International Hockey Players Favour Abolishing Hooking Of Sticks

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 7412, 20 December 1930, Page 19

International Hockey Players Favour Abolishing Hooking Of Sticks

EXPERIMENTAL MATCH PLAYED AT HOME, AND BULLY ALSO IS EXCLUDED

OCKEY enthusiasts in all j countries wherein the game is played should 1 he interested in the results of an experimental match played at Wimbledon recently, by a team from the Philistines Club and a strong eleven organised by C. T. A. Wilkinson, a noted English international player. Eor some lime past women have abolished the rule permitting the hooking of sticks when within striking distance of the hall, as it was considered a dangerous practice and detrimental to the stick, but no such alteration has been made in the men’s ruling on Ibis point. On this occasion, however, the game of “knockers,” ns it was called to avoid infringing the laws of flic Hockey Association, was played on a “stick to ball” basis, hooking of sticks not being permissible, and the players were unanimous in their views that the abolition of the concession has been long overdue. The idea of arranging a match involving revolutionary rules was conceived by Wilkinson, and it is probable that'the proposal of abolishing the rule referred to will soon be placed before the association. The run of Hie play certainly suggested that hooking should be eliminated, for the game, with that element of danger removed. was faster and much cleaner. There was also no “bully” in the game, the hit-off being similar in its way to the kick-off employed in Association football. This speeded up play and conduced to constructive movements on the part of the forwards. While the majority of players were in favour of the hit-off from the centre of ihc Held, opinion was divided regarding hitting off from the twentylive line, as this movement docs, in a wav, penalise the deicncc, it being very difficult to get the ball clear from the'defending side’s half.

Hitting instead of rolling the ball in from the touch-line was another experiment tried, hut this appeared to give an unfair advantage to the defending team when the hit is taken in its half. It is possible to send in a shot from the touch-line to the centre of the field, where the waiting forward can hit a “first-timer” at goal. .Officials of the Field Hockey Association of the United States of America and the Chile Hockey Association watched the experimental match, and expressed themselves as pleased with the result. 'the following international players expressed their views after the match: C. S. W. Marcon: I am definitely in favour of the abolition of hooking, hut am against the hit-off from the twentyfive line, as I think that it penalises the defence by its being unable to get the hall away. The hit-off from the centre is an improvement, hut the hit from the touch-line is no advantage. . C. T. A. Wilkinson: The game has proved that there should he no hooking at sticks. Much has been said about this but nothing has been done, and the next thing will he for the Hockey Association to take the matter up. Regarding the liit-in from touch, it has not made much difference, and I am all for retaining the roll-in unless there is anything else which is a distinct improvement. I consider the liit-off an advantage, as it improves forward PI R.’G. Lampard-Vachcll: The hit-in from touch is fine but I am not sure about the advantages of the other alterations. although I think that hooking should be abolished, as that eliminates an element of danger and makes play, a lot faster. W. ,T. Berry: The hit-off instead of the bully makes dribbling hetter. and the bit-in from the touch-lino is an advantage.