August 29th: National Sports Day
Dhyan Chand is widely considered to be the best hockey player of all time. His goal scoring ability was phenomenal, and the opposition defenders were often made to look like sitting ducks in front of this wizard from India.
On this day every year, the President of India gives out all the sports-related awards like the Arjuna Award, Dronacharya Award and Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna to honour sports persons and coaches who have made the nation proud with their service in their respective sport. Everyone knows about the greatness of Major Dhyan Chand but did you know about these interesting facts about the Wizard? Take a look at the legend’s life and his achievements.
1. Dhyan Chand was employed by the British Indian Army as a Sepoy at the age of 16.
2. According to widespread reports, his show of skills at the 1936 Berlin Olympics was so outstanding that India defeated Germany 8-1. Very impressed with him, the German dictator Adolf Hitler offered him citizenship and a position in the German Military. The offer was declined by the Indian magician.
3. Australian great Don Bradman met Dhyan Chand at Adelaide in 1935. After watching him play, Bradman remarked, “He scores goals like runs in cricket”. Dhyan Chand has scored over 400 goals in his career spanning 22 years (1926-48).
4. Once, when Dhyan Chand was unable to score in a match, he argued with the match referee about the measurement of the goal post. To everybody’s amazement, he was right; the goal post was found to be in contravention of the official minimum width prescribed under international rules.
5. Hockey authorities in the Netherlands once broke his hockey stick to check if there was a magnet inside.
6. To honor Dhyan Chand, the residents of Vienna, Austria had set up a statue with four hands and four hockey sticks, depicting his mastery in the game.
Dhyan Chand is inarguably the greatest hockey players who ever lived. For those who prefer cricket, think of him as hockey’s Don Bradman, someone so far ahead of the rest that comparisons are meaningless.
