time he reached his 7-goal rating…	February 17, 2006	View
John E. Cowdin	A player with the famed Rockaway Club, John E. Cowdin achieved a 10-goal handicap in 1894…	February 16, 2007	View
William Sinclaire	William “Bill” Sinclaire served as a mentor for many who thought polo was a game worth playing and promoting…	February 16, 2007	View
Gonzalo Pieres	Gonzalo Pieres won the Argentine Open nine times and has been on the winning team in the Queen’s Cup, Coronation Cup, Cowdray Park Gold Cup and the British Open…	February 15, 2008	View
W. Averell Harriman	A player, banker, businessman and statesman, Harriman inherited a $100 million railroad fortune…	February 15, 2008	View
Gonzalo Tanoira	In the 1970s and ‘80s, many considered Gonzalo Tanoira the finest player in the world, as he dominated much of the high-goal polo…	February 13, 2009	View
Owen Rinehart	Starting at an early age, Owen made a commitment to become one of polo’s best players and in 1991, he rose to the pinnacle of the…	February 13, 2009	View
Julian Hipwood	Julian Hipwood, an English player who has lived and played in the United States for many years, earned an impressive 9-goal rating…	February 12, 2010	View
Lewis Lacey	Canadian-born Lewis Lacey had a long and distinguished international polo career…	February 12, 2010	View
Stephen A. Orthwein	In addition to attaining a six-goal handicap, Steve Orthwein has devoted over 50 years of his life to supporting the sport of polo…	February 18, 2011	View
Charles Cary Rumsey	An avid sportsman and equestrian, Charles Cary Rumsey played polo in the earliest days of the game in America, reaching a level of 8-goals…	February 18, 2011	View
Carlos Gracida	Born in 1960, Carlos began playing in tournaments at 14 and reached a 10-goal handicap in 1985, a ranking he held for 15 years…	February 17, 2012	View
James P. “Jimmy” Mills	Born in 1909, Mills was one of the bright stars during the “hey day” of polo in the 1930s…	February 17, 2012	View
Michael Azzaro	In 1986 at the age of 21, young Mike Azzaro burst onto the national scene winning his first U.S. Open Championship and the Cartier…	February 15, 2013	View
Robert Gould Shaw, II	A star of the first magnitude “Bobby” Shaw was considered to be one of the titans of the late 19th and early 20th century American polo…	February 15, 2013	View
Adam Snow	Growing up near Boston, Adam Snow first played polo on the fields at Myopia, at the age of 10…	February 14, 2014	View
Peter Perkins	Born in 1918 on Long Island, N.Y., Peter Perkins grew up in California learning to play polo from his father…	February 14, 2014	View
Stephen “Laddie” Sanford	Laddie Sanford was the dynamic 7-goal patron and captain of the famed Hurricanes team, which won the U.S. Open in three different decades…	February 13, 2015	View
Juan Carlos Harriott, Jr.	Argentina’s Juan Carlos Harriott, Jr., is considered by many to be the best to ever play the game….	February 13, 2015	View
Hector Galindo	Maintaining his status as a top player for over 25 years, Hector Galindo started playing at the age of 12 and climbed quickly to his pinnacle as a 9-goal player…	February 12, 2016	View
Billy Post	William “Billy” Post II was born into a polo family for whom breeding ponies was its principal business, so it is little wonder that as an 8-goal polo…	February 12, 2016	View
Mariano Aguerre	10-goal icon Mariano Aguerre made his indelible mark on American polo, arriving to Greenwich Polo Club at the age of 16 under Gonzalo Pieres’ tutelage…	February 17, 2017	View
John “Jackie” Murphy	“Jackie’s” stature as a polo star may be eclipsed by his alter ego; a man remembered as honest and uncomplicated, low-key and likeable…	February 17, 2017	View
Sunset “Sunny” Hale	Sunny Hale’s contributions to the sport were multi-faceted and her accomplishments astounding…	February 12, 2018	View
Ruben Gracida	While watching polo in Santa Barbara in 1976, young Ruben Gracida was offered a job to play…	February 16, 2018	View
Daniel Gonzalez	As part of the American polo scene for over 35 years, Daniel Gonzalez is widely known both as a player and a coach…	February 15, 2019	View
Gerald Matthews Balding	After the first World War, the English-born Gerald Balding, then in his twenties, was invited by United States Polo Association…	February 15, 2019	View
Cyril Harrison	Cyril R. Harrison dedicated his entire life to polo, recognized as an accomplished player, gifted instructor, a beloved mentor, respected horseman…	February 14, 2020	View
Joey Casey	A world-class polo player, Joey Casey is well respected as a polo pony breeder and trainer of exceptional horses for the sport…	February 14, 2020	View
Julio Arellano	Growing up as a second-generation polo player in Wellington, Florida, Julio Arellano rose to stardom as an outstanding player and horseman…	February 18, 2021	View
John F. “Jack” Ivory	At age 10, John F. “Jack” Ivory began his polo career in the Detroit area. As a hard-hitting teenager, he was dubbed the “boy wonder”…	February 18, 2021	View
Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney	A man who lived his life with a fullness that most can only dream of, Cornelius V. “Sonny” Whitney left a lasting mark in polo…	February 18, 2022	View
Thomas J. Biddle, Jr.	Born into a polo family, Tommy Biddle grew up in Aiken, South Carolina. At the age of 12…	February 18, 2022	View
Jeffrey Stuart Hall	One of the most accomplished American players in recent history, Jeff Hall has won virtually every major U.S. tournament…	February 17, 2023	View
Jeffrey W. Blake	Selected as the Young Player of the Year in 1998 and the Polo Magazine Excellence Awards for Young Player. . .	February 16, 2024	View
Hubert Winfield “Rube” Williams	Texan Hubert “Rube” Williams was known as a fearless player. He was a key member on the winning West team in the infamous 1933 East-West series.	February 16, 2024	View
Jimmy Bachman	Jimmy Bachman was driven to play polo. He pursued his passion with unwavering grit and determination…	February 14, 2025	View
Joe Henderson	Aidan Roark had a celebrated career in the United States and internationally during the Golden Age of Polo prior to World War II…	February 14, 2025	View

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