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Hockey Rules as played in 1952(Thanks to Neil Crockford for these gems)A bully to start the game A bully on the 25 when the ball went over the goal line off an attacker's stick (The introduction of the 16 yard hit was probably the only rule change in the last 50 years to benefit the defence) A penalty bully for a deliberate foul in the circle (This was a private duel between an attacker and the player committing the offence. It began with a bully a bit further out than the present penalty spot and went on until either - a goal was scored or - the ball went out of the circle. For a foul by the defender during the penalty bully a penalty goal was awarded. If the attacker fouled, the penalty bully began again.) 6 defenders behind the goal line for a penalty corner. All the defending side behind the goal line for a long corner. (An alternation of long and short corners could thus have the defending team's forwards doing a rapid succession of 50 yard sprints) The ball rolled in by hand when it went over the side line, with all players except the roller-in behind a broken line 7 yards in. Offside at the halfway line with 3 players having to be between the attacker and the goal line. (Attacking sides therefore regularly had one of their full backs in the opponents' half) A hand stop permissible at any time by any player, provided the ball fell vertically from the hand. Technically permissible to stop the ball dead with the hand on the ground, although the only time this was normally done was at a short corner. No raising the stick above the shoulders when playing the ball. Rigid interpretation of the obstruction rule. (Among other things, this meant that any back pass was almost certainly a foul) Goalkeepers' normal protective gear was box, pads and kickers only. Our college goalkeeper was regarded as more eccentric than most goalies because he wore a motor cycle helmet - but he had fractured his skull playing cricket the previous year. And of course most of us used the long-headed stick (which meant that the shaft of the stick was normally held at 45 degrees to the ground) Reverse stick play with that weapon was a real skill. The abolition of most of these things has had little real effect on the game - players adjust their methods and tactics to the changes very quickly. The old 3 man offside rule didn't prevent me scoring a lot of goals as a young center forward, any more than the abolition of the offside rule prevents me stopping quite a few as an old goalkeeper. The two modifications which have really changed the game by upsetting the balance between defence and attack are the move to artificial surfaces, which reduces the skill involved in stopping and controlling the ball and therefore favours the player in possession, and the watering-down of the obstruction rule, which again loads the dice against the defender. I suspect that only spectators find a 6-5 scoreline exciting (though in my view hockey always was and will be a lousy spectator sport). |