Polo at the 1936 Summer Olympics

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Men's polo
at the Games of the XI Olympiad
Argentina polo team, gold medal winner
VenueOlympiastadion
Dates3–8 August 1936
Competitors21 from 5 nations
Medalists
1st place, gold medalist(s)  Argentina
2nd place, silver medalist(s)  Great Britain
3rd place, bronze medalist(s)  Mexico
← 1924

Polo returned to the Olympic program at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, after not being contested at the 1928 Games or 1932 Games. The 1936 tournament was the last time that the sport was contested at the Olympic Games. Argentina repeated as champions, winning gold medals in both of the Games in which the nation competed. Great Britain took silver; British polo players had earned medals in all five of the Olympic polo tournaments (including as members of mixed teams in 1900). Mexico took bronze, matching its previous performance in 1900.

Background

This was the fifth and final time that polo was played at the Olympics; the sport had previously appeared in 1900, 1908, 1920, and 1924. Each time, the tournament was for men only.

For 72 years, polo had the distinction of being the last sport to be removed from the Olympic programme: baseball/softball took that distinction after the 2008 Games, [1] but baseball/softball returned in 2020, while karate was added in the 2020 Games but is not on the Olympic program for 2024 or 2028.

Argentina and the United States were the top two polo-playing nations in the world, with the 1924 Olympic tournament coming down to a 6–5 Argentine victory to determine the gold medal, while the United States beat Argentina in 1928 and 1932 Copa de las Américas during years in which the sport was not contested at the Olympics.

The Americans did not travel to Berlin, leaving Argentina the heavy favorites at the 1936 Games.[1] Later that year, Argentina would take the Cup over the United States for the first time at Meadow Brook Club in New York.

Germany and Hungary each made their debut in polo in 1936. Great Britain made its fifth appearance; it was the only nation to compete in all five editions of the Olympic polo tournament. Argentina and Mexico each made their second appearance.

Competition format

The tournament used an ad hoc format deliberately designed to create a final between the recognized strongest teams in the tournament, Argentina and Great Britain. The hosts, as well as Hungary, were not even given an opportunity to contend for the gold medal, with the teams separated into divisions.[2]

The first three matches were set to pit Mexico against first Great Britain and then Argentina in the top division, and Germany against Hungary in the lower division. If, as expected, Mexico lost both games, the match between Great Britain and Argentina would be the gold medal final. The winner between Germany and Hungary would play Mexico for the bronze medal.[1][2]

Medalists

Gold Silver Bronze
 Argentina (ARG)
Manuel Andrada
Roberto Cavanagh
Luis Duggan
Andrés Gazzotti
 
William Hinde
 Mexico (MEX)
Juan Gracia
Julio Mueller
Antonio Nava
Alberto Ramos

Note: The International Olympic Committee medal database shows only these players as medalists. They all played at least one match during the tournament. The reserve players are not listed as medalists.

Participating nations

Each country was allowed to enter one team of 8 players and they all were eligible for participation.

A total of 21(*) polo players from 5 nations competed at the Berlin Games:

(*) NOTE: Only players who participated in at least one game are counted.

Only a few reserve players are known.

The organizers also invited United States and India, but those nations declined to send teams.

Polo at the 1936 Summer Olympics

Results

Group A
Great Britain13–11Mexico
Argentina15–5Mexico
Group B
Hungary8–8Germany
Hungary16–6Germany
Bronze medal match
Mexico16–2Hungary
Final
Argentina15–5Great Britain

Summary

Rank Nation
1st place, gold medalist(s)  Argentina (ARG)
Luis Duggan
Roberto Cavanagh
Andrés Gazzotti
Manuel Andrada
Enrique J. Alberdi
Diego Cavanagh
Juan Nelson
Juan Jose Reynal
2nd place, silver medalist(s)  
Humphrey Guinness
3rd place, bronze medalist(s)  Mexico (MEX)
Juan Gracia
Julio Mueller
Antonio Nava
Alberto Ramos
Alfinio Flores
Miguel Zabalgoitia
Antonio Pérez Ortega
4  Hungary (HUN)
Kálmán Bartalis
István Bethlen
Tivadar Dienes-Öhm
Dezső Kovács
Imre Szentpály
5  Germany (GER)
Heinrich Amsinck
Walter Bartram
Arthur Köser
Robert Miles Reincke
Erich Ottens

References

  1. ^ a b c "Polo, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
  2. ^ a b Official Report, p. 1088.

3. https://www.lanacion.com.ar/deportes/polo/polo-la-gira-en-la-que-argentina-paso-a-ser-el-numero-1-del-mundo-en-los-juegos-olimpicos-de-berlin-nid30062023/