Hockey history and Rules

Hockey history and rules

Field hockey, outdoor game played by two opposing teams of 11 players each who use sticks curved at the striking end to hit a small, hard ball into their opponent’s goal. It is called field hockey to distinguish it from the similar game played on ice.

 

Key People: Constance M.K. Applebee Dhyan Chand Marjorie Pollard

Related Topics: India Olympic Games sports ice hockey umpire

Hockey is believed to date from the earliest civilizations. The Arabs, Greeks, Persians, and Romans each had their own versions, and traces of a stick game played by the Aztec Indians of South America have been found. Hockey can also be identified with other early games, such as hurling and shinty. During the Middle Ages a French stick game called hoquet was played, and the English word may be derived from it.

 

Assorted sports balls including a basketball, football, soccer ball, tennis ball, baseball and others.

Hockey began to be played in English schools in the late 19th century, and the first men’s hockey club, at Blackheath in southeastern London, recorded a minute book in 1861. Teddington, another London club, introduced several major variations, including the ban of using hands or lifting sticks above the shoulder, the replacement of the rubber cube by a sphere as the ball, and most importantly, the adopting of a striking circle, which was incorporated into the rules of the newly founded Hockey Association in London in 1886.

 

The British army was largely responsible for spreading the game, particularly in India and the Far East. International competition began in 1895. By 1928 hockey had become India’s national game, and in the Olympic Games that year the Indian team, competing for the first time, won the gold medal without conceding a goal in five matches. It was the start of India’s domination of the sport, an era that ended only with the emergence of Pakistan in the late 1940s. The call for more international matches led to the introduction in 1971 of the World Cup. Other major international tournaments include the Asian Cup, Asian Games, European Cup, and Pan-American Games. Men’s field hockey was included in the Olympic Games in 1908 and 1920 and then permanently from 1928. Indoor hockey, played by teams of six players with six interchanging substitutes, has become popular in Europe.

 

Despite the restrictions on sports for ladies during the Victorian era, hockey became increasingly popular among women. Although women’s teams had played regular friendly games since 1895, serious international competition did not begin until the 1970s. The first Women’s World Cup was held in 1974, and women’s hockey became an Olympic event in 1980. The international governing body, the International Federation of Women’s Hockey Associations, was formed in 1927. The game was introduced into the United States in 1901 by Constance M.K. Applebee, and field hockey subsequently became a popular outdoor team sport among women there, being played in schools, colleges, and clubs. [8:47 AM, 1/10/2024] Online Shopping Center: Despite the restrictions on sports for ladies during the Victorian era, hockey became increasingly popular among women. Although women’s teams had played regular friendly games since 1895, serious international competition did not begin until the 1970s. The first Women’s World Cup was held in 1974, and women’s hockey became an Olympic event in 1980. The international governing body, the International Federation of Women’s Hockey Associations, was formed in 1927. The game was introduced into the United States in 1901 by Constance M.K. Applebee, and field hockey subsequently became a popular outdoor team sport among women there, being played in schools, colleges, and clubs.

 

The game is played by two teams of 11 players on a rectangular ground. The field is 100 yards (91.4 metres) long and 60 yards (55 metres) wide, and it is marked with a centre line and two 25-yard lines. The goals are 4 yards (3.66 metres) wide and 7 feet (2.13 metres) high. For a goal (which counts for one point) to be scored, the ball must go into the goal and, while within the shooting circle (semicircle), must have been touched by the stick of an attacker. The ball was originally a cricket ball (cork centre, string-wound, and covered with leather), but plastic balls are also approved. It is about 9 inches (23 cm) in circumference. The stick is usually 36 to 38 inches (about 1 metre) long and weighs 12 to 28 ounces (340 to 790 grams). Only the flat left side of the stick may be used to strike the ball.

 

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The usual composition of a team is five forwards, three halfbacks, two fullbacks, and a goalkeeper. A game consists of two halves of 35 minutes each, with an intermission of 5–10 minutes. A time-out is called only in case of injury. The goalkeeper wears thick, yet lightweight pads and, while in the shooting circle, is allowed to kick the ball or stop it with the foot or the body. All other players, however, may stop the ball with the stick only.

 

Play is started (and restarted after a goal is scored and after half-time) by a pass-back in the centre of the field. A face-off, or bully, is used to restart the game after an injury or equipment time-out, following simultaneous penalties by both teams, or when the ball becomes trapped in a player’s clothing. In a face-off two players, one from each team, face each other with the ball on the ground between them. After alternately tapping the ground and then his opponent’s stick three times, each player tries to strike the ball, thus putting it into play. There are various provisions for putting the ball into play in case it goes off the field.

 

There are various fouls in field hockey. The off-side rule, which is designed to prevent a player from getting an advantage by staying up the field ahead of the ball and ahead of fewer than two members of the opposing team, was dropped after the 1996 Olympics. Raising the stick above the shoulder while playing the ball is illegal. Stopping the ball with the hand is a foul, as is stopping it with the body or foot. Causing a dangerous play by raising the ball by undercutting it, as well as hooking an opponent’s stick, are also fouls. Finally, there is the obstruction rule: a player is not permitted to obstruct an opponent by putting his stick or any part of his body between the opponent and the ball or by running between the opponent and the ball. Most fouls are penalized by giving the opposition a free hit from the point of infraction. There is one umpire for each half of the field.

 

Men’s field hockey World Cup

Results of the men’s field hockey World Cup are provided in the table.

 

World Cup field hockey championship—men

year  winner       runner-up

1971 Pakistan     India

1973 Netherlands       India

1975 India Pakistan

1978 Pakistan     Netherlands

1982 Pakistan     West Germany

1986 Australia    England

1990 Netherlands       Pakistan

1994 Pakistan     Netherlands

1998 Netherlands       Spain

2002 Germany   Australia

2006 Germany   Australia

2010 Australia    Germany

2014 Australia    Netherlands

2018 Belgium     Netherlands

Women’s field hockey World Cup

Results of the women’s field hockey World Cup are provided in the table.

 

World Cup field hockey championship—women

year  winner       runner-up

1974 Netherlands       Argentina

1976 West Germany   Argentina

1978 Netherlands       West Germany

1981 West Germany   Netherlands

1983 Netherlands       Canada

1986 Netherlands       West Germany

1990 Netherlands       Australia

1994 Australia    Argentina

1998 Australia    Netherlands

2002 Argentina  Netherlands

2006 Netherlands       Australia

2010 Argentina  Netherlands

2014 Netherlands       Australia

2018 Netherlands       IrelandThe starting points of current hockey can be followed back to mid-eighteenth century Britain, essentially impacted by the extension of government funded schools like Eton. In 1876, the Unified Realm saw the arrangement of the primary Hockey Affiliation, which laid out the underlying conventional arrangement of rules. While the first affiliation endured a simple six years, it encountered a restoration in 1886 through cooperation with nine establishing part clubs.

 

Concerning hockey's relationship with the Olympics, the debut Olympic Hockey Rivalry for men happened in London in 1908, highlighting separate groups from Britain, Ireland, Scotland, and Ribs. The expansion of Germany and France extended the opposition to six groups. Regardless of its presentation achievement, hockey confronted prohibition from the 1912 Stockholm Games when have countries overseen 'discretionary games.' It returned in Antwerp in 1920 following support from Belgian hockey devotees yet was by and by excluded in Paris in 1924.

 

The Worldwide Hockey Organization (FIH) was laid out in 1924 in light of hockey's nonappearance from the Paris Olympics. Established by Paul Léautey, who later turned into its most memorable president, the FIH united seven Public Alliances to act as the game's global administering body. These establishing individuals, addressing all kinds of people hockey, included Austria, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, France, Hungary, Spain, and Switzerland.

 

The late nineteenth century saw the quick turn of events and advocacy of ladies' hockey in different nations. In 1927, the Worldwide Organization of Ladies' Hockey Affiliations (IFWHA) was laid out. Commending their particular Brilliant Celebrations in 1974 and 1980, the FIH and IFWHA converged in 1982 to frame the ongoing FIH.

 

By 1964, the FIH had 50 subsidiary nations and three Mainland Affiliations — Africa, Dish America, and Asia. In 1974, participation expanded to 71. As of now, the Worldwide Hockey League involves five Mainland Affiliations, 137 Public Affiliations, and keeps on developing.

 

 

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