Blasts from the Past: no ‘soft’ game: the start of hockey at King’s

‘The appearance of unaccustomed posts on the School field announced to the School that the agitation fostered by certain senior members had at last achieved results. Hockey is now added to the long list of Lent Term activities, to provide exercise and diversion for the ‘non-athletically’ minded and a further complication for harassed House officials. Lack of pitches at present restricts numbers, but there are hopes of expansion when the game is well-established.’ (School magazine, March 1952)

As part of the 1951 Festival of Britain, an international field hockey tournament took place at Twickenham. Not only did the England women’s team outclass their male counterparts in terms of skill, they also attracted far more supporters: around 6,000 screaming fans filled the stadium to witness the women beat Scotland 6-1. Indeed, field hockey has often been seen more as part of the development of women’s, rather than men’s, sport. Which might explain why it was abandoned as a compulsory sport at King’s not long after it was introduced in 1899 and why, when it was reinstated in 1952, the players felt the need to point out that it was ‘no “soft” game.’

In fact, one of the matches played during that first season was against Wimbledon High School. The team from King’s won. It was admitted, however, that both their defence and tackling was somewhat unorthodox, capturing more the spirit of rugby than hockey. This battle of the sexes continued for many years (even if rarely recorded in the official fixture list). As hockey became more popular at King’s, it would be the 2nd or 3rd team who would face WHS; as one former pupil recently explained to me, the skill levels were often pretty even but the boys had more speed.  

(A still from a 1956 match against WHS; video courtesy of Micky King.)

The other stand-out game in 1952 was against the Masters. Again it was a tightly-fought contest but the teachers – Miles, Loveband and Gibbs among them – managed to defend an early 2-0 lead until the end.

In those early years, the fixture list was small. By 1957, after five years, they still only played four games: Wimbledon Hockey Club, Dulwich College, Epsom College and Whitgift (a match versus the Masters also continued to be a feature of the season). With each opponent only being played once, it is not surprising that it took a while for the core skills to become embedded. Things were not helped by the weather: matches were often cancelled due to rain, snow and ice. Optimism remained, however:

‘We can produce teams whose positional and tactical play is of a very good standard, but whose individual skill in both ball and control and stickwork does not always do it justice. This is very largely a matter for individual practice and I would urge potential players to use lunch breaks and spare time after school to acquire this ability. Only by doing this will we be able to bring our game up to the level of better schools.’

It was a great help when, in 1958, hockey was introduced in the final year of the junior school. In 1961, under-16 matches were played for the first time. (A 1963 leaver, Graham Robin Clark, was chosen to play for the under-23 Ireland team.) The 1965 season was a turning point. For the first time, hockey was designated a major sport to be played throughout the Spring term, with matches played down to under-14 level.

‘Although a superficial look at the results would not suggest a successful season, such a look would be misleading. Most of the schools we play have been highly organised at a Junior level where much important instruction in technique and basic skills takes place, and it is already obvious that much good work, which will reveal itself more openly in two or three years' time at the top, is now taking place. The days when masters in charge of 1st and 2nd XI's have to instruct the fundamental skills should disappear soon, and we should be in a position to hold our own with schools that have been accustomed to beating us. Yet the process will take time and its consequences must not be judged too prematurely.’

Then, in 1977, 25 years after hockey was revived at King’s, the 1st team enjoyed its first ever unbeaten season: played 13, won 9, drawn 5, lost 0. Goals for 27, goals against 14. Happy days.

Has the recent cold snap reminded you of the Big Freeze of 1962-63? Here is a link to last year’s snow-themed Blast From the Past, in case you missed it: click here.

As ever, please do email if you have stories to share or questions about the school archive: I can be contacted at archive@kcs.org.uk. Or click here to complete a written questionnaire if you have memories you would like to submit to our Recollections of King’s project.

Dr Lucy Inglis | School Archivist