Q1. What is Hockey?
A team game played with Eleven members (10+1 goal keeper) playing with a curved (at the front) stick in hand and a ball, the ball to be dribbled and passed through the opponents and pushed into a goal. It is also called Field Hockey.
Q2. What is the field size?
A rectangular field in the size of 100 yards / 91.4 mtr x 60 yards / 55 mtr - covered with grass or Astroturf (a synthetic material).It is believed that the game has originated from Germany.
Q3. What is the size of the stick?
Length 90 cm long with an inward curve - 25mm - at the playing end. The curve is called bow or rake.
Q4. What is the size of the ball?
weight 156-163 gms; circumference - 224-235mm.
Q5. What is the size of the goal cage?
Distance between goal posts: 4 yards / 12 feet / 3.66 mtrs. Height - 7 ft / 2.13 mtr from the ground.
Q6. What is the precondition for scoring a goal in field hockey?
The goal has to be scored from within the area marked as "D"
Q7. What is a "D" in the field of hockey?
A semicircle drawn from 16 yards from each goal post.
Q8. What is the penalty corner?
A foul or any other illegal play committed by a defending player, considered to be fit enough to be awarded to the attacking team. When it is awarded, the ball is placed at a marked place on the goal line (about half way from goal post and the long corner) and pushed within the 'D' by the attacking team (undisturbed till it is pushed) to their players for scoring a goal. Once the ball is pushed from the goal line, the defending team can move in to defend, already standing along the goal keeper and push the ball out side the 'D'. The spot for taking the penalty corner (also called short corner) is fixed at 10 mm from both goal posts on the goal lines.
Q9. Where is the spot for penalty is fixed?
Penalty is awarded only when a serious offence is committed within the 'D'. The penalty spot is fixed at 7 yards from the centre of the goal posts, in front of the goal line.
Q10. When was the hockey first played in India?
In 1885 at Kolkata.
Q11. When was hockey first introduced in Olympics?
From 1908 London Olympics.
Q12. When was Indian Hockey Federation started?
1928 at Gwalior.
Q13. When was the International Hockey Federation started?
07.01.1924, IHF started and headquarters at Lusanne, Switzerland.
Q14. What are the terminologies used in field hockey?
FREE HIT : Hitting the ball from a spot within the playing field excepting the "D" awarded for a foul or illegal play.
DRIBBLE: Taking the ahead past a single or more players through body or stick maneuvers.
PUSH: More like a free hit, but without much force, from an awarded spot or while on play.
FLICK/SCOOP: From a spot, with the stick, sending the ball at higher levels.
DRIVE; A forceful stroke along the ground.
DRAG FLICK: Mainly used within penalty corners involving two main components - the scoop and the flick.
Q15. When did India participate for the first time in Olympics?
1928 - Amsterdam - won the gold by scoring 29 goals in all.In the final, Indian won against Netherlands 3-0.
Q16. What are India's major achievements in field hockey?
Olympics - 1928 - 1956 continuously for 6 times. Then in 1964 and 1980. World Cup - 1975.
Q17. What are the major tournaments in Hockey?
OLYMPIC: Once in 4 years introduced from 1908 Olympics.
WORLD CUP : Once in 4 years started from 1971.
COMMONWEALTH GAMES : Introduced in 1998 at the Kuala Lumpur Games and held once in 4 years.
CHAMPIONS CHALLENGE :From 2001 Once in 2 years for teams ranked 7 to 12 in the world.
CHAMPIONS TROPHY:1980 for men and 1987 for women. Every year for teams ranked 1 to 6 in the world.
SULTAN AZLAN SHAH TROPHY : Started in 1983. Held in Malaysia annually.
ASIAN GAMES: 1958 - Tokyo Games.
Q18. Who holds the record for maximum number of goals in field hockey?
Sohail Abbas of Pakistan with 267 international goals. He is the world's famous penalty corner specialist.
Q19. Which towns in India and Pakistan are considered to be the cradle of Hokey?
Sansarpur in Punjab, India. Gojra in Punjab province of Pakistan.
Q20. Which is the world's oldest hockey tournament?
Beighton Cup: The cup was presented by T.D.Beighton, Legal remembrancer, Government of Bengal, British India. The tournament started in 1895.
Q21. What is the unique record, the famous Indian Hockey player, Shri Dhanraj Pillai has?
The only Indian to play in four (4) Olympics, World Cup, Champions Trophy and Asian Games each.
Q22. How India has fared in Hockey Olympics?
1928 Amsterdam, Holland Gold
1932 Los Angeles, USA Gold
1936 Berlin, Germany Gold
1948 London, UK Gold
1952 Helsinki Gold
1956 Melbourne, Australia Gold
1960 Rome, Italy Silver
1964 Tokyo, Japan Gold
1968 Mexico Bronze
1972 Munich Bronze
1980 Moscow, Russia Gold
Thereafter India is yet to find the podium finish.
Q23. Indian's first ever gold medal in hockey was in 1928 by beating which country?
Holland 3-0.
Q24. Who holds the record for the most number of international matches?
Dilip Tirkey 404 international matches for India (as of 12.04.2009)
Q25. From which Olympics, India's supremacy in hockey, began its downward trend?
1960 - Rome.
Q26. When did India won its last gold in Hockey?
1980 - Moscow, Russia. V. Bhaskaran was the captain of the team.
