The
visits of hockey teams from South Africa in 1937 and from
India in 1947 brought to a head the need for a central governing
body to look after and regulate the affairs of hockey throughout
the Colony and resulted in the formation of the Kenya Hockey
Union in Nairobi on the 2nd June, 1949.
During
their tour of 1947 India played against Mombasa Combined
at Mombasa, Asian Sports Association at Nairobi, Kenya Hockey
Association at Nairobi, Nairobi combined at Nairobi, Asian
combined at Nakuru, European Combined at Nakuru, Kisumu
Combined at Kisumu, Eldoret Combined at Eldoret, Kitale
Combined at Kitale.
Sir
Godfrey Rhodes was elected as its first Chairman and Mahan
Singh as Secretary.
The
first official international match was played against India
in 1951, which was won by India 6 goals to 2.
Mahan
Singh was the President of the Asian Sports Association
of East Africa when India visited Kenya in 1947.
India’s
team included Lt Manna Singh and Gurbachan Singh.
Mahan
Singh was elected President of the Kenya Hockey Union in
1957.
Kenya
Olympic Association was formed on the 14th February 1955.
This was as a result of a proposal by the Kenya Amateur
Athletic Association which was supported by the Hockey Union
of Kenya, the Rugby Union of Kenya, the Kenya Amateur Swimming
Association, the Kenya Amateur Football Association and
the Kenya Rifle Association.
In
June 1955, the International Olympic Committee recognised
the Kenya Olympic Association and the task of selecting
and training a Team to represent Kenya at the 1956 Melbourne
Olympic Games begun.
The
following persons have been Presidents of Kenya Hockey
Union since inception in 1949
Bill
Body; Derek Nuttal; Mahan Singh Sandhu;
John Bell; Paul Boit; John Mburu; Ben Gethi; Hon.
Krishan Gautama; Pritam Singh Sandhu;
Hardial Singh Kular; Hardev
Singh Kular; Resham Singh Bains.
|
|
India's
Visit to Kenya 1947
Gurbachan
Singh of India (right) and Swaraj Singh of Sikh Union
Nairobi. |
|
Here
began Kenya’s hockey history at Olympic Games
when the team competed at Melbourne for the first
time.
Since
then 30 Sikhs have gone on to play for Kenya at Olympic
Games and every Kenyan Hockey Olympic team has included
a Sikh player. |
|
Kenya
XI that played against England
at City Park Stadium, Nairobi on 20 September 1958
Inset:
R. J.H. Frank (Goal keeper)
L
-to- R, Sitting: A. Vaz (RFB); Balbir Singh (V.Capt)
(LFB); Mahan Singh (President); Gursaran Singh (Capt)
(RW) and Surjeet Singh (CH).
Standing:
Jaswinder Singh (RH); E. Fernandes (RI); D. Rodriques
(LW); Om Parkash (LH); S. Fernandes (CF) and Pritam
Singh (LI). |
|
|
|
Kenya
Team 1987 |
|
