HOCKEY

Hockey

Hockey is a sport in which two teams play against each other by trying to manoeuvre a ball or a puck into the opponent’s goal using a hockey stick. There are many types of hockey such as bandy, field hockey, ice hockey and rink hockey.

In most of the world, the term hockey by itself refers to field hockey, while in Canada, the United States, Russia and most of Eastern and Northern Europe, the term usually refers to ice hockey.

The first recorded use of the word hockey is in the 1773 book “Juvenile Sports and Pastimes”, to which are prefixed, memoirs of the author: Including a New Mode of Infant Education by Richard Johnson (Pseud. Master Michel Angelo), whose chapter XI was titled “New Improvements on the Game of Hockey”.

The belief that hockey was mentioned in a 1363 proclamation by King Edward III of England is based on modern translations of the proclamation, which was originally in Latin and explicitly forbade the games “Pilam Manualem, Pedivam, & Bacularem: & ad Canibucam & Gallorum Pugnam”. The English historian and biographer John Strype did not use the word “hockey” when he translated the proclamation in 1720, instead translating “Canibucam” as “Cambuck”; this may have referred to either an early form of hockey or a game more similar to golf or croquet.

The word hockey itself is of unknown origin. One supposition is that it is a derivative of hoquet, a Middle French word for a shepherd’s stave. The curved, or “hooked” ends of the sticks used for hockey would indeed have resembled these staves. Another supposition derives from the known use of cork bungs, (stoppers) in place of wooden balls to play the game. The stoppers came from barrels containing “hock” ale, also called “hocky”. Continue reading

Hockey in Katanning

The sport has been played in Katanning, by both men and women, for over one hundred years. During those years the strength of the game has had its ups and downs. From the end of World War 11 and during the 1950’s and 60’s the women’s game was at its peak with women being named in both the state and national teams.

Two outstanding women players retire in 1954

GWENDA ROBERTSON RETIRES FROM INTER-STATE HOCKEY
Retirement at Peak of Sporting Career

Great Southern Herald
24 September, 1954

Gwenda Robertson

Gwenda Robertson, who recently was chosen as a member of the All Australian Women’s Hockey team, has decided to retire from interstate hockey. Mrs Robertson announced this last Wednesday. As reason for her retirement at the peak of her career, she gave her increasing duties as a housewife and mother of a two-years old boy.

“I shall probably not be able to give as much time to the game as I did before”, Mrs Robertson said, and consequently will not be able to maintain the standard required. Of course, it has been a difficult decision,” she added, “but I think it is the right decision”.

Mrs Robertson has represented Western Australia four times, and on six occasions she has been a member of the Katanning team in Country Week. She has played in the Katanning Women’s Hockey Association for eight years during which time she had been an outstanding player.

Mrs Robertson is married to Katanning Police Constable Ken Robertson, also an outstanding sportsman himself. Captain of the Wanderers’ Football Club, he has represented Katanning on numerous occasions, and he is the holder of four Carnival awards for Fairest and Best, one of which was for the fairest and best player of the Great Southern Football Carnival in 1952.

SELECTION WAS A SURPRISE
In an interview Mrs Robertson said that her selection for the All-Australian team came as a complete surprise. She said that it had always been one of her secret ambitions to gain the honour but that she never had expected to be selected. When the selection was announced during a dinner at Hobart after the carnival, Gwenda Robertson said, I was more than surprised and, of course, excited.

Explaining her decision, she said that her status as a housewife and mother required all her attention, and she could not afford to be away from home for a long time. I have reached that, which I always have been hoping for, since I started playing hockey and I am satisfied with what I have achieved. One cannot go higher than the top of the ladder. Mrs Robertson stressed however, that she will continue to play in the local Association. Hockey is my sport, she concluded, and I hope to carry on as long as possible, just for enjoyment.

JOYCE HAMS ALSO TO RETIRE

Great Southern Herald
24 September, 1954

Joyce Hams

Following Gwenda Robertson’s retirement from Interstate hockey, the Katanning Women’s Association’s other Inter-State player, Mrs Joyce Hams, also announced her retirement on the same grounds.

Mrs Hams, who is the mother of a 15-months old daughter, said that she will retire from the game altogether. It is a bit hard to continue playing, she said, when you have a house and a family to look after.

Mrs Hams has represented the State on three occasions, in 1948, 1949 and 1954. Starting to play hockey at the age of 16, she was a member of ten Katanning Country Week teams.

A WISE DECISION
Commenting on the retirement of the two ace hockey players, the President of the Katanning Women’s Hockey Association, Mrs R. Briant, said that she considered the decisions of both players very wise ones.

“Of course, we are very sorry to hear that they are going to give up Inter-State hockey and, in Joyce Hams’ case hockey altogether”, she said, “but once a woman is married and has a family it is better to make such a decision as her sport would take her away from home for long periods.”

The Association president stated she was glad to hear Gwenda Robertson was not giving up hockey altogether and that she would continue to play for her club, Bluebirds. “She is a wonderful sportswoman,” said Mrs Briant “and, in my opinion, no one is equal to her in disposition and sportsmanship, both on and off the field”. Mrs Briant recalled Gwenda Robertson’s outstanding capacities as the captain of the Country Week team which, this year, returned with the honours.

As President of the local association she also regretted Mrs Hams retirement, but she fully agreed with the motives of her decision. “We will certainly miss her too,” she commented, “for Joyce Hams has had a long association with local hockey and she is an experienced player who will be difficult to replace”.

Asked if the Katanning Association will be able to produce other players of the same standard as Joyce Hams and Gwenda Robertson, Mrs Briant said she held the best of hopes for the future. There were players in the Association who, with a bit more experience, could develop into Inter-State players. Everybody appreciated the credit Gwenda and Joyce had brought to both the Association and Katanning, and she considered they both would hold an honourable place in the history of local hockey.

1960 Katanning Country Week Hockey Team

Photo submitted by David Shanahan
Names submitted by Wendy Kirkby

Front – Betty Broadhurst, Norma McMahon, Ruth Tyson (Smith)
Middle – Francine Bignell (Caldwell), Margaret Atkinson, Gwenda Robinson, Jennifer Marquis, ——
Back – Merle Finlay (Whittle), Peg Hall, Irene McAuliffe, Bernice Justins (Quartermaine), Margaret Kowald (Innes)
There’s one name missing – any ideas? Email admin@lostkatanning.au

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