Indiana University Athletics
Do You Know Field Hockey
9/16/2002 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
September 16, 2002
Bloomington, IN -
• Field hockey is one of the world's most popular games. It is one of the world's oldest competitive team sports.
• Field hockey evolved in England during the 19th century (1887, East Mosley, England).
• Constance Applebee introduced field hockey to the United States in 1901.
• The United States Field Hockey Association formed in 1922.
• Hockey was first played at the Olympic Games in 1908 when men's teams were included. Women's hockey was not included in the Olympics until 1980. Hockey was played at the Commonwealth Games for the first time in 1998.
• Field hockey is one of the oldest games in the world - the ancient Egyptians played a form of hockey, as did the Persians. Field hockey as we know it today, however, didn't evolve until the 1800's in Britain.
• U.S. players think of field hockey as primarily a women's sport - but women didn't begin to play organized field hockey until the late 19th century. The first women players went on to organize their own hockey association, and eventually brought the sport to America.
• In the early days of women's field hockey, one of the fiercest debates among players was over a rule banning "hatpins" (or hard-brimmed hats). In those days women played in ankle-length skirts and flannel shirts.
• The basic foundation of today's hockey game came from the British Men's Hockey Association in the late 1800's.
• The hockey stick we use today, with its short, rounded toe, was uncommon in American play until the 70's. Americans used a longer "English" toe, which was much more awkward and harder to use. The toe we see on sticks today was then known as the "Indian" toe, and is now standard around the world.
