AT THE HOCKEY MATCH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22167, 22 July 1935, Page 16

AT THE HOCKEY MATCH

A GBEAT ALL-SPORTS DAY VOSCES IN THE CROWD WOMEN KNOW THE GAME Hi was an all-sports day at Eden Park on Saturday when the Indian hockey team gave a remarkably fine demonstration of their game in the final test malch against New Zealand. Every game trass represented in the great croird—Rugby and ludo, League and rou:riders, golf and skittles, cricket and marbles —a fine tribute not only to visitors, and to hockey, bat also to the spin't of true sport that knows no frontiers. s Probably a minority of the crowd \ fully understood the game and its rules I and all the artifices which help to vic- ; tory, and of that minority women were 1 prdbably in the majority because many more girls than boys play hotkey at j school. When the lady who had taken | witii her t-o the concrete steps three I big cushions, two little girls, and a ! case of cigarettes shouted shrilly on some momentous occasion it was notice- | able that a number of her male neigh- | bours threw silent glances at her—re- ] speetfu] sort of glances. She tinquesj tioitably knew what she was yelling : about and the precise merit of the ! play. For once she was on the box-seat j and had not to consent to be bored I about what happened at the sevenj teenth hole or how the ceutre-three-j quarter failed. The Superior Attitude Up until that time these male people I had exhibited a kind of benevolent con- ; deci.msion toward hockey. Fast game of I course; nothing faster than hockey on j ice; that time in Ottawa, etc.; but, you | know, not a national game, here anyj way; not truly robust in the All Black j manner; skill needed of course, but not | the skill demanded by that game which , I consists in putting a small ball into a j small hole with instruments not well | I adapted to the purpose, the game | whsr-h is showing signs of becoming a ! social obsession and a menace to the f ! efficiency of all business juniors. ,Fur- | tberrnore by comparison with football 'we ask you. However. "When Amazonian shrieks of excitement issued from pretty little months ; the; other sports of the condescending frame of mind had less to say. Nothings however, could put a mute on the ; tongue of the inevitable person who ;

must deliver his joke publicly. One won- i j derj if it is reallv spontaneous or thought-out in advance. (>f course some- j one had to greet the Indians as "the All Blacks." Nothing of racial prejudice was implied and the man has probably been happy over his idea ever sine?. Sitting on Concrete There were pauses in the tumult wheia one heard on the concrete steps obscurations which had no relation to the ; game. ' 'Bad thing to sit on concrete," said a gloomy soul. " Get chilled. What's the result—lumbago." j '' Didn't know that there was a man called Lumbago in the Indian team," j remarked a flippant youth. ~ "No but there will be lumbago in | your back." snapped the other. Then | with some care he described to his i friend the origin of lumbago, j Bint this is not hockey. Soon a spec- ! | tator within hearing was declaring that | ' the "little bloke" in the Indian team was a Gurkha. He couldn't be anythingj else but a Gurkha. He built his theory ; upon physical type, and wristwork that Ito him clearly indicated long practice I in -throwing the kukri. " Now I ! ber—" Hut no one was now listening. Everyone was shouting about a bit of play of exceeding great merit that few could describe in the language of ! hockey. Rather awkward this lack of! knowledge of the vocabulary. Somewhat • humiliating not to be able to reel off the incident after the game in the] terms that come so readily to the ; ton cue of the broadcaster. However : that cannot be helped. " It was a great j piece of work and fast! You wouldn't ; believe the speed of this Chand lad. | Wiisard. Does about ten seconds with | the ball bumping along ahead of the ' widdie.' " Turban and Flannels half-time an Indian wearing j flannel '"bags" and an ordinary coat j -and! a cheerio kind of turban was seen j on l:he ground. "See that there helmet," | saitl the unquenchable. " What about ! that for a model for a lady's hat in j plar-e of these saucers. 7 ' He waved a ; geiieral hand at all the lady's hats in the ground. "Nice touch about that i there helmet." It is believed that the turban .in question is worn by several j millions of subjects of the British Raj. IVhen the fifth New ZealantW was j being dealt with by the ambulance men. j one gentleman became concerned. 'Tive j Pig,islanders knocked out so far and not j an Indian. How do vou account for j that?" '

One said he cnnld not account for it unless it was doe to the fact that they had not learned the art of avoiding* bumps. The man wagged a sad head. Perhaps his memory -went back to the bra,re days of Rugby -when they had TTiiiils in goal and that sort of ferocity. Maybe he had a notion that the fern leaiFs should now '"mix it." Itefore it was nrer many were becoming a little restive, possibly in part through disappointment because the New Zealand team had been outclassed but possibly also because a thorough knowledge of all points of the game may be necessarr to hold a crowd's interest. But it was a great day for hockey—and think of the "gate." Those fascinated by the/'gate" aspect of sport had much in enjoyment in making rapid calculations. "Marvellous where the money comes from in these times. But let's hurry. I want a drink."