In the last 10 days, polo has lost two of the most famous women who did not play polo, but keep it in sight most of their lives. These ladies were known as polo people. Mrs. Anita Roddick and now Mrs. Laurie Uihlein who passed away just days ago. These Ladies were so important for polo as they gave polo a connection with the real World. Both were really big in the World and yet they were so down to earth it was like talking to anyone you might meet if you did not know who they were.
My story of Mrs. Uihlein comes from way back in the 70’s when I was first in polo as a groom for Tommy Wayman. He was 3 or 5 goals then so he did not have to have a good groom. Wherever he was he went up two goals the next year and had to find a good groom. Back to the story. Tommy and I pulled into the Milwaukee Polo Club and met them all. It was quite a crew Owen O., Jay T. and Benny and the Club Manager. Anyway, there was a mean old feller there named Ray Laun, I believe. He was happy or mad and it was never in between. His fields were the best in the USA then and he intended to keep it that way.
All of us worked for the big man his name was Robert Uihlein and he was big and as kind as anyone I have ever met. He was also at that time the most powerful man in Milwaukee and the city loved him. Robert was the biggest employer and head of Schlitz Brewing Co. Also a hell of a man and everybody liked him boss or not. Well Laurie was married to Robert Uihlein (Mr. U)and when I first met her I was a bit country. I expected a prim and proper person after meeting the big man. Well she may have been proper, but she had no room for foolishness and it took 8 seconds to find it out.
We were all scared of Ray and his rules and we thought he was higher up than Mr. U and I am sure Mr. U thought it was entertaining to see us get chewed out by Ray for anything and everything. The first day I saw Mrs. Laurie U. come around the stables Ray went out to check on who was entering and he almost killed himself running when he seen who it was. I almost fainted. He was just stepping all around to get it done. That’s the way she was. Laurie saw that things got done and was fair, but double tough. No wonder Mr. U was always happy. They were so happy it was Mr. U coming and not Laurie. If you would have met her sons then it would be easy to see why she had to be tough. Robin was probably 20 and big enough to fight a bear with a stick and Jamie much smaller had to be wilder than any rodeo cowboy I ever knew, but they never crossed Mom. I guarantee that or at least until they were old enough to get out of town.
I have not seen Laurie in many years, but she was always a very nice Lady and said her piece and left it at that. She loved Polo and Milwaukee and there was no doubt about it. She probably still lived there even owning a great deal of their west Florida home called the Sarasota Polo Club. Many Polo people in the last few years probably never had the honor of knowing Laurie or Mrs. U as I fondly call her. If they did they would never forgot her. Those who knew her never will. She was a legend and a proud mother and wife. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family.
-Steve Crowder