1940: Polo

Although most of the foreign players were absent from these shores during the 1940 season, there was plenty of good polo played throughout the country during the year. There were many charity games in various sections for the different war relief causes, and these were all well-attended and enthusiastically received.

The National Open Championship was played at the Meadow Brook Club on Long Island and was won by the Aknusti team of Gerard Smith, Robert L. Gerry, Jr., Elbridge T. Gerry and Alan L. Corey, Jr. They defeated the Great Neck team in the final of this event, only to find themselves a week later being defeated by this same Great Neck four in the finals of the Waterbury Cup, most important handicap tournament of the American season. Great Neck lined up with George H. Mead, Jr., J. Peter Grace, Stewart B. Iglehart and Robert E. Strawbridge, Jr. The National Twenty Goal Championship was also won by Stewart Iglehart's Great Neck team although they played with Gerald Dempsey, J. Peter Grace, Iglehart and E. N. Carpenter in this event, which was held at the Bostwick Field Club.

The Hunting Valley Club near Cleveland was awarded the year's Inter-Circuit and Twelve Goal Championships with five of the six Polo Association Circuit winners sending teams to compete for national honors. The National Inter-Circuit was won by the Blue Hill Farms team of Philadelphia, representing the Southeastern Circuit, while the Twelve Goal was won by the Gates Mills team of the home club.

Yale University won the Intercollegiate Championship which was held at the W. Cameron Forbes Field in Westwood, Massachusetts.

Robert E. Strawbridge, Jr., who had served ably as Chairman of the United States Polo Association since 1936, was forced to retire under the Constitution, and he was succeeded by Elbridge T. Gerry.