HOCKEY BENGAL Everyone is invited to come and watch the final day of the Premier Hockey League 2021 at East Bengal Club ground, Maidan, Kolkata on Thursday, the 18the March 2021. 15.30 P.M:  CESC vs PUNJAB SPORTS. The last match will be played under floodlights from 17.30 PM EAST BENGAL vs E.R.S.A

HISTORY OF CALCUTTA HOCKEY LEAGUE

By K. ARUMUGAM, Editor

Rivers flowing over the mighty Himalayas are older than the Himalayas themselves! Geologists call the phenomenon as ‘antecedent’.

Similarly, the ongoing Calcutta Hockey League is antecedent to its organizing body, Bengal Hockey Association (BHA), recently renamed ‘Hockey Bengal’.

To put the matters straight, the Calcutta Hockey League was put on board in 1905, the BHA was formed three years later.

On the eve of the last match of the Calcutta Hockey League 2021 is to be held today, its worthwhile to remember that the League is the oldest in India.

The Bombay Hockey League was started in 1946, that is, a good four decades after Calcutta Hockey League! We needn’t say more to portray the historical significance of the Calcutta Hockey League.

Bombay Hockey League was started in 1946, that is, a quite four decades after Calcutta Hockey League! Nothing more needed to portray the historical significance of the Calcutta Hockey League.

Within a decade of its formation, the Calcutta Hockey League branched out. Each variant offered needy scope for teams thereby enlarging the hockey playing fraternity in the historical city.

Milestones: 2nd Division came in to being in 1907, 3rd Division: 1920, 4th Division: 1932, then another off-shoot to 2nd Division B: 1933. Nomenclature saw heavy dose of metamorphism in the later days.

Well known Olympians Inam-ur-Rahman just scoring a goal against East Bengal

The inaugural Calcutta Hockey League was won by BE College, Sibpur. The famous educational institution then on went on to win the year’s Beighton Cup too. The college retained the honour next year too before fading into smaller ranks till it regained its prestige 13 years later in 1920. Meanwhile, the teams from Calcutta Customs, legendary Rangers Xaverians and Port Commissioner started asserting their presence at the top ladder.

It was in 1935 the league got further boost when famous football outfit of the city, Mohun Bagan won the League title in 1935. It was a landmark victory.

Then the title was often won by Mohun Bagan (1951, 1952, 1955-’58) before their rivals Mohd. Sporting (1959) and East Bengal (1960) came into top rungs, reflecting the growth and popularity of the League. The Gates turned out to be the main revenue earner for the BHA.

East Bengal made hat-trick of titles (1962-1964) but as years went by it even opted out of the League. It was a heartening matter that the Club fielded its team this year, breaking an heartbreaking hiatus of 19 years!

We reserve the whole look at the CHL for an another occasion. Suffice to say it grew and had a roller coaster ride in the last five decades. That it survived and is vibrant and kicking is a matter of satisfaction considering the dismal state of Indian domestic scenario.

The League engagements (2020) could not be concluded for the last season owing to COVID-19 disruption.

This year the Calcutta Hockey League was played in a different format; for instance, the Super Division teams first played a preliminary round before qualifying for the Premier phase. Re-entry of East Bengal brings a whiff of fresh air.

Kudos to the current set of officials, who, like their predecessors, could keep the flame afire despite facing numerous odds.

Display Pic caption: Mohun Bagan’s Joginder Singh attempting to score against Aryans, circa 1960s

Pictures: K. Arumugam collection