RARE & HISTORIC 1916 Hankinson's Original Auto Polo Teams Official Rules & Program Cover
Specially Engaged for the Philippine Carnival (Manila) 1916 — "First Appearance in the Far East"
Up for sale is an incredibly scarce piece of early twentieth-century motorsport and Philippine colonial history. This is an original promotional program and official rulebook page set issued by E.C. McCullough & Co., Inc.(Sole Agents for the Philippine Islands) for the 1916 Manila Carnival.
This fascinating document outlines the rules for Auto Polo—one of the most dangerous, death-defying, and chaotic sports ever invented, which utilized stripped-down Ford Model T cars.
Key Document Features:
- Front Page: Features bold typography detailing "Hankinson's Original Auto Polo Teams" (Copyright 1913 by R.A. Hankinson) and its historic billing for the 1916 Philippine Carnival.
- The Official Rules (Inside Pages): Complete breakdown of early motorsport regulations including the massive field dimensions (150x350 ft), specifications for the heavy 3½ lb mallets crafted from old bowling pins, time periods, and scoring metrics.
- The Referee Visual Flags & Horn Signals: Highly unique details explaining how referees used colorful flags (Green, White, Plaid, Red) and an electric signal horn because the roaring, open-exhaust engines made it "an impossibility for these participants to hear pistol shots."
- The Roster Scorecard: Features the printed names of the touring thrill drivers split into Team America(Henderson, Prewitt, Dempster, Buchanan) and Team Canada (Lampkin, Claypool, Johnson, McBride).
- Period Advertising Art: Includes a striking full-page advertisement for the Ford Model T Touring Car, pitching it as the ultimate economical choice against advancing fuel/oil prices and using the violent auto polo matches as a brutal "severe test" proving its ultimate durability. Also features a prominent advertisement for United States "Chain Tread" Tires.
Condition Report:
- Please look closely at the photos to evaluate condition for yourself.
- This century-old paper ephemera shows signs of age and handling consistent with its historic nature.
- It features a clean horizontal fold directly across the center where it was likely stored folded inside a booklet or pocket.
- The paper shows light, natural uniform toning, minor creasing, and faint edge wear, but the typography, decorative borders, and Ford Model T graphics remain sharp, deeply inked, and completely legible. There are no heavy stains or major missing text fragments.