Field hockey is the third most played sport globally – with billions of fans globally. Beloved by many, field hockey has been a staple at the world’s most popular sporting events, such as the Olympics, and a favorite of celebrities like Jennifer Lawrence, Heath Ledger, Emma Watson, and even British royalty, with the Princess of Wales – Kate Middleton picking up a hockey stick in her time.
Despite its popularity, many fans do not know where field hockey originated. This article will seek to answer this question, outlining where it was created, when it was first played, and who invented the renowned sport.
When was Field Hockey Invented?
Like wrestling, field hockey has its roots in ancient early civilizations. Its history can be traced back to the ancient Greeks, Romans, and other old empires like the Persians and Aztecs. Stick games resembling field hockey are thought to have been played throughout these societies in various forms and styles.
Old national stick games resembling hockey also shed light on the game’s origins, with the Scottish outdoor stick competition – Shinty – played by Scottish Highland clans such as the infamous anti-monarchist Clan MacDonald in the 17th century having a clear influence on its conception. Hurling, an old Irish stick and ball game dating back to 13th-century – also evidently impacted the creation of field hockey, with the sport holding prominence within Irish legend – played by rival lineages throughout the ‘Emerald Isle.’
Both Shinty and Hurling are still considered national games by Scotland and Ireland, respectively, illustrating their impact and influence on the development of field hockey, which was later recreated a few centuries later just across the border in neighboring country England – passed on by generations as a likely inspired variant of these old stick games.
In 19th-century England, field hockey was formally instituted in English schools, with the first hockey clubs assembled and an official rule book drawn up in the latter part of the century.
While its functional roots can be traced, its etymology lacks a source, with loose links to the medieval French stick game – ‘hoquet,’ which may have inspired its name.
Who Created Field Hockey?
While there is no one true founder of the sport, the origins can be traced to the creation of the first hockey club in 1849 in Blackheath, England, with a minute book drawn up in 1961 as the initial foundation for hockey rules. Later, in 1971, the Teddington Hockey Club was founded in another suburb of London, iterating on the initial rules devised by Blackheath, adding new practices such as the introduction of the striking circle and replacing the commonly used (for the time) rubber hockey cube with a ball.
Building off the established conventions laid out by both Teddington and Blackheath hockey clubs, the formal rules for field hockey were drafted in 1876, and the first Hockey Association was formed in London in 1886. Nine years later, field hockey became global, with the first international competition undertaken in 1895 with Ireland beating Wales 3-0 to claim victory. Field hockey was later introduced in the 1908 Olympiad in London, where it made its first Olympic debut.
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Where was Field Hockey Invented?
The modern field hockey we know today was invented in London, England, during the mid-late 19th century. Upon its conception as a sport, the British Army helped spread field hockey throughout the British Empire to colonized states such as India.
Some of the first international clubs were formed in Indian cities, such as in Kolkata in 1885. British and Indian army units frequently competed against one another, with India becoming a skilled field hockey nation, later winning numerous Olympic and world titles.
Aside from the British army’s transnational role in spreading field hockey, individuals also played an important role in its global expansion. Notable examples include former British athlete Constance Applebee, who brought hockey across the pond to the United States from England in 1901 and founded the American Field Hockey Association. Applebee was influential in spreading the sport throughout the US, beginning with several women’s institutes, such as Holyoke and Radcliffe College. “The Apple” as she was known – kickstarted the sport in the Philly area, specifically at Bryn Mawr College.
Upon dying in 1981, at age 107, Applebee successfully introduced field hockey to the US, with the nation winning its first Olympic medal at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles just three years after her death.
Field Hockey: From Ancient Games to Modern Triumphs
Field hockey has had a rich history of growth from ancient stick and ball games to a present-day sport played by millions globally.
Due to individuals such as Constance Applebee and organizations such as the British Army taking field hockey global, modern hockey found its place on the international stage, paving the way for its success.
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