Famous, forgotten players of Ceylon-Sri Lanka hockey-By Dennis de Rosayro Source:Sundayobserver There have many hockey players who represented Sri Lanka against State teams on overseas tours and although they were not classed as Internationals they were the best players picked for Ceylon and later Sri Lanka at that time. It was the time when the quality of the game and players were of paramount importance and the best always mattered. This account is the first in a two-part series of the famously illustrious players and an insight into who they were makes very interesting reading! RH William: Goal keeper who played for Police and the Government Services. In 1953 he toured Madras and Bangalore and was a stalwart of the Police team and an understudy to the great Freddie White. V. Hensman: He was a fleet-footed Left-half who played for Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club during their glory years ...
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The history of women’s hockey at BRC- By Dennis de Rosayro Source:Sundayobserver The women’s hockey section of the Burgher Recreation Club was founded in October 1932 with the President of the Club, Dr. V.R. Schokman as Ex-Officio Chairman. From July 1952, this section which had been a separate part of the Club with a Constitution of its own came into the main club. From the outset, the Ladies played a major role and took a very active interest in the promotion and encouragement of hockey for women and girls. In spite of several outstanding players emigrating in the Fifties and Sixties, the Club continued to participate in all tournaments conducted by the Sri Lanka Women’s Hockey Association. I (Dennis de Rosayro) took over as coach from 1957 to 1978 and had a significant role to play. In fact through the BRC he introduced the seven-a-side tournament on November 25, 1961 ...
Jan 7, 2024
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Tagged Burgher Recreation Club, Carmen Santiago, Helene de Rosayro, Nilufer Sellayah, Olivia Gomes, Perera, Sherine Saranapala, Zarina Nagoor
Hockey fans flocked and rocked getting what they wanted to see-by Dennis de Rosayro (This is the second installment in a series of articles on the number one hockey club BRC from 1932 to 2021) Source:Sundayobserver It was indeed the glory era that undoubtedly enabled the Burgher Recreation Club (BRC) to hold its position as the Number One hockey club. The others who significantly contributed were A.J. Rumy, Abdul Hamid, Muhalareen Jaldin, S. Manoraj, Kumar de Silva, Ananda de Silva and Shiran Massaron. From 1932 to 1964, the BRC and Tamil Union C & AC dominated the hockey scene and the 1953 Ceylon team to South India had seven and six players from the Tamil Union and BRC respectively. My idol Hugh Aldons could not make the trip due to Leave difficulties. However, he captained the 1957 team to South India. Significantly, two of Ceylon’s greatest players, A Mylvaganam from ...
Dec 17, 2023
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Tagged Ananda de Silva, Burgher Recreation Club, Derrick Harvie, Ishak Sahabdeen M.F.M. Razeen, Lal Wijesekera, M.M. Hallaj, Sarath Serasinghe
Russell Bertram Heyn – a colossus among sporting legends-by Dennis de Rosayro Russell Heyn (standing extreme left) was the Manager of the Sri Lanka Cricket Team that toured England in 1979 Source:Dailynews I first met Russell Heyn when I joined the Burgher Recreation Club (BRC) as a Benedictine schoolboy, two days before my 17th birthday on March 8, 1954. He had just finished his routine batting session at the centre wicket. Sturdy and handsome he was 41 plus but looked like a 30-year-old. My connection with the great man was very close at the club and during his lifetime. He took a great interest in my long hockey career and went on to recommend and proposed my name as General Secretary in 1962, which office I held up to 1975, and served during his Presidency from 1965 to 1975. On stepping down he proposed my name as the Vice-President in ...
May 9, 2023
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Tagged Burgher Recreation Club, Ceylon Hockey Association, R. L. de Kretser, Sri Lanka Army
My memories of the BURGHER RECREATION CLUB – The Number 1 Hockey Club from 1932 to Date – By Dennis de Rosayro Perhaps inspired by the ancient Olympic Games in Greece, the 1st Olympic Games were held in Athens in 1896. The very same year on 26th December 1896 in tiny Ceylon, the Bambalapitiya Hockey & Football Club was founded by the Burgher community from Bambalapitiya, Colombo South, at a meeting held at the residence of Mr. F.J. Foenander, who was elected as Patron. Mr. A.W. Raffel and Mr. O.H. Poppenbeck were elected as President and Hony Secretary, respectively. On 31st May 1915, the Club changed its name to Burgher Recreation Club and its colours changed from “Black-red-Gold” to “Black-Red-Champagne”. Thus, the B.R.C. completed 125 years on 26 December 2021. My visit to my beloved club on that evening, with my wife and extended family gave me immense joy and ...
Apr 26, 2023
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Tagged Bambalapitiya Hockey & Football Club, Burgher Recreation Club, Ceylon, Hockey Club
My memories of the BURGHER RECREATION CLUB – The Number 1 Hockey Club from 1932 to Date – By Dennis de Rosayro Perhaps inspired by the ancient Olympic Games in Greece, the 1st Olympic Games were held in Athens in 1896. The very same year on 26th December 1896 in tiny Ceylon, the Bambalapitiya Hockey & Football Club was founded by the Burgher community from Bambalapitiya, Colombo South, at a meeting held at the residence of Mr. F.J. Foenander, who was elected as Patron. Mr. A.W. Raffel and Mr. O.H. Poppenbeck were elected as President and Hony Secretary, respectively. On 31st May 1915, the Club changed its name to Burgher Recreation Club and its colours changed from “Black-red-Gold” to “Black-Red-Champagne”. Thus, the B.R.C. completed 125 years on 26 December 2021. My visit to my beloved club on that evening, with my wife and extended family gave me immense joy and ...
Jan 7, 2023
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Tagged Burgher Recreation Club, Ceylon, Hockey, Olympic Games
Tale of a trailblazer in Matale hockey and an Anglo Indian-BY DENNIS DE ROSAYRO Source:Sundayobserver Though not the fastest as a Right Extreme, A Nadarajah had methods of beating the defence with his deceptive bodywork and uncanny ability of creating short corners. Profile A NADARAJAH (born 1930) Position: Right Extreme Clubs: Tamil Union C&AC, Mercantile HA Honours: 1953 Ceylon HA tour of Madras and Bangalore 1955 vs Pakistan 1955 vs Delhi Wanderers 1955 vs Madras HA 1955 vs Mysore HA 1957 Ceylon HF tour of Madras 1960 vs New Zealand ...
“GOAL-KEEPER EXTRAORDINAIRE” – by Des Kelly For a tiny Island in the Indian Ocean, formerly called Ceylon, now Sri Lanka, of course, it boasted several Champions in many sports including Hockey. Here, via Dennis Rosayro and Victor Melder respectively, is yet another Ceylon Burgher named Frederick (Freddy) White, this time wielding a hockey-stick, rather than a pen, who turned out to be known as possibly the BEST Hockey Goalie in ASIA, a feat astounding, to say the least. Let me say a big “Thank you” to both Dennis and Victor for this wonderful story of another amazing “Citizen of a Burgh”or Burgher, Freddie White, Hockey GOAL-KEEPER EXTRAORDINAIRE. Desmond Kelly. (Editor-in-Chief) e’Lanka. Superman Freddie White: Asia’s best goalkeeper – BY DENNIS DE ROSAYRO Fredrick White made his debut as a schoolboy versus the Indian Olympic team of 1948. He played for the Burgher Recreation Club in the winning teams of 1948 to 1950. ...
Feb 27, 2022
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Tagged Burgher Recreation Club, Dennis Rosayro, Dr. BL Gupta, Hockey, Victor Melder
