| Twenty two players-eleven on each side-struggling | | | | Here are some interesting facts about this age old |
| with one ball to keep it under their control in which | | | | game: |
| game can you discover this situation? | | | | - Just like the cricket, hockey spread like wildfire all |
| Well, I know 99% answers will be football. Sorry, I | | | | through the British Empire and the colonies took up |
| meant Hockey. This is also a game that in most part | | | | the game with the patronization from their colonial |
| follows the same rules as football, only here the ball | | | | masters. This explains why the countries like India, |
| is played with the stick and not the feet of the | | | | Pakistan and Australia (one time British colonies) |
| players. The rest is almost same you find 11 players | | | | occupy respectable places in the world hockey map. |
| in each team that includes a Goalkeeper, Defenders, | | | | - Today, field hockey is played all over the world by |
| Midfielders and Attackers. In hockey, the goalkeeper | | | | a number of countries and this makes hockey the |
| is the only player on the field who is allowed to use | | | | second largest team sport in the world, after football. |
| the feet and hands as well as the stick. | | | | - The first Men's international Hockey match was held |
| Today, hockey is played all over the world. But there | | | | between England and Ireland on March 1895 at |
| are not too many countries in the world where | | | | Richmond Hockey Club. England team emerged as |
| hockey is hugely popular. England is among those few | | | | the winner making a 5-0 score. |
| countries where hockey is played with great | | | | - The first official women's international hockey |
| enthusiasm. This is only natural as the British Empire is | | | | match took place in Dublin on 2nd March 1896. This |
| the birth place of modern hockey. Though the | | | | time also there were two traditional contenders |
| genesis of hockey may be traced back in a few | | | | England on one side and Ireland on the other. But this |
| ancient civilizations of the world, it was not until mid | | | | time luck was with the opposite side with the |
| 1800's that this game was revived and added with | | | | Emerald Isle winning the match by 2-0 score. |
| modern features in England. At first hockey kicked | | | | - Men's hockey was first introduced in the London |
| off as an alternative to football to keep the | | | | Olympics in the year, 1908. But it took seventy two |
| cricketers busy during the season of winter. Still in | | | | more years to include the women's hockey in the |
| England, the hockey season continues from | | | | Olympics; women's game was introduced to the |
| September to May. | | | | Olympics as late as in1980. |