Hockey is the famous sport of world, which played by two opponent teams with a curved stick and a ball. Hockey is outdoor game which is played by 11 players in each team and it has two teams. Hockey is one of the ancient sport of world, there are many evidences found during discovery of ancient Egypt about Hockey, which was near about 4000 years old. That time the game was being played between warriors; sometimes for victory of kingdom and sometimes just for fun. In India the British Empire made this game popular. At any time Hockey was the National game of India. But now it is just like any other sport. Hockey includes three types of variation of Hockey- Bandy hockey, Ice hockey and Field Hockey.
The word Hockey is still unknown, but experts say that the shape of Hockey stick is like curved hook, thats why the games name is considered as Hockey. Many of evidences found which proofs that Hockey is not a new game, but actually very old, the ball and sticks made with horns have been found in discovery. One can still watch this in museum of Athens and Greece.
If we talk about Indian Hockey then Calcutta is the first center of Hockey, and here the first club was build up in 1885. And after came up in Punjab and Mumbai. Many times India has won the gold medal in Hockey, and made Our Country proud. In 1928, Indian Hockey team which was the first Non European team had won the gold medal, which was first Olympic gold medal of India, and after that India won many gold medals one by one. Thats why Hockey is considered as National game of India, but officially it is not announced.
Hockey is considered as national game of India, and there are many reasons behind it, hockey has some variations like Field Hockey, Ice Hockey and Bandy Hockey, Roller skates Hockey. Field Hockey is considered as National Game of India, which is played by two teams on a grass field. And field hockey was introduced by British Empire in India in 19th century. The first hockey association was Bengal Hockey association of India, which was established in 1908. From 1929 to 1956 was the golden period for India in Hockey because India won the Gold medal step by step in Olympic, that's why hockey game became National game of India. And Indian Players has done tremendous job and hard work for victory, the moment is still memorizing for every Indian.
The game period is 70 minutes, and there are two halves for 35-35 minutes but from 2014 now there are 4 halves with the gap of 15 minutes and 2 min for rest break for players after every period. There are 11 players in each team 10 for field and 1 for goalkeeping. Each player plays with a hockey stick which is 200c.m. long and maximum weight of stick is around 737 grams. And a ball made with tough plastic, players have to goal it to the goalkeeper, the players are not allowed to touch the ball with hands or kick it. Two field umpires look after the game and which team scores more; win the match.