Hockey

HOCKEY, a game played with a ball by two opposing sides, using hooked or bent sticks with which each side attempts to drive it into the other's goal.

A crude form of a stick-game was played by the ancient Persians, from whom it was acquired by the Greeks, who in turn passed it on to the Romans. A discovery made at Athens in 1922 gives reason to believe that a form of stick-game came from the East. This was a bas-relief found in the wall built by Themistocles ( 514-449 B.e. ), which depicts six youths taking part in a game resembling hockey, and shows what is termed a "bully" in the modern game, but with the hooked sticks pointing down ward instead of upward. Traces of a sort of stick-game have also been found in America, as played by the Aztec Indians, and there is evidence to show that probably most, if not all, of the Indian tribes in America have played a rough sort of stick-game for some thousand years. But neither these, nor the "London Balle Playe" mentioned by Fitzstephen in 1175, seem to have born more than a general resemblance to modern hockey.

Modern Hockey.

About 1875 a game resembling modern hockey began to be played. No goal could be scored if hit from a distance of more than 15Yd. from the nearest goal post, but players did not for a time realize the need of a definite marked out circle. A landmark in the progress of the game was the for mation of the famous Wimbledon Club in 1883. The members at first used a string ball and light ash sticks. A few more clubs soon came into being in the London area and the game spread to the Midlands, west and north of England. The real birthday of modern hockey was however Jan. 18, 1886, the date of the formation of the Hockey Association and of the adoption of the striking circle. The following year the first county match was played; this was Surrey v. Middlesex, and out of this match there arose the question of a county qualification. It was decided by the Hockey Association that actual residence should be the sole qualification, but later this rule was amended, the Division being empowered to make their own rules in regard to this matter. By 1890 the Hockey Association had 26 southern clubs affiliated to it, and in addition the recently formed Northern Counties Hockey Association. It was in this year that the first divisional match was played, the North meeting the South in Jan. 1890 at Queen's Club, London, when the South won by 6 goals to nil. At this time there was trouble over the vexed question of "cup ties," and an appli cation for affiliation by the Northamptonshire Hockey Association was granted by the Hockey Association only on the express under standing that they abolished all cups or prize competitions. That has always been the parent body's policy. Consequently hockey is one of the few games into which no trace of professionalism has entered. The Midland Counties Divisional Association came into being in 1894 and a year later the first international match was played between England and Ireland, resulting in a win for the former by 5 goals to nil. About this time the West started an asso ciation of its own, and the first of its series of matches with the Midlands was played, though it was not until several years later that the other divisions arranged fixtures with the West.

The Welsh Hockey Association was formed in 1897, England meeting Wales in the spring of 1898 and winning by 7 goals to nil. Ireland had, however, started international matches with Wales three years previous to this. About 190o the need was realized of having an international committee to frame and amend the rules of the game, and the governing bodies of Ireland and Wales were each asked to send two representatives to meet three from the Hockey Association. Later this body was called the International Hockey Board, its membership being increased by two on the formation of the Scottish Hockey Association in 1902.

The organization of the game was now nearing completion, and it was brought a step nearer on the formation of the Eastern Counties Hockey Association and the Army Hockey Association.

The Royal Navy soon followed the leaders. The growth of the game in England may be gauged by the fact that whereas on the formation of the Hockey Associ ation in 1886 there was a mere handful of clubs, the number had in 1926 increased to over I,000, many of them having a large membership. Hockey has not, however, flourished to the same extent in Wales or Scotland, although it is very popular in Ireland. Over a period of 32 years (excluding the years 1915 to 1919) England has played 73 matches against Ireland, Scot land and Wales, winning 63, los ing 5, and drawing 5. This pre eminence is due partly to the far larger numbers of players at her command, and partly to the fact that an increasing number of the public schools devote a term to hockey, and that there is a great number of players at the uni versities of Oxford and Cambridge.

The Game Throughout the World.

Although hockey is not played to anything like the same extent as football among the nations of Europe, yet since the beginning of the loth century the game has become more popular. In parts of France inter regional matches are held. International matches between England and France were begun in 1907. In 1913 England also played Germany, winning easily. Other hockey-playing countries are Belgium, Denmark, Holland, Spain, Austria and Switzerland, and these arrange Lo have international contests as opportunity offers. From time to time the Hockey Association sends out teams abroad, and during the Christmas and Easter holidays several English teams go on tour. In Australia and New Zealand the game is making headway, and the Hockey Association of the latter country has twice invited the Hockey Association to send over a team to tour there, but this invitation it has unfortunately been impossible to accept. In South Africa, a federation was formed in 1925 and gradual progress is being made. But in no country in the world is hockey so extensively played as in India. It is computed that there are about 3,00o teams, and recently an All-India Federation was formed to include the 24 provinces. Japan is a newcomer to hockey and has formed an association including some 5o clubs. The Japanese army and navy have also included the game in their athletic curriculum and there are several Service teams. In America, where the game is frequently played, the rules are simi lar to those of England. See also ICE HOCKEY.

The Game.—The game is played by two teams of eleven play ers on a rectangular ground, 1 ooyd. long, and not more than 6oyd. nor less than 55yd. wide, marked with white lines, the longer boundary lines are the side lines, the others the goal lines. Inside the ground, at a distance of 7yd. and running parallel with the side lines, a dotted line is marked, called the 7yd. line. In front of each goal there is drawn a white line, 4yd. long, parallel to and I 5Yd. from the goal-line. This line is continued each way to meet the goal-line by quarter circles having the goal posts as centres. The space thus enclosed is called the striking-circle. For a goal to be scored the ball must pass over the goal-line be tween the goal posts, and whilst within the striking-circle must have been hit by or glanced off the stick of an attacker. The ball is an ordinary cricket ball painted white. A hockey stick has a flat face on the left side of the head and is rounded on the right, and the ball may only be struck with the flat side. The diameter must not exceed tin. nor the weight 28 oz. The curved head of the stick is made of ash and the handle of pieces of cane with thin strips of rubber let in. At the start of the game two players (one from each side) "bully" the ball in the centre of the ground. To "bully" the ball each player taps first the ground on his own side of the ball and then his opponent's stick three times alter nately, after which one of these two players must strike the ball before it is in general play. Each side then endeavours, by means of striking, passing and dribbling, to drive the ball into its op ponent's goal. The ball may be caught (but not held) or stopped by any part of the body, but may not be picked up, carried, thrown, kicked or knocked on, except with the stick. Each goal keeper is, however, allowed to kick the ball in his own striking circle. Hooking of sticks is permissible within striking distance of the ball. A player must not obstruct by interposing himself between an opponent and the ball. Penalties for infringing rules are of three classes : "free hits," "penalty-corners" and "penalty bullies." If the ball is hit over the goal line (not between the goal posts) by one of the attacking team from any part of the field or unintentionally by one of the defending team, from outside the 25yd. line, it is brought out 25yd. in a direction at right angles to the goal-line where it crossed the line, and there "bullied." But if the ball is unintentionally hit over the goal-line from within the 25yd. line by one of the defenders, the attacking side is given a "corner," or if, in the opinion of the umpire, the ball has inten tionally been hit over the goal-line, a "penalty-corner" is award ed. A "corner" is a free hit taken within 3yd. of a corner flag and a "penalty-corner" from any point on the goal-line, at a distance of not less than 1 oyd. from the nearer goal post. In each case the defending team must be behind their own goal lines. In no case can a goal be scored direct from a free hit. When the ball passes over the side line, it is rolled in from the point where it crossed the side line by one of the team opposed to the player who last touched the ball. It may be rolled (not thrown) in any direction, but all players must stand outside the 7yd. line until the ball shall have left the hand of the roller-in. When strik ing the ball players are not allowed to raise the stick above the shoulder, and intentional undercutting of the ball is disallowed.

From small beginnings, hockey has become a popular game at not a few of the public schools, at the universities and with the middle classes. To be an adept the essentials are a good eye, strong wrists, footwork, pace and ball control. Hockey suffers if played on a rough and uneven ground, as then accurate stick work is very difficult, and the game is slowed up by reason of foot or hand being used to stop the ball; speed, which is one of the principal charms of the game, thus cannot be attained. ICE HOCKEY is the subject of a separate article under that title.

BIBLIOGRAPHY.-E.

Green, Hockey (192o) ; E. A. C. Thomson, Bibliography.-E. Green, Hockey (192o) ; E. A. C. Thomson, Hockey: how to improve your play (1921), Hockey, Historical and Practical (1925) ; S. H. Shoveller, Hockey (1922) ; B. G. Whitfield, Notes on Hockey, Cambridge Review "New Blue" Series, No. 7 (1922) ; H. L. Bourke, Hockey, Spalding Athletic Library (1923) ; H. E. Haslam, How to Play Hockey (1923) ; All England Women's Hockey Assoc.: Hints to Umpires (1923) ; Authorized Rules of the Game of Hockey (1923-24) .