HOCKEY HISTORY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 260, 2 November 1935, Page 3 (Supplement)

HOCKEY HISTORY.

Auckland Personalities and University Club. The University Hockey Club is perhaps the oldest active club belonging to the association to-day, and an excursion through the minute-book of the club brings to light some interesting sidelights on the stick game in pre-war days. The original rules state that the uniform of the club shall be heraldic blue jersey with silver collar and silver kiwi on left breast, white knickerbockevs and dark stockings. How many players would be game to turn out in knickerbockers these days? In the year 1911 a discussion as to whether young ladies With hair down be excluded from the invitation list for the iiunual "At Home" was carried on for several meetings and was eventually left to the discretion of the invitation committee. Present-day committees are immune from this kind of proposal. About 1910 the club built its own dressing shed at Remuera at a cost of. £2 aitd later engaged a caretaker at the princely salary of 15/ for the season. It is interesting to note that this club made a practice of mid-week night training in one of the football training sheds, and after several seasons changed to daylight practice twice weekly on the Domain at 4.30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, the players paying their own ground fees. , How many present-day clubs show such, enthusiasm?

Considered by able critics to be the best left-wing New Zealand has produced, Ray Phillpotts at the age of 30 although past his prime is still playing sound hockey for the Wesley Club. Starting in 1910 he gained distinction playing for the Wairarapa schools three years later. His' representative career makes interesting reading. Here is his list:—Wairarapa, 1015-0-7; North Otago, 1918; Wellington juniors, 1920; Wellington, 1921-2-3; Taranaki, 1923-4; Warkato, 1920; Auckland, 1927-8; Wellington, 1929-30-1-2; Auckland, 1933. He toured Australia with- the fust New Zea> land team in 1923 and again represented the Dominion in 1929. And.still he carries on.

Mr. A. G. Williams, the recipient of a New Zealand Hockey Umpires* Association blazer, presented by the Wellington Umpires' Association in recognition of his services to hockey throughout New Zealand, has been connected with the game since 191">, when he played goalie for Areta fifths. Two years later he was playing left-wing for St. Luke's thirds, working his way up to senior status and efficiently serving the club until 1928. He gained his "rep." cap and joined the Umpires' Association in 1927 and has made a name for himself in this phase of the game by his unbiased interpretations and fairness at all times. At present he is the Auckland and New Zealand examiner. He also has the distinction of having represented Auckland at cricket.