INDIAN SPORTSMEN.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 July 1926, Page 3

INDIAN SPORTSMEN.

THE HOCKEY PLAYERS

(By Brigadicr-Geneitil A. T. Anderson).

Tiro Indian hockey players who are to arrive in Sydney shortly have 1 ad an extraordinarily successful tour in New Zealand, where they have won 16 cut of the 17 matches which they played, the seventeenth being a- draw. In most eases they inflicted crushing dele,ats on their opponents, as may be judged from tire fact that they scored a total of 166 goals, while only 18 were score against them. It will be remembered, too, that they gave our local army team a decisive beating before they left -Sydney for New Zealand. The match between this redoubtable team and N.S.W., which ’is to be played on July 24, on tho No. 2 Cricket Ground, should be well worth seeing. The New South Wales' team is a particularly strong one, and should give a very good account of itself whatever happens. If our men win it will bo a famous victory; if they lose, well, after all, these Indians ai'e selected out of an -.irniv of 70,000 soldiers, and that army is selected from a population of over 300.000,000, so that we need not he ashamed of falling before so formidable a combination. The visit of the Indian players to Sydney gives us, in a small way, an object lesson of one ,nt least of file blessings which the Rax Brittnniea has brought to the vast country which they represent. From the names of tlio players I see that two at least are Sikhs, one a PntTian from across the frontier, and others liotn Hindus and Mahomniedans, and we might well vr ndor at the beneficent influence that has brought into the close comradeship of sport men of faiths so divergent and so mutually hostile. Actually there is no place for wonder, for every one who knows India knows that for many years past this friendly feeling lias existed between Indian soldiers of every rl’.ce and creed, so long as they have been brought together under tbo guidance and leadership of their British officers. It is often said, arid there is probably some truth in the assertion, that the British people devote too much of their energy and attention to sport, cut thcro can bo no doubt that sport is a great influence for peace, and it would bo difficult to over-estimate the part that lias been played in India by such games as ‘polo, football, and hockey—games which join in friendly partnership, or equally friendly rivalry, men whoso whole nature and tradition it is to regard each other with suspicion .and hostility. POLO AND HOCKEY.

Polo is an ancient game, which wo ourselves originally learnt from India, and football, under association rules, found its way to that country very shortly after the Mutiny, and soon became popular among tbo sepoys of the Indian army. Hockey, however, is a more recent sport, and 1 remember its introduction to the East ponio thirty years ago. It was very difficult in those days to persuad tile native players to wear boots! they even played football with bare feet) but they were so quick and agile that their unprotected feet and ankles rarely seemed to suffer any injury from the lioekcY sticks. Then, as now, the regimental teams showed tho greatest keenness and enthusiasm for the game, and the interest displayed at an inter-regimen-tal match was a sight- to remember. The officers, N.G.O.’s and sepoys of each regiment would turn up en masse, and give way to a delirious excitement compared with which even the scene at our G.P.S. lamb races fades into insignificance, but I can never remember any unpleasant incident or unsportsmanlike behaviour. One of the most stirring things I have ever seen v|is the match of the* 15th Sikhs :rom tlio top of the Mafakand Pass to the plain below, on their way to watch a hockey match between their team and one drawn from our two Mountain batteries. It was not a. parade-, and the men were not in uniform—the Indian soldiers discards his uniform when off duty—but the whole battalion put themselves into “fours,” and swung down the hill singing with all tho strength of their lung an old arid well-known Indian song called “Zakhmi Dil.” Tlio tune is one of tho very few Indian airs thht a Eurcopean ear can understand. Zakhmi dil means “tho wounded heart,” but anything less suggestive of a wounded heart than tho boisterous melody as sung that day could hardly be imagined. The effect was tremendous, overwhelm-

ing. Whether we won or they, I hyive long since forgotten, but I do remember"' taking one of mv .opponents, _ a splendid and dignified Sikh officer, into the mess after the game for a little refresher. His caste rules would not allow him to touch an infidel tumbler with his lins, but he got over the difficulty by throwing his head hack, and pouring the neat whisky from above into his op o n mouth. Only a Sikh. 1 think, could have performed this noroHitic feat, with dignitv. but it is impassible to think of a Sikh as undignified or vulgar.