Stephen Roberts, 89; Coached Cornell’s Champion Polo Team

Stephen “Doc” Roberts, 89, who coached Cornell’s polo team to eight national championships, died Jan. 21 of heart failure in Bath, N.Y.

As an undergraduate, Roberts was captain of Cornell’s first national champion polo team in 1937. After joining the Cornell faculty as a veterinarian in 1942, he served as polo coach from 1947 to 1972.

Roberts introduced the concept of “split strings” at the intercollegiate level, requiring home teams to provide horses so visitors didn’t have to transport their mounts.

He retired in 1972 to go into private practice in Vermont.