Hockey has a very old history. From the obscurities of the primitive form in which it was played hundreds of years ago it passed through different stages to attain its present form. This very popular field game originated in Persia, though the persian game shows little resemblance to the hockey played today. A form of hockey was played in Britain. In America a stick game was played by the Indian tribes for 5 hundred years, the ball being usually made of wood or deer skin and the stick some times a dear leg. In Ireland, the game of Harley was a primitive type of hockey; as were shinty in Scotland and bandy in England and Wales. The modern game dates from the middle of the 19th century and it was taken up seriously by England. Gradually the game developed and from England it spread to other parts of the world. The combined India took a fancy to it and in a very short time it became very popular. The technique suited to the Indians and Pakistanis.

Hockey was included for first time at the IV Olympic Games in London in 1908. Only six teams entered - the four United Kingdom countries besides France and Germany. The first-ever Olympic Hockey match was played on October 29, 1908 between Scotland and Germany. Scotland won 4-0 and the honour of scoring the first Olympic goal went to inside-left Ian Laning. England had a very strong team and won the gold medal.

It was 12 years before hockey was again included in the Olympics. There was insufficient support for the game for the 1912 Stockholm Games and the 1916 Berlin Olympics were cancelled because of the First World War. In 1920, the Olympics were renewed in Antwerp and only four countries -England, Belgium, Denmark and France entered the hockey tournament. England won the gold medal again. Denmark placed second ahead of Belgium.

Four years later in Paris, hockey was again omitted from the Olympics because of limited support but interest in the game was growing fast and it was clear that some sort of international body was necessary to unite the sport and to be responsible for the organisation of Olympic Hockey Tournaments. It was on the incentive of a Frenchman. Paul Leautey that the Federation International de Hockey (F.I.H.) was founded on January 7, 1924. The foundation of the Federation meant that hockey had come to stay at the Olympics.

In 1928, Olympic Games were held at Amsterdam and 14 countries entered the hockey tournament including India for the first time. In their very first appearance the Indians made a great impression and reached the final where they defeated Holland 3-0.

The world, America in particular, was at the height of financial depression when the Xth Olympic Games were held at Los Angeles in 1932. Country after country withdrew until only three hockey teams were left, India, Japan and the hosts. India had a very strong team and whipped Japan 11-1 & U.S.A. 24-1.

The 1936 Olympic Games were held in Berlin. Twelve countries participated. India and Germany met in the final and India won 8-1.

The Second World War put a stop to the 1940 Olympics which were due to be held at Tokyo. It was not until 1948 that the world's greatest sportsmen came together again in blitz-damaged London. In the meantime a new nation had emerged on the map of the world, that was Pakistan and she, took part in the London Olympics for the first time. It must be pointed out here that the Indian teams which won-the Olympic titles in 1928,1932 and 1936 were from a United India and those territories which now comprise Pakistan supplied a considerable proportion of players. In this connection players like Jaffar, Feroze Khan, Lal Shah Bokhari, Masud Minhas and Dara come to one's mind easily. The glories of those early victories must, therefore, be shared in equal measures by Pakistan and India.