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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 11, Issue 4 (July 1, 1936)

[section]

New Zealanders are said to quick at adapting themselves to sport and this also holds good for those who have resided in the Dominion for a period of years, although they were not born here. The visit last year of a team of Indian hockey players aroused keen enthusiasm, not only among those who had been playing or following the game, but also among those who were seeing hockey played for the first time.

Among those in the latter category were many young Indians whose employment has kept them busy in Wellington. They showed a desire to take part in hockey, and Eddie McLeod, New Zealand representative at cricket and at hockey, agreed to coach them in the fundamentals of the game. It has been generally supposed that hockey comes to Indians as second nature, but this view is not held by the stars of the Indian team. In an article written for a New Zealand sporting paper by M. N. Masud, vice-captain of the team, this famous player drew attention to the little-known fact that Indian players undergo a great deal of preparatory training, taking each movement step by step. He assured New Zealand players that the high standard set by Dhyan Chand, “the wizard of the willow,” is not beyond their scope providing that sacrifices are made and attention paid to a long period of training.

But granting Masud his point, it must be admitted that there is some inherent ability possessed by native races which gives them an advantage over the white races—some sense of rhythm and timing that is particularly noticeable in hockey or football. The percentage of Maoris who excel at football—and at hockey, although the stick game is not given so much encouragement as football—is sufficient evidence that the native has a start on the white athlete in specified sports.