In ancient Ireland, Persia…Selangor, Malacca, Ipoh and Penang…

Hockey, the stick and ball game, was played in antiquity, as far back as 4,000 years ago, the origins mired in myth and fact, from ancient Ireland to the Nile Valley, to Ethiopia and Persia of old.

A form of the game, according to evidence offered by several museums, was played by Romans and Greeks and by Aztec Indians in South America well before explores from the “Old World” set foot on the “New World”.
 

A bas-relief, discovered in Athens in 1922 on a wall built about 500BC and a fresco, found inside a Pyramid in Egypt, show two men crossing sticks over a ball like how a “bully” was made before the start of the modern game.

By 1886, the game was sufficiently played in England for it to be organized with a set of rules and the Hockey Association was formed in England.

It didn’t take long for the game to make its way to Malaya, and the first formal match played was between Harris’ XI and Whitley’s XI on Nov 30, 1898 in Kuala Lumpur.

Inter-Club matches were played between Selangor and Singapore as early as 1904, and other British-dominated clubs in Malacca, Ipoh and Penang also had their matches. By the 1920s, there were more Malayans playing the game. The Federated Malay States versus Colony series was started in 1925.

Penang claim to have formed the first State Hockey Association, though all records were lost during the World War, the “memory of the old-timers” says the association took shape about the 1924-25 season.

Perak, however, were the first to officially form a State Hockey Association in October 1927, and so too Negeri Sembilan. And in Perak, the Constitution was amended in 1936 to provide for District Hockey Association. Six districts formed their Hockey Association the same year.

Records show that the game was played at the club level in 1931 by Tamilians’ Physical Cultural Association, Selangor Malays and Selangor Chinese Recreation Club in Kuala Lumpur.

The game went “international” with the visit of the Indian Olympic team in 1932. The Indians treated the local fan to a delightful display of hockey on their way to a 7-0 win over the Malayan XI.

By the 1930s, regular Inter-State matches were held. The 1939 records show that Selangor were a hot number, beating Negeri 9-0 on Nov 4, Malacca 2-0 on Nov 18 and Penang 1-0 on Dec 2.

Hockey was up and running in the country and the game was played at club and district levels nationwide by the late 30s (Taiping HA organized the first district league in the country in 1946-47) with Hockey Association having been formed in many states.

The Quadrangular hockey matches over three days were regular features of Malayan hockey and it “made possible for teams situated in the extremities of the country to meet each other in friendly matches”.

The hockey season ended with the classic North v South match. North was made up of Kedah, Penang, Perak, Pahang and Selangor while South had Negeri Sembilan, Malacca, Johor and Singapore.

In the first season – 1940-41 – North beat South 4-1 in Kuala Lumpur. When the series resumed after the War, North and South drew 0-0 in Kuala Lumpur. North either won or drew the next six in the series, with South posting their only in, by 3-2, in 1953-54 in Singapore.

History - Women

In Malaysia Women’s Hockey has come a long way since it was first played in the 1920s. Formerly, competitions were organized at Inter-Club and Inter-State level, and it was not until 1956 that it was felt the game should be put on a properly organised basis. A meeting of enthusiasts from Penang, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Singapore held in February of that year laid the groundwork of this governing body. Mrs. E. Houstoin was elected Protem Chairman and Miss Chuah Guaik Hoon was Protem Hon. Secretary.

The history of Women’s Hockey in Malaysia began with the inaugural meeting of the Pan-Malayan Women’s Hockey Association on 16th December, 1956. Mrs. V. Marsh became the first President with Miss. C. Thomasz (Vice President), Mrs. S. Sundram (Vice President), Miss Chuah Guaik Hoon (Hon. Secretary), Miss. R. Emuang (Hon. Treasurer), Mrs. M. Scully, Mrs. D. Sibert, Mrs. The Gin Sooi, Mrs. P. Chelliah, Mrs. W. Drake, and Mrs. Z. Bryant making up the first Executive Committee.

Another progressive step was taken when the Association became affiliated to the International Federation of Women’s Hockey Association in 1957. In 1961, the Association became the Malayan Women’s Hockey Association. From the original member Associations of Penang, Selangor and Perak, the Association slowly grew to include Negeri Sembilan (1962), Johore, Malacca and Singapore (1964), Sabah(1965) and Sarawak (1967).  Perak who had resigned in 1964 returned to the fold in 1967. Since 1967 the Association welcomed the membership of Pahang (1975). In keeping with political trend Singapore resigned in 1965.

Malaya made its debut on the International scene when she played host to Australia and Singapore in 1962.  This was through the initiative of Mrs. Zena Jansz, President at the time.

The Malayan Women’s Hockey Association changed its name to the Malaysian Women’s Hockey Association in keeping with political trends in 1963. The Malaysian Team made its maiden overseas tour as guest of the All-Australian Women’s Hockey Association in 1965, during which they played friendly games against various states and one Test Match against Australia.

In 1967 was the year of the International Federation of Women’s Hockey Associations Conference and Tournament in Cologne, Germany. Mrs. V. Marsh and Miss P. Navarednam were the Malaysian delegates to the Conference. The Malaysian team did not participate as finances were low. The team however played the Australian team which was enroute to the tournament. Two years later the Malaysian Women’s Hockey Association was affiliated to the All-England Women’s Hockey Association.

Another major step was taken with the staging of the 1st National Championship in Seremban in 1970 for the Tengku Budriah Trophy. Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Malacca and Sabah competed.   Since then the Championship has been played in Perak (1971), Malacca (1972), Selangor (1973), Penang (1974), Negeri Sembilan (1975), Perak (1976), Malacca (1977), Pahang (1978), Penang (1979), Negeri Sembilan (1980), Kuala Lumpur (1981) and Penang (1982).

In 1971 the Malaysian Women’s Hockey Association took part in the 10th International Federation of Women’s Hockey Association’s Conference and Tournament in New Zealand.  The team was favourably mentioned in the World Magazine in its report on the tournament. Before their departure from Malaysia the team was given its first insight into the standard of play expected when they met Germany in a match in Malacca. The team played Belgium and Singapore in the Pesta Sukan Singapore enroute to New Zealand.  The Second Malaysia XI had its share when it met the Americans in Penang after the tournament. The Malaysian Team met Ireland once again in Seremban on their return in September.

In 1972, with the setting up of the National Sports Council, women’s hockey was given a boost when the Association was recognised as the governing body of women’s hockey.  The official recognition put the Association on par with all other sports and led to its being affiliated to the Olympic Council of Malaysia 1973. In 1974 the Association turned out its first batch of women coaches who qualified at the end of the basic course held in November and in the late 1976 the Association registered its first woman umpire.

Although Malaysia had hosted foreign teams like Australia, Germany, America and Ireland and taken part in the International Federation of Women’s Hockey Association’s Tournaments. It was in 1974 was the first time that the Malaysian Women’s Hockey Association organised such a prestigious competition as the Asian Women’s Hockey Tournament with Japan, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Hong Kong and host Malaysia taking part.