Bumper Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 From a blog in prempanicker.com: Dhyan Chand captained the Indian team in 1936 Summer Olympics final. His team had gone down to the Germans in a friendly match, shortly before the Olympics. But this time, India’s forward line was reinforced by the inclusion of Ali Iqtidar Shah Dara, who managed to reach Berlin just in time for the final. In a patriotic note, they raised the Indian tricolour in the dressing room and sang Vande Mataram an Indian nationalist song, rather than the British national anthem, which they were obliged to sing. Indians were leading 1-0 at the half time. In second half, they scored 7 goals. After trailing 0-6, the Germans are reported to have resorted to body play. In a clash with the German goalkeeper, Dhyan Chand broke one of his teeth. But the valiant Rajput returned to the field after first aid. When the match ended, his contribution in India’s 8-1 win was 6 goals. The match was attended by Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler who left midway as he couldn’t bear to see his “racially superior†team being demolished. Sensing something amiss, he was ordered to change his stick, but the flow of goals continued. India won the match 8-1, with Dhyan Chand scoring 6 goals. A reporter said about Dhyan Chand’s performance - “With a flick of the wrist, a quick glance of his eyes, a sharp turn and then another turn, and Dhyan Chand was throughâ€. Adolf Hitler left his special box in a huff, after Germany’s rout. Next day, he invited him for a meeting the following day. Hitler asked Dhyan Chand what post did he hold in India. On learning that the hockey wizard was a mere Naik in the Indian army, Hitler offered to make Dhyan Chand a Field marshal should he decide to live in Germany. Dhyan Chand politely refused, saying that he had a large family to look after, in India Dhyan Chand won a number of awards and accolades during his illustrious career. One of the most touching gestures came from the residents of Vienna, who built a statue of the Indian with four hands and four sticks, signifying his unparallel control over the ball. During a 1935 tour of New Zealand and Australia, he scored 201 goals out of the team’s tally of 584 in 43 matches. Don Bradman and Dhyan Chand once came face to face at Adelaide in 1935, when the Indian hockey team was in Australia. After watching Dhyan Chand in action, Don Bradman remarked “He scores goals like runs in Cricket†and it is a measure of this man’s innocence that he writes, “The picture of that meeting I will cherish all my life.†They say you can judge a man’s legend by the quality of myths that surround him. By that measure itself, Dhyan Chand was an extraordinary man. To hear tales of his craftsmanship was to wonder whether his stick was designed by Merlin himself. They broke his stick in Holland to check if there was a magnet inside; in Japan they decided it was glue; in Germany, Adolf Hitler even wanted to buy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricketics Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 Fantastic to read again.. i read this same story when i was in Delhi.. i used to go to this Dhyan Chand Complex.. there this story has been embeded.. fantastic to read again if there was a legend.. then this guy seriously was one.. and had he been alive today.. he would have been crying today afer seeing the state of Indian hockey @ the moment.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desi Cartman Posted March 11, 2008 Share Posted March 11, 2008 iski aatma tadap rahi hogi Truly a great athlete ! :isalute::isalute::isalute::isalute::isalute: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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