Notes From My Knapsack 7-30-06
Jeff Gill

Malletheads, Unite!

If Jimmy Buffet fans are "Parrotheads," then could polo fans be called "malletheads"?
Each Sunday afternoon through September, the sport of kings and the king of sports, as polo players would have you believe, is played in front of the Bryn Du Mansion on Newrk-Granville Road.
Despite the horsey implication of wealth and cost, admission is free, and some fairly average people play the sport. I can’t say normal people, since Bernie Brush is one of them, but many Licking County residents spend more on their hunting dogs than it costs to maintain a horse or two.
Your columnist doesn’t get up on top of animals bigger than he is, but it is fun to watch – did I mention it’s free?
Adding to the fun in a few weeks is a little "value-added" experience that you can spend a bit of money on and help a great local cause. Sunday, August 13 from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm the Licking County Coalition for Housing will set up a "professional" croquet area up by the mansion, and for $50 a person, $75 a couple, Bake-n-Brew is setting up a buffet and wine tasting to go with one of our last summer afternoons. Why croquet?
In part, because croquet is a spin-off of polo for those of us who don’t get up on animals larger than we are. The balls were originally old polo balls, and the mallets broken polo mallets (and they break often enough to keep up the supply).
Add a few horseshoe gates and the other end of the broken stick for a wicket, and you have ur-croquet. The game has evolved, and a croquet professional is part of the afternoon, who will show us how to (I suspect) put backspin on our cross court shots and jump balls to get around a sticky wicket.
The beverage set-up is a cash bar (hey, it is a fundraiser), but admission to the event does not include mandatory white clothing, so dress for the outdoor relaxation of it all before school starts nine or ten days later for most of us. Call LCCH 349-1921 during weekday business hours to reserve tickets, or go online at www.lcchousing.org.
As this catches on, Shani Smith and I imagine theme foursomes playing cutthroat, full-contact croquet; or at least with the costumes competing while the field of play is more peaceful. Whether you want to wear Edwardian whites or Bermuda shorts, just plan to wander by the Bryn Du Mansion on Aug. 13 and help more modest housing stay open and available to those who need it in Licking County.
And the polo alone is still free from the Newark-Granville Road entrance!

Jeff Gill is a writer, storyteller, and supply preacher around central Ohio; toss him your croquet balls, bouquets, or brickbats at knapsack77@gmail.com (note new email!).