Brisbane Hockey Association Memorial Cup

Throughout the Second World War, Hockey was very popular amongst the Wartime Services Men and Women, both here in Australia and overseas. The photo is of a Hockey team of Australians in the Middle-East during that war. A note on the rear of the photo states that it is of "Our unbeaten Hockey Team 'D' Coy 2/15 Ba. Palestine". The player second from the left in the front row is Eric Rendell from Brisbane.
 

Many Hockey Players did not return from the Second World War. The Memorial Cup was introduced as a memorial to those Hockey players who lost their lives during the War. The War had a marked affect on all Australians of that era. There would hardly have been a family who did not have one or more members serving in the Armed Forces or related services. It is of interest to note that in amongst the BHA Annual Reports there is a brief hand written note that simply states "1942 - 1943 MISSING No Reports Hockey abandoned due to the War situation". BHA came out of this "recess" in 1944 and began to grow in strength once again, as Service Men and others began to return to Australia.

First contested in 1950, the Memorial Cup was then initially a knock-out competition over three Saturdays prior to the commencement of the normal playing season. This inaugural Memorial Cup knock-out competition was won by newcomers to A1 Grade, Hamilton. The BHA 1950 Annual Report, "Report on 1950 Season" reads:

"The presentation of this Cup to the Association for perpetual Competition by Mr. Josiffe and his sons Tim and Hugh, was an excellent gesture and it is with much pleasure that I record their generosity in this report."

"The Knock-out Competition generally appeared to find favour with Clubs, as by a seasonal amendment of the Constitution regarding registration of players, it afforded Clubs an opportunity of grading their players before lodging their player registration forms with the Association."

For much of its history the Memorial Cup has been contested by the two leading teams in each Senior Division after the completion of the first complete round of the playing season. It has generally been played as a separate match on a specially allocated day, this usually being a Sunday. Prior to the introduction of the artificial surfaces to Brisbane, this was relatively easy to arrange, as Hockey was only played on Saturdays. This would leave Sundays for Memorial Cup, Coulter Shield, club carnivals, etc.

It is now often impractical to schedule a separate day as there are very often few if any 'free' days available during the Hockey season. As a result of this either of the following methods has been adopted in order to determine winners of the Memorial Cup for each Division:

• the result of the match when next the two leading teams at the conclusion of the first complete round of Fixtures, meet again in the second round is used; or

• the Cup has simply been awarded to the leading team at the end of the first complete round of Fixtures

For a list of past winners visit the “BHA Snippets of History” Website – www.bha.org.au/history

Kim Rendell
BHA General Secretary