Victory Tour of India
To all appearances, hockey in the province has deteriorated. The Punjab was once regarded as the stronghold of hockey, but its recent failures have shifted that honour to Bengal or Bombay.
By Olympic Gold Medallist M. N. Masood
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Victory Tour of India | India had played against Punjab
once before in 1932, and the match resulted in a 2-2 draw. But this was four
years ago, and much water has since flown down the five rivers of the Punjab.
To all appearances, hockey in the province has deteriorated. The Punjab was once regarded as the stronghold of hockey, but its recent failures have shifted that honour to Bengal or Bombay. |
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arrived in Marseilles once again on 11th September at 6:45 pm, and put up in the
same hotel where we had stayed before, Hotel D’Orient. The next day we left for
the harbour after breakfast, passing some unhealthy looking houses on the way.
The ship, the S. S. Strathmore, was already moored there, and after picking our luggage with the help of the porters from a heap of luggage, we embarked for India. The number of packages had doubled or trebled during the tour, and the total number had come to about 150; Mr. Jagannath heading the list with 10 packages.
The ship sailed at lunchtime on 19th September, and we settled down for a week's complete rest. We met no rough seas and passed an enjoyable time amongst our own group; playing deck games, strolling and talking about what we had seen or achieved in the Olympic Games.
The Nawab Saheb of Pataudi, who was travelling 1st class, used to come often to our side and give us his genial company. The Maharaja of Mysore was also returning to India in our boat, but we did not see him this time nor did his staff show an inclination to join us. His Excellencies, the Governors of Bombay and Madras, and the Maharaja Kumar of Vijayanagram, were among the passengers on this big boat, weighing 22,500 tons.
A sports committee was elected, and deck games and swimming tournaments were held and fancy dress competitions were organised. Pritam Singh, dressed as a Punjabi sadhu, was very much applauded and received the first prize. In deck games, our supple physique and sure eye carried us to success after success and a number of prizes.
Port Said was reached on 22nd September in the early hours of the morning when we were sleeping, and the ship, after stopping there for two hours, sailed again. The Afghan hockey team embarked from Port Said, and widened our group by their inclusion in our activities and tete-a-tete.
On 29th September, at two in the afternoon, after an absence of three months and two days, we landed in Bombay. Our joy at seeing again the shores of India and setting our feet on her soil may better be imagined than described.
Bombay
Bombay received us at the Ballard Pier with only two of its representatives, Mr. Behram Doctor and Mr. Mukerjee, on behalf of the Bombay Hockey Association and the Bombay Olympic Association respectively.
At the railway stations in Germany, we had to be escorted by cordons of volunteers to the omnibuses for fear of being squeezed in by crowds of enthusiasts, who would only catch a glimpse of us as their reward for waiting for us an hour or so. In India, the land of our birth which shall claim us back to itself, we were welcomed by only two of her sons.
Rain came in big drops when we were landing, serving as a benevolent gesture of welcome from the heavens, and at the same time showing the citizens of Bombay the state of our feelings at being neglected.
We stayed in Hotel Green. In the evening, the German Club invited us and welcomed us in its usual warm way. Dr. Urchs, in the absence of the Consul, said, 'The best country won the title at the Games. May it win in Tokyo also.’
The next day, we were received by the Mayor of Bombay in the Town Hall. This was the first reception of its kind given to any team by the Mayor, and if Bombay did not show its recognition of our services to the country the previous day, it was not lacking in expressing it this day.
A vast crowd was already present in the Hall when we arrived there. Bouquets and praises on our achievements in flowery language were profusely showered upon us. Timepieces were also presented to each of us as a souvenir of the reception by the Bombay Corporation.
The Bombay Hockey Association invited us to a lunch at which the Mayor was also present, and 'Dhyan Chand Soup' and 'Roop Singh Pulao' were served.
India 2 – Bombay Customs 1
India played against Bombay Customs on 30th September at 5:45 pm at the Cooperage before a big crowd, and won 2-1. It had rained in torrents earlier, and the ground was heavy and a little slippery. Fast play could not, therefore, be expected.
Bombay Customs had the better of exchanges against the Indian Olympic team of 1932, the match having resulted in a goalless draw, and had enhanced its reputation this year by annexing the Aga Khan Cup and the Beighton Cup, a feat which no team has ever achieved. It now wanted to beat India and add the victory to its laurels.
India got going first with her characteristic game, dribbling and short passes, and the Bombay Customs defence soon showed signs of weakness. Dhyan dribbled Dicque and Sweeney and gave a reverse pass to Jaffar, who found the net with an angular shot.
Then, from the bully-off, Roop got possession of the ball and dribbled one after another the whole defence of Bombay Customs, including the goalkeeper, and as he was again beseiged by Sweeney and Brewin, passed the ball to Jaffar who placed it into an open goal.
It appeared at this stage as if India would finish the match with a smashing victory. But the Bombay team rose to the occasion as it always does. Its various departments began to show compactness and cohesion. Attacks on India's goal were now made, and from one of these, Milne scored with a powerful angular hit to which Allen had to duck to save his head.
At the interval, India was leading 2-1.
After the interval Bombay Customs renewed its efforts to score the equaliser. From now on, it was India which was on the defensive and the local team on the offensive. But the equaliser always slipped and Bombay Customs had to face a defeat.
The Indian team was as follows: Allen; Tapsell and Mohammad Hussain; Nimal, Cullen and Gallibardy; Shahabuddin, Jaffar, Dhyan Chand, Roop Singh and Peter Fernandes.
After the match, Mr. Jagannath and Jaffar left us for Lahore, and we left Bombay for Bangalore the same evening after dinner.
India 6 – Bangalore Hockey Association 4
We arrived in Bangalore on 2nd October at 6:00 am, and played the same evening against Bangalore Hockey Association at the Sullivan Sports Club ground.
As was expected, Bangalore gave an exhibition of fast, clever hockey on a 'bajri' ground and lived up to its reputation as a strong hockey playing centre of the country. It was never daunted by the world's champions, and dodged and dribbled in a way that players who can control the ball know how to do on fast hockey grounds.
Emmett scored the first goal for India, and Robinson equalised from a melee before the goal mouth. Dhyan Chand put his side ahead after a fine piece of dribbling, and Robinson again scored. At interval the score was 2-2.
After the resumption, Roop scored from a pass from Dhyan. Later, Gallibardy was penalised and a penalty-bully awarded to the local team was converted and put the score at 3-3.
Roop again scored from a short corner but Brewin scored for his side from a short-corner also. The score was now 4-4.
The local team then gave in, and India scored two goals through Dhyan and Roop and won the match 6-4.
The courage and determination of the local players must be appreciated, who off and on left the Olympic players guessing by their quick passes, ball control and combinations.
The Indian team was as follows: Mitchie; Phillips and Mohammad Hussain; Nimal, Cullen and Gallibardy; Ahmad Sher Khan, Emmett, Dhyan Chand, Roop Singh and Peter Fernandes.
India 5 – Madras Indians 0
We left Bangalore for Madras after dinner. We arrived in Madras on 3rd October at 6:10 am, and played in the evening against the Indians of Madras. This proved an uninteresting match, and rain spoilt whatever interest might have been left in it.
The Madras Indians showed neither spirit nor courage, and were content to finish the game with whatever result. Emmett was in good form and scored three goals, and Dhyan and Roop each netted once.
The Indian team was as follows: Allen; Tapsell and Mohammad Hussain; Nimal, Cullen and Gallibardy; Shahabuddin, Emmett, Dhyan Chand, Roop Singh and Peter Fernandes.
Before the match, we were invited to tea by the Madras Hockey Association. The Mayor of Madras was also present, and he welcomed us on behalf of the citizens of Madras.
Mr. Gupta thanked the Mayor and appreciated the services of Cullen to the team. Cullen is studying in Madras, and was its only representative in the Indian Olympic team.
India 9 – All Madras 1
India played against an All-Madras side on 4th October at 6:00 pm before a big crowd and won 9-1. It was quite interesting and sometimes even exciting to watch the play in the first twenty minutes, when both sides were playing good hockey and exchanges were more or less even.
Roop scored the first goal of the game from a short corner, and when Nainakannu put his side level also from a short corner, the fans jumped in their seats and began to have visions of the defeat of the Olympic team at the hands of their local stars, or at least a draw. Roop scored again before the interval.
After the resumption, the local side began to show weaknesses and India became more and more aggressive. Towards the close it almost collapsed, and let India play her game. Roop scored two more goals, Dhyan netted thrice and Sher Khan twice.
The Indian team was as follows: Allen; Tapsell and Mohammad Hussain; Nimal, Cullen and GaIlibardy; Ahmed Sher Khan, Shahabuddin, Dhyan Chand, Roop Singh and Peter Fernandes.
We left Madras for Delhi on 5th October by the Grand Trunk Express. At Hoshangabad, the local school band welcomed us at the station, and young school boys looked wide-eyed at our figures, dusty and begrimed.
At Bhopal, friends and relations of Ahsan and Sher, who were many, welcomed them and garlanded them profusely. Sir Joseph and Lady Bhore were also present there.
India 4 – Delhi Hockey Association 1
We arrived in Delhi on 7th October, and were welcomed and garlanded by the representatives of the Delhi Hockey Association and various local teams and clubs.
The Delhi Municipality extended to us a civic reception, an honour which it has never accorded to any of the previous Olympic teams, and the New Delhi Municipality invited us to lunch.
India played against Delhi Hockey Association on 7th October at 6:00 pm and won 4-1. The previous defeat of the Olympic team at the hands of the local champions brought a still bigger crowd to the Mori Gate ground, which appeared quite insufficient to accommodate it.
Here and there in this vast crowd, some persons must have been thinking of another unexpected defeat of the Olympic team, but it was now a contest of two teams unlike the previous one when a team was playing against a group of individuals who had never played together before.
Delhi played as well or perhaps better than on the former occasion, but it was matched against a side superior in the technique of the game. It lost the match fighting well to the end.
India scored through Peter, Dhyan and Roop. Hari scored for Delhi from a melee in front of the goal-mouth.
The Indian team was as follows: Allen; Tapsell and Mohammad Hussain; Nimal, Cullen and Gallibardy; Ahmad Sher Khan, Shahabuddin, Dhyan Chand, Roop Singh and Peter Fernandes.
The same evening we left Delhi for Lahore by the Frontier Mail.
India 2 – Punjab Hockey Association 0
We arrived on 8th October at 9:00 in the morning, and were welcomed at the station by a crowd of representatives of the Punjab Hockey Association and various teams and clubs of Lahore. Mr. Jagannath and Jaffar were also at the station to receive us.
India played her last fixture of the tour against the Punjab Hockey Association XI on 8th October at 5:30 pm before a record crowd, and won 2-0. In fact, the attendance at the match was so large that the accommodation in the ground was quite insufficient, and because the crowd could not be controlled properly, the attention of the players was constantly diverted by its noise and confusion.
India had played against Punjab Hockey Association XI once before in 1932, and the match resulted in a 2-2 draw. The Punjab Association was declared the champion association in that year after winning the inter-provincial tournament, and a drawn game against an Olympic side added another much coveted point to its already fine record.
But this was four years ago, and much water has since flown down the five rivers of Punjab. To all appearances, hockey in the province has deteriorated, as the Association finds a dearth of players of the class of Aslam, Dara or Penniger. Or, perhaps the Association itself has fallen into incapable hands and the more deserving players for selection are being neglected.
Punjab was once regarded as the stronghold of hockey, but its recent failures have shifted that honour to Bengal or Bombay.
In the present match, Punjab's victory might have been easy as it was playing against a side which was travel-and-hockey tired. We had travelled about 3,000 miles since our landing in Bombay, and it was our sixth game in nine days.
Our players were feeling the strain of travel and games -and some of them were on the injured list. Roop Singh, on account of a sprain, could not run, and was more of a spectator than a player in the field. Yet India managed to win the game without any unusual effort.
Dhyan Chand scored in the first half from a melee off a short corner, and Jaffar scored off a pass from Dhyan after the interval.
Gopal Singh scored for Punjab when the game was only a few minutes old, but the goal was disallowed for sticks. Perhaps this goal, if it had been allowed, might have put a new complexion on the game. But there are no ‘ifs or buts’ in a game.
The Indian team was as follows: Allen; Tapsell and Mohammad Hussain; Nimal, Cullen and Gallibardy; Shahabuddin, Jaffar, Dhyan Chand, Roop Singh and Peter Fernandes.
On our arrival back in Madras, at the railway station