1886-01-18 Modern field hockey is born with the formation of The Hockey Association in England
1948-08-12 Indian maestro Balbir Singh Dosanjh scores twice as India beats Great Britain 4-0 for the field hockey gold medal at the London Olympics; India's 4th consecutive Olympic hockey title
1956-12-06 Randhir Singh Gentle scores the winner as India beats Pakistan, 1-0 in the Melbourne Olympics field hockey final to win it's 6th consecutive gold medal in the sport
1960-09-09 Pakistan ends India's run of 6 consecutive Olympic field hockey gold medals with a 1-0 win over their sub-continent rivals at the Rome Games
1968-10-25 Longest Olympic field hockey game, The Netherlands beats Spain 1-0 in 2h25m (6 OT)
1972-09-10 West Germany beats Pakistan 1-0 to become first European nation since 1920 to win the field hockey Olympic title; marred by disgraceful behaviour of Pakistani players, fans & officials after losing the Munich final
1973-09-02 Netherlands win their first men’s hockey World Cup, 4-2 on penalties over India in Amstelveen, Netherlands
1992-08-08 Germany goes through the field hockey competition undefeated to win gold with a 2-1 win over Australia in the men's final at the Barcelona Olympics
2004-08-26 Germany wins its first ever Olympic women's field hockey gold medal with a 2-1 win against the Netherlands in Athens
2004-08-27 Australia wins its first ever Olympic men's field hockey gold medal with a 2-1 win a.e.t. against the Netherlands in Athens
2016-08-19 Great Britain upsets the heavily favoured Netherlands to win the women's field hockey gold medal at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics after drawing 3-3 in regulation time; win dramatic penalty shootout, 2-0
Birthdays in Sport
1892-07-22 Jack MacBryan, English cricket batsman (1 Test; Cambridge University CC, Somerset CCC) and field hockey player (Olympic gold GB & Ireland 1920), born in Box, England (d. 1983)
1902-06-04 Richard Allen, Indian field hockey goalkeeper (Olympic gold 1928), born in Nagpur, India (d. 1969)
1904-09-09 Feroze Khan, Pakistani field hockey player (d. 2005)
1905-08-29 Dhyan Chand, Indian field hockey player (Olympic gold 1928, 1932, 1936; birthday 29/8 celebrated as India's National Sports Day), born in Allahabad, India (d. 1979)
1920-03-15 Ranganandhan Francis, Indian field hockey goalkeeper (Olympic gold 1948, 52, 56), born in Rangoon, Myanmar (d. 1975)
1922-06-01 Lala Abdul Rashid, Pakistani field hockey goalkeeper (Olympic gold 1960), born in Rawalpindi, Pakistan (d. 1988)
1925-01-18 Roepie Kruize, Dutch field hockey player (Olympic bronze, 1948/silver 1952), born in Heemstede, Netherlands (d. 1992)
1927-03-25 Leslie Claudius, Indian field hockey (Olympic gold 1948, 52, 56), born in Bilaspur, India (d. 2012)
1928-08-04 Udham Singh, India, field hockey player (Olympic gold 1952, 56, 64), born in Sansarpur, India (d. 2000)
1929-10-19 Balbir Singh Snr., Indian field hockey centre forward (Olympic gold 1948, 52, 56) and coach (World Cup gold 1975), born in Haripur Khalsa, India (d. 2020)
1931-02-03 Charanjit Singh, Indian field hockey captain (Olympic gold 1964, silver 1960), born in Una, Himachal Pradesh, India (d. 2022)
1932-10-26 Chinadorai Deshmutu, Indian field hockey player (1952 Olympics)
1939-09-08 Carsten Keller, German field hockey player (Olympic gold 1972), born in Berlin
1941-02-26 Keith Thomson, New Zealand cricket batsman (2 Tests, 1 x 50; Canterbury) and field hockey centre-half (28 Tests; Canterbury), born in Methven, New Zealand (d. 2023)
1941-05-01 Brian Glencross, Australian field hockey defender (93 caps; Olympic bronze 1964, silver 1968) and coach (Australia women Olympic gold 1988; Champions Trophy 1989, 91), born in Narrogin, Australia (d. 2022)
1944-11-20 Anthea Stewart, Zimbabwean field hockey coach and player (Olympic gold 1980), born in Blantyre, Nyasaland
1946-10-04 André Bolhuis, Dutch field hockey player, coach and administrator (World Cup gold 1973; president Dutch Field Hockey Federation; chairman Dutch Olympic Committee), born in Zeist, Netherlands
1947-11-09 Paul Litjens, Dutch field hockey striker (177 caps, 268 goals; Champions Trophy 1981; top scorer Olympic Games 1976), born in Loon op Zand, Netherlands (d. 2023)
1949-05-15 Wendy Pritchard, Australian women's field hockey team manager (Olympic gold - 1996 & 2000), born in Busselton, Western Australia
1950-08-24 Frank Murray, Australian field hockey national coach (Olympic silver 1992, 96)
1951-08-13 Gwen Cheeseman, American field hockey goalie (Olympic bronze, 1984), born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
1951-11-13 Beth Anders, American field hockey sweeper (Olympic bronze 1984), born in Norristown, Pennsylvania
1952-02-06 Ric Charlsworth, Australian field hockey coach (Olympic gold women 1996, 2000; Champion's Trophy gold 1993, 95, 97, 99; World Cup gold 1994, 98) and midfielder (World Cup gold 1986, Olympic silver 1976), born in Perth, Australia
1955-05-21 Paul Barber, British field hockey player
1955-10-15 Kulbir Bhaura, British field hockey player (Olympic gold 1988), born in Jalandhar, Punjab, India
1957-06-03 Horst-Ulrich Hänel, German field hockey player, born in Plau am See, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
1958-10-28 Manzoor Hussain, Pakistani field hockey striker (Olympic gold 1986; World Cup gold 1978, 82; 175 caps, 86 goals), born in Sialkot, Pakistan (d. 2022)
1959-01-23 Sandra Pisani, Australian field hockey captain (Olympic gold 1988), born in Adelaide, Australia (d. 2022)
1959-12-25 Chris Spice, Australian field hockey coach (Australian assistant Olympics women's gold 1996; World Cup gold 1994; swimming: British Performance Director Olympics 2016, 20), born in Brisbane, Australia
1960-01-29 Sean Kerly, English field hockey forward (Olympic gold 1988, bronze 1984) and broadcaster, born in Whistable, England
1961-02-01 Volker Fried, German field hockey player (Olympic gold 1992; silver 1984, 88; 290 caps), born in Osnabrück, Niedersachsen, Germany
1961-08-03 Ken Wark, Australian field hockey fullback (Olympic 4th/silver-88, 92, 96), born in Sydney, Australia
1961-10-09 Arlene Boxall, Zimbabwean field hockey player (Olympic gold 1980)
1962-02-12 Jimmy Kirkwood, Irish-born field hockey player, born in Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
1962-03-13 Liane Tooth, Australian field hockey defender (Olympic gold 1988, 96; Champions Trophy gold 1991, 93), born in Sydney, Australia
1962-11-28 Karen Marsden, Australian field hockey goalie (Olympic gold 1996; World Cup gold 1994; Champions Trophy gold 1993), born in Perth, Australia
1963-01-24 Martyn Grimley, English field hockey player, born in Halifax, United Kingdom
1964-04-28 Mark Hager, Australian field hockey forward/capt (Olympic 4th 1988, 96)
1964-10-29 Jackie Pereira, Australian field hockey striker (Olympic gold 1988, 96; World Cup gold 1994; Champions Trophy gold 1991, 93, 95), born in Perth, Australia
1966-08-26 Jacques Brinkman, Dutch field hockey player
1967-04-11 Lachlan Dreher, Australian field hockey goal keeper (Champions Trophy gold 1999; Olympic silver 1992, bronze 2000), born in Melbourne, Australia
1967-05-30 Rechelle Hawkes, Australian field hockey midfielder & captain (Olympic gold 1988, 1996, 2000; World Cup gold 1994, 98; Champions Trophy gold 1991, 93, 95, 97, 99), born in Albany, Australia
1967-10-16 Michael York, Australian field hockey fullback (Olympic silver 1992, 96)
1968-08-09 Jay Stacy, Australian field hockey midfielder (Olympic 4th/silver-88, 92, 96)
1969-05-31 Juliet Haslam, Australian field hockey midfielder (Olympic gold 1996, 2000; World Cup gold 1994, 98; Champions Trophy gold 1991, 93, 95, 97, 99), born in Adelaide, Australia
1969-06-07 Lachlan Elmer, Australian field hockey halfback (Olympic silver 1992, 96)
1969-10-12 Alison Peek, Australian field hockey halfback and midfielder (Olympics gold 2000), born in Adelaide, South Australia
1970-03-16 Kelli James, American field hockey forward (Olympics, 1996), born in Medford, New Jersey
1970-05-01 Damon Diletti, Australian field hockey goal keeper (Olympic silver 1992; Champions Trophy gold 1999), born in Perth, West Australia
1970-06-19 Claire Mitchell-Taverner, Australian field hockey midfielder (Olympic gold 2000), born in Melbourne, Australia
1970-07-08 Lisa Powell, Australian field hockey forward (Olympic gold 1996, 2000; World Cup gold 1994, 98; Champions Trophy gold x 5), born in Sydney, Australia
1971-02-25 Nova Peris, Australian field hockey halfback (Olympic gold 1996; World Cup gold 1994; Champions Trophy gold 1993, 95) and Senator for the NT (2013–16), born in Darwin, Australia
1971-09-18 Kate Starre, Australian field hockey utility (Olympic gold 1996, 2000; World Cup gold 1994, 98; Champions Trophy gold 1991, 93, 95, 97), born in Armadale, Australia
1971-11-19 Michelle Andrews, Australian field hockey midfielder (Olympic gold 1996; World Cup gold 1994; Champions Trophy gold 1993, 95, 97, 99), born in Newcastle, Australia
1972-03-14 Clover Maitland, Australian field hockey goal keeper (Olympic gold 1996, 2000; World Cup gold 1998; Champions Trophy gold 1995, 97, 99), born in Maryborough, Australia
1972-04-08 Katrina Powell, Australian field hockey striker (252 caps; Olympic gold 1996, 2000; World Cup gold 1998; Champions Trophy gold 1997, 99, 2003) and coach (Australia women), born in Canberra Australia
1972-05-30 Renita Farrell, Australian field hockey midfielder (Olympic Gold 1996, 2000), born in Townsville, Queensland
1972-09-01 Louise Dobson, Australian field hockey fullback (Olympic gold 1996; Champions Trophy gold 1997, 99, 2003), born in Shepparton, Australia
1972-09-20 Jenn Morris, Australian field hockey fullback (Olympic gold 1996, 2000; World Cup gold 1994; Champions Trophy gold 1993, 95, 97), born in Maryborough, Australia
1973-06-21 Alyson Annan, Australian field hockey striker (Olympic gold 1996, 2000; World Cup gold 1994, 98) and coach (Netherlands 2015-22), born in Sydney, Australia
1974-02-04 Mijntje Donners, Dutch field hockey forward (International Player of the Year, 2003; Olympics, 1996, 2000, 2004), born in 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands
1974-02-28 Katie Allen, Australian field hockey utility back (Olympic gold 2000; World Cup gold 1994; Champions Trophy gold 1995, 97, 2003), born in Adelaide, Australia
1975-03-04 Myrna Veenstra, Dutch field hockey player
1975-05-29 Bianca Langham, Australian field hockey player (Olympic-96)
1975-08-12 Paul Gaudoin, Australian field hockey halfback (Champions Trophy gold 1999; Olympic bronze 1996, 2000) and coach (Australian women's team 2016-21), born in Perth, Australia
1976-03-04 Thierry Renaer, Belgian field hockey player
1976-07-06 Nikki Mott, Australian field hockey forward (Olympic gold 2000; World Cup gold 1998; Champions Trophy gold 1995, 97, 99), born in Rockhampton, Australia
1979-01-30 Karen Smith, Australian field hockey midfielder (World Cup gold 1998; Champions Trophy gold 1997, 99, 2003; Commonwealth Games gold 2006), born in Toowoomba, Australia
Deaths in Sport
1975-12-01 Ranganandhan Francis, Indian field hockey goalkeeper (Olympic gold 1948, 52, 56), dies at 55
1979-12-03 Dhyan Chand, Indian field hockey player (Olympic gold 1928, 1932, 1936; birthday 29/8 celebrated as India's National Sports Day), dies at 74
1983-07-14 Jack MacBryan, English cricket batsman (1 Test; Cambridge University CC, Somerset CCC) and field hockey player (Olympic gold GB & Ireland 1920), dies at 90
1988-03-08 Lala Abdul Rashid, Pakistani field hockey goalkeeper (Olympic gold 1960), dies at 65
1992-02-14 Roepie Kruize, Dutch field hockey player (Olympic bronze, 1948 & silver, 1952), dies at 67
2020-05-25 Balbir Singh Snr., Indian field hockey centre forward (Olympic gold 1948, 52, 56) and coach (World Cup gold 1975), dies at 96
2022-01-27 Charanjit Singh, Indian field hockey captain (Olympic gold 1964, silver 1960), dies from a heart attack at 90
2022-04-19 Sandra Pisani, Australian field hockey captain (Olympic gold 1988), dies from cancer at 63
2022-08-28 Manzoor Hussain, Pakistani field hockey striker (Olympic gold 1986; World Cup gold 1978, 82; 175 caps, 86 goals), dies at 63
2022-12-30 Brian Glencross, Australian field hockey defender (93 caps; Olympic bronze 1964, silver 1968) and coach (Australia women Olympic gold 1988; Champions Trophy 1989, 91), dies of neurological disease at 81
2023-01-26 Keith Thomson, New Zealand cricket batsman (2 Tests, 1 x 50; Canterbury) and field hockey centre-half (28 Tests; Canterbury), dies at 81
2023-12-13 Paul Litjens, Dutch field hockey striker (177 caps, 268 goals; Champions Trophy 1981; top scorer Olympic Games 1976), dies at 76