Calcutta Hockey League

Calcutta Hockey League is a field hockey league organized by Hockey Bengal (formerly the Bengal Hockey Association). The first edition was held in 1905. It is a division based league held at Kolkata and is the oldest field hockey league in India.[1][2] Until the formation of the top division national leagues such as Premier Hockey League and Hockey India League post 2000s, the Calcutta Hockey League was the most competitive league in the country.[3][4]

Calcutta Hockey League
SportField hockey
Founded1905; 119 years ago (1905)
AdministratorHockey Bengal
CountryIndia
HeadquartersKolkata
Most recent
champion(s)
East Bengal
(10th title)
Most titlesMohun Bagan
(26 titles)
Official websitehockeybengal.org

History

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The league was first held in 1905, ten years after the initiation of Beighton Cup Tournament and three years before the formation of the Bengal Hockey Association (BHA) in 1908.[5] It is considered the next prominent competition to Beighton Cup in status and eminence. The First Division commenced in 1905, and later expanded to the Second Division in 1907, Third Division in 1920, Fourth Division in 1932 and Division ll - B in 1933. The competition has been held annually ever since, except the year of partition in 1947.[1]

The early years were dominated by the collegiate teams such as Sibpur B.E. College followed by the prominence of the Anglo-Indian club Calcutta Rangers and the Calcutta Customs throughout the 1910s and 1920s decades. The first team composed of Indian players to win the league was Greer Sporting who managed the feat in 1919. Later years and post-Independence era were dominated by the "Big Three" of Kolkata, Mohun Bagan, Mohammedan Sporting and East Bengal.[1]

League structure

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The current league structure consists of the First Division which has two groups played across two tiers at the senior level.[6] The Second Division and Third Division is held at U19 and U17 level. The top six teams of First Division Group A competes for Premier Hockey League while top four teams of First Division Group B competes for Super Hockey League.[7] From the 2023 season, following the group stage matches, the first division teams move into Premier Hockey League and Placement rounds. The winner of Premier Hockey League round are crowned champions of the league.[8]

Calcutta Hockey League
Tier Division
I First Division Group A
II First Division Group B
III Second Division
IV Third Division

Venue

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The matches are held at SAI Sports Complex at Salt Lake Stadium,[9] Mohun Bagan Ground and East Bengal Ground.

Results

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The results of the Calcutta Hockey League:[1]

Year Winner
1905 B.E. College Sibpur
1906 B.E. College Sibpur
1907 B.E. College Sibpur
1908 Calcutta Customs
1909 Calcutta Customs
1910 Calcutta Customs
1911 B.E. College Sibpur
1912 Calcutta Customs
1913 Calcutta Customs
1914 Calcutta Rangers
1915 Calcutta Rangers
1916 Calcutta Rangers
1917 Calcutta Rangers
1918 Military Medicals
1919 Greer SC
1920 B.E. College Sibpur
1921 Calcutta Customs
1922 Calcutta Customs
1923 Greer SC
1924 Xaverians
1925 Xaverians
1926 Calcutta Customs
1927 Calcutta Customs
1928 Calcutta Rangers
1929 Calcutta Rangers
1930 Calcutta Customs
1931 Calcutta Customs
1932 Calcutta Customs
1933 Calcutta Customs
1934 Calcutta Rangers
1935 Mohun Bagan
1936 Calcutta Customs
1937 Calcutta Customs
1938 Calcutta Customs
1939 Calcutta Customs
1940 B G Press
1941 Police AC
1942 Port Commissioners
1943 Calcutta Rangers
1944 Port Commissioners
1945 Mohammedan Sporting
1946 Port Commissioners
1947 Not held due to Partition
1948 Port Commissioners
1949 Port Commissioners
1950 Calcutta Customs
1951 Mohun Bagan
1952 Mohun Bagan
1953 Bhowanipore
1954 Bhowanipore
1955 Mohun Bagan
1956 Mohun Bagan
1957 Mohun Bagan
1958 Mohun Bagan
1959 Mohammedan Sporting
1960 East Bengal
1961 Calcutta Customs and East Bengal - joint winners
1962 Mohun Bagan
1963 Calcutta Customs
1964 East Bengal
1965[10] Bengal Nagpur Railway
1966[10] Bengal Nagpur Railway
1967[10] Bengal Nagpur Railway
1968 East Bengal
1969 Mohun Bagan
1970 Mohun Bagan
1971 Mohun Bagan
1972 Mohun Bagan
1973 East Bengal
1974 Mohun Bagan
1975 Mohun Bagan
1976 East Bengal
1977 Mohun Bagan
1978 Mohun Bagan
1979 East Bengal
1980 Mohun Bagan
1981 Mohun Bagan
1982 Eastern Railway
1983 MMC
1984 MMC
1985 CESC
1986 Mohun Bagan
1987 Mohun Bagan
1988 Mohun Bagan
1989 East Bengal
1990 FCI
1991 FCI
1992 FCI
1993 CESC
1994[11] Bengal Nagpur Railway
1995[12] Mohun Bagan
1996 Calcutta Customs
1997[12] Mohun Bagan
1998[12] Mohun Bagan
1999[12] Mohun Bagan
2000 SAI Training Center
2001 CESC
2002 CESC
2003 Calcutta Customs
2004 CESC
2005 CC&FC
2006 CESC
2007 CESC
2008 Punjab SC
2009 CESC
2010 Punjab SC
2011 Punjab SC
2012 Punjab SC
2013 CC&FC
2014 CC&FC
2015 CESC
2016 Punjab SC
2017 Eastern Railway
2018 Eastern Railway
2019 CESC
2020 Not held due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021[13] Punjab SC
2022[14] East Bengal
2023[15] Mohun Bagan
2024 East Bengal

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "BIRTH AND EVOLUTION OF CALCUTTA HOCKEY LEAGUE COMPETITION (1905)". www.hockeybengal.org. Kolkata: Hockey Bengal. 2022. Archived from the original on 18 October 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  2. ^ "About Us - Hockey Bengal". www.hockeybengal.org. Hockey Bengal. Archived from the original on 24 October 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  3. ^ Basu, Jaydeep. "Keshav Dutt Tribute: Indian Hockey's Harley Riding Legend". Newsclick. Archived from the original on 24 October 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  4. ^ Nayakan, Saba (18 November 2012). "Bengal hockey needs to get its act together". The Hindu Business Line. Archived from the original on 2 October 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  5. ^ Mandapaka, Ravi Teja (25 October 2012). "From the Beighton and Aga Khan Cup to the HIL". Sportskeeda. Archived from the original on 5 November 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  6. ^ "Schedule". www.hockeybengal.org. Hockey Bengal. Archived from the original on 24 October 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  7. ^ "Hockey BengaL Events 2022" (PDF). www.hockeybengal.org. Hockey Bengal. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 October 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  8. ^ "Hockey Bengal: Blog". hockeybengal.org. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
  9. ^ Bhaduri, Archiman (9 November 2020). "Sports Authority of India's Eastern Centre opens after seven months". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 26 October 2022. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  10. ^ a b c "BNR RECREATION CLUB IN A NUT SHELL". BNR Club. Archived from the original on 11 October 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  11. ^ "Awards". BNR Club. Archived from the original on 25 October 2022. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  12. ^ a b c d "Trophy Room". Mohun Bagan AC. Archived from the original on 26 October 2022. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
  13. ^ Bhattacharya, Nilesh (7 August 2021). "As hockey regains its place in the sun, Bengal experts rue lack of basic infra". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 24 October 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  14. ^ "How East Bengal Won the Calcutta Premier Hockey League After 33 Years!". Hockey Passion. Archived from the original on 24 October 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  15. ^ "Mohun Bagan win Calcutta Premier League Hockey Championship". uniindia.com. Retrieved 19 March 2023.

Further reading

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