derful strides made since 1897,
and because every team will profit by its adoption.

Reeder, well aided by Prof. Alex. Meffett, began by teaching every
candidate the rudiments of the game; veterans and greenhorns alike were
put through the mill. Each was schooled in the principles of swimming,
diving, catching, passing, scoring, interfering, tackling and breaking,
until these points had been thoroughly mastered, and only then did the
team practise begin. But again, no player was allowed in unprepared.
Reeder instituted blackboard practise and saw that every one attended
it. Placing before his assembled squad the possible formations, he made
players selected at random explain the duties of every position in each
formation. By this system he obliged every player to use his brains, and
he found out the amount of water-polo intelligence that each possest. He
also imparted to each the ideas of all the others, he taught them how to
fill every position and he brought to light many new plays.

The progress which the innovation was responsible for no one realized
until the aggregation of yearlings from the Knickerbocker Athletic Club
defeated the formidable array of champions representing the New York
Athletic Club. Reeder abandoned the game two years later, but his good
work lived after him, and some of his team-mates held the championship
for many years by following his teachings.

HOW THE GAME IS NOW PLAYED

Water polo as played to-day in America is rather dangerous for outdoors,
and indoor pools are generally used. It is a contest between two teams
of six, having as object the touching of the opponent's goalboard with
an inflated rubber ball seven inches in diameter, which the referee
throws into the water at start of play.

In order to score, the ball has to be touched to the goal while in the
hand of a player; it can not be thrown. The goals are spaces four by one
foot, situated at each short end of the playing area, eighteen inches
above the water level. The size of the playing area is optional, tho the
recognized dimensions are 60 x 40 feet or 25 x 75 feet, with a uniform
depth of seven feet of water. Imaginary lines are drawn across the tank
(see Fig. T), parallel to the short ends, at four and fifteen feet from
them. The first, called four-foot line, serves as protection to the
goal-tenders and can not be crossed until the ball is within; the other
is the foul line, and serves to mark the spot on which the forwar