The trend of benefit hockey matches is no more now since quarter-of-a-century. The country had witnessed a number of benefit hockey matches of ex-Olympians and Interna­tionals in the 70s and 80s.

Information gathered by Dawn revealed that history of sorts was created when the first-ever benefit hockey (tournament) for eminent Olympians Latif-ur- Rehman.and Habib-ur-Rehman was organised at the Karachi YMCA in 1978.

The idea was conceived by friends and well wishers of YMCA who were regular visitors of the century-old institution.

Though Latif and Habib were big names in the field hockey at the same time they were down to earth human beings and lived a very simple life. They were employed in Railways and by virtue of that lived in Railway Colony quarters in the city.

Both have represented the country at the 1952 Helsinki and 1956 Melbourne Olympics. They were presented cheques of Rs 35,000 apiece, collected by the committee that was tasked to organise the event as a tribute.

The committee was headed by honorary sports advisor YMCA and respected Mr. Riaz Ahmed. Honorary secretary of the YMCA Hockey Club Shabih Abbas was the organising secretary.

Other members of the committee were Jawaid M. Quddusi, SP Sirajuddin, Sadiq Wahab Din, Masroor Ali Khan and former international athlete and then sports chief of Karachi Police Syed Abid Hussain.

The same committee honoured Olympian Peter Paul Fernandes by organising his benefit match in 1979.

Known as P P Fernandes, he had represented undivided India at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. He became the first Goan to represent India in field hockey at Olympics.

Christian community contributed generously for the benefit match as P. P. Fernandes was presented a purse of Rs40,000 or 50,000.

Incidentally, this reporter had the honour of covering both the events.

The next bebefit match that was organised in the city was of Olympian Islahuddin Siddiqui in earlt 1982.I

Islah used his connections and foreign players came to Karachi after competing in the World Cup at Mumbai, formerly Bombay, in Jan 1982.

Noted sports organiser Abdul Wahab Khan was the organising secretary.

The next benefit match that was staged was of former international Sami Khan on Sept 1, 1983 with educationist and commentator Mukarram Ali Khan Sherwani as organizing secretary..

Two months later Olympian Samiullah, affectionately known as Flying Horse followed suit. His benefit match was staged in the metropolis on Nov five, 1983 with Rashid Latif as organising secretary.

The benefit match of legendary full back Olympian Munawar-uz-Zaman took place on April 12, 1986 with Masroor Ali Khan aka Ustad acting as organizing secretary.

Unfortunately, Munawar died young.

The benefit match of former international Safdar Abbas took place in the city in 1987 with veteran organizer Shabih Abbas as its organizing secretary.

Like Munawar, Safdar was also an officer in Habib Bank.

Benefit matches of Munawar’s contemport full back Olympian Manzoor-ul-Hasan, Olympians Shahnaz Shaikh and goalkeeper Qamar Zia were among oters that also took place.

Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2020