The Big Four in

polo Polo is a ball game played on horseback, a traditional field sport and one of the world's oldest known team sports. The game is played by two opposing teams with the objective of scoring using a long-handled wooden mallet to hit a small hard ...

was the American polo team that competed for the

International Polo Cup The International Polo Cup, also called the Newport Cup and the Westchester Cup, is a trophy in polo that was created in 1876 and was played for by teams from the United States and United Kingdom. The match has varied in length over the years ...

during the early 20th century.

History

The term was first used in 1909 for the team of

Devereux Milburn Devereux Milburn (September 19, 1881 – August 15, 1942) was an American champion polo player in the early to mid twentieth century. He was one of a group of Americans known as the Big Four in international polo, winning the Westchester Cup six ...

Harry Payne Whitney Harry Payne Whitney (April 29, 1872 – October 26, 1930) was an American businessman, thoroughbred horse breeder, and member of the prominent Whitney family. Early years Whitney was born in New York City on April 29, 1872, as the eldest son ...

, Lawrence Waterbury, and

Monte Waterbury James Montaudevert "Monte" Waterbury, Jr. (April 24, 1876 – August 28, 1920) was an American businessman and a 10-goal polo handicap player. Together with his brother Lawrence Waterbury, Harry Payne Whitney and Devereaux Milburn, known ...

. The term was still in use for the 1927 team of

James Watson Webb II James Watson Webb II (known as James Sr.) (July 1, 1884 – March 4, 1960) was an American polo champion and insurance executive. He was a grandson of William Henry Vanderbilt and James Watson Webb. Early life Webb was born on July 1, 1884 in Bu ...

Tommy Hitchcock Jr. Thomas Hitchcock Jr. (February 11, 1900 – April 18, 1944) was an American polo player and aviator who was killed in an air crash during World War II. He was inducted posthumously into the Polo Hall of Fame. Early years Born in Aiken, ...

Malcolm Stevenson Sir Malcolm Stevenson (15 March 1878 – 27 November 1927) was a British colonial administrator. He served as the Governor of Cyprus, and later as the Governor of the Seychelles. Stevenson was born in Lisburn, Ireland, and educated at Me ...

, and

References

International Polo Cup {{polo-stub