Kálmán Bartalis played in just one of Hungary’s three games at the 1936 Olympics, when he was number three in the opening 8-8 draw with Germany. A captain in the Hungarian Army, his major polo honour came in winning the 1934 King’s Cup when Hungary beat France in the final at Roma. His team-mates that day were Imre Szentpály, Dezsö Kovács and Gaston Hámory, a reserve for the 1936 Olympics. Bartalis was also on the team that lost to a French team at the same venue two days later in the final of the Count Volpi di Misurata Cup.