A Classic Newport Sport Draws New Fans Hungry For A Game During COVID-19

A player on the Astors team rests on the sidelines.
(Antonia Ayres-Brown/The Public’s Radio)

Dan Keating made his way across the field on his horse, Juicy. She’s young but fast, a former racehorse and one of the best horses on the field. Keating hit the ball and glided forward, successfully completing a pass to himself.

“Dan Keating coming through at speed,” the commentator’s voice boomed. “I think Keating might actually convert this. Can he?”

Many sports fans have gone months now without this kind of commentary, at least outside of ESPN reruns. In recent weekends, however, spectators have heard it live in Newport.

Newport Polo received Rhode Island’s go-ahead to begin their summer season back in early June, and matches have been held every Saturday since. The usual appearances from traveling international teams have been canceled, but spectators have still turned out to watch local players compete in face masks.

“The fact that we’re able to play — we would have done just about anything. We would have worn a suit of armor if we had to,” said Clark Curtis, a Newport Polo player who comes to help out on his weekends off.

Cheering with the warmth of a parent and the confidence of a coach, Curtis knew all of the horses’ and players’ names. And the masks, he said, are only a minor inconvenience — a small price to pay to be one of the few sports that can proceed this summer.

Read the rest of this story at The Public’s Radio’s website.