Thomas Edward Hughes Jr.

Tom Hughes, whose career spanned 55 years, was an early proponent of professional umpires and diligently worked to improve the quality of umpiring. Working with the USPA, club officials and committees, he drove the creation of the professional polo umpire system currently in place. A man of many talents, Hughes umpired high-goal matches in the U.S. and England, managed several polo clubs and held a 4-goal handicap outdoors. He enjoyed a robust career winning many tournaments, including the inaugural USPA Gold Cup in 1974, the Silver Cup in 1974, as well as its predecessor, the Twenty Goal, four times in a five-year span. He also won the 1970 American Cup and the Butler National Handicap in 1973 and 1975.