Cecil Smith (polo)
| Cecil Smith | |
|---|---|
| Born |
February 14, 1904 Llano, Texas |
| Died |
January 21, 1999 Boerne, Texas |
| Occupation | Rancher, polo player |
| Spouse(s) | Mary (Miller) Smith |
| Children |
Chad Smith Sidney Smith |
Cecil Smith (1904–1999) was an American rancher and polo player.[1][2]
Biography
Early life
Cecil Smith was born on the Moss Ranch near Llano, Texas on February 14, 1904.[2] In his childhood, he won roping prizes in rodeos.[2]
Career
In 1924, he started playing polo while working for George Miller, a horse trader in Austin, Texas.[2] He also played alongside Albert Buckman Wharton, Jr. at his El Ranchito Polo Club on his Waggoner Ranch.[3] He later played polo with Will Rogers, Darryl Zanuck, Walt Disney and Reginald Denny.[2]
He was a ten-goal player from 1938 to 1962 -which makes him the American with the longest record to hold ten-goal status.[1][2][4] He often competed at the Meadow Brook Polo Club in Westbury, New York.[2] He won the Monty Waterbury Cup in 1930 and the U.S. Open Polo Championship five times.[1] He played on the U.S.A. team against Mexico three times.[1]
He owned a 100-acre ranch in Boerne, Texas, where he rode and trained horses.[2]
Personal life
He married to Mary Miller in 1935.[2] Their sons, Charles and Sidney, are polo players.[2]
Death
He died on January 21, 1999 in Boerne.[2]
Legacy
He was inducted into the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame in Lake Worth, Florida on April 6, 1990.[1]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame, Cecil Smith's biography
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Cecil Smith, Considered the Best Polo Player Ever, Dies at 94, The New York Times, February 14, 1999
- ↑ Gary Cartwright, Showdown at Waggoner Ranch, Texas Monthly, January 2004
- ↑ Alex Webbe, Gentleman Tommy Wayman Keeps Keeps Earning 10-Goal Status, Palm Beach Daily News, January 2, 1983