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Chinadaily.com.cn sharing the Olympic spirit
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Hockey
(Olympic.org)
Updated: 2006-08-19 21:20
 Olympic sport since 1908
Hockey is the oldest known ball and stick game. Records exist of it having been played in Persia in 2000 BC. The name hockey probably derives from the French hocquet, or shepherd’s crook, and refers to the crooked stick which is used to hit a small ball.
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| China's Yi Bo Ma (R), and Silke Mueller of Germany fight for the ball during their Champions Trophy Women's Field Hockey Tournament final match in Amstelveen, the Netherlands, July 16 2006. [Reuters] |
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The game became more organised late in the 19th century and became an Olympic sport in 1908. Until the 1970s, the game at international level was mainly played on natural grass, but has become an even more exciting and Skilful India dominated the sport for three decades, winning all six Olympic gold medals and 30 consecutive games from 1928 to 1956.
The first Balbir Singh, who was followed by four more players of the same name who also played for victorious Indian teams, scored five goals in a 6-1 gold-medal victory over the Netherlands in Helsinki in 1952.
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