Perhaps inspired by the ancient Olympic Games in Greece, the first 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 F.J. Foenander, who was elected as Patron.
A.W. Raffel and O.H. Poppenbeck were elected as President and Hony Secretary, respectively. On May 31, 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 December 26, 2021.
My visit to my beloved club on that evening, with my wife and extended family gave me immense joy and happiness which brought back unforgettable and wonderful memories. The current President and Hony Secretary are Lasith Nanayakkara and Susan Brohier, respectively, and the Patron is Dennis de Rosayro.
Having joined the Club on March 8, 1954 as a student member, I thought it opportune to recall its Hockey History and achievements to the best of my memory and ability, paying tribute to the greats who brought honour to the Club and country. Touching on Internationals before 1950; Fulham Wright, Edward and Carl Kelaart represented Ceylon vs. India (Olympic champions) in 1932. VS de Kretser (Senior) vs. India in 1935. In 1947, Russell Heyn and Ernie Kelaart vs. India in the first Test, with Russell being Captain in the second Test and also playing vs. Afghanistan along with Ernie Kelaart in 1947. Also in 1947, Hugh Aldons, Wally de Zylva and ‘Bob’ Bartels played vs. India. I had the privilege of playing alongside Ernie, Hugh and Wally. In the first ever Ceylon Hockey Federation tour to South India in 1953, seven out of the 16 players were from the BRC namely, Ernie Kelaart (Vice Captain), Hugh Aldons, Fredrick White, Ivan de Kretser, Vivian de Kretser (Junior), Wally de Zylva and Brindley Stave.
In 1957, to South India, the BRC was represented by Hugh Aldons (Captain), Ivan de Kretser, Frederick White, Brindley Stave and youngsters, Dennis de Rosayro and Derrick Harvie. In the 1959/60 historical 42-day tour of North India when Ceylon was ranked Number 6 along with three European countries by none other than Dhyan Chand, the BRC was represented by Frederick White (Vice Captain), Ivan de Kretser and Dennis de Rosayro. Again in 1960 to South India, the BRC representatives were Ivan de Kretser (Captain), Dennis de Rosayro and Derrick Harvie.
Ivan de Kretser had the unique honour of captaining Ceylon in the first ever Asian Games that Ceylon participated in 1962 along with brothers GH Jayatissa and GH Rupesinghe, M. Farouk and Thilak Ranaweera. In 1966, the Asian Games again had the brothers Jayatissa and Rupesinghe along with Iqbal Jumar, Derrick Harvie and Richard Heyn. In 1970, the Asian Games again had Iqbal Jumar and Tissa Ettipola. In 1974, Iqbal created history by making his third consecutive Asian Games and was the Vice Captain along with AKH Preena (Otto) and Daya Ranaweera.
The mass exodus of Burghers from 1957 onwards had a lasting impact to both hockey and cricket teams. All but Brindley Stave, Russel Bartels and youngsters Dennis de Rosayro, Anton D’Costa and Malcolm Berenger remained. Fortunately, being the foremost hockey club it meant that many talented and promising youngsters eagerly joined the club. Derrick Harvie who as a school boy from Kingswood College toured South India with the Ceylon team in 1957, joined the club in 1958. In the early Sixties, Richard Heyn an imposing Full Back, along with younger brother David from St, Peter’s College, Colombo, followed by Thomians from Mount Lavinia, Randolph Morrel and cousin Royce Van Twest joined the club along with Spencer Herft, Gerry Jayasuriya, Sam Abeysinghe and brothers Clifford and Franklyn Harvie.
In the mid and late Sixties, seasoned Internationals, brothers GH Jayatissa and GH Rupesinghe, Iqbal Jumar, Tissa Ettipola and National Caps, Clifford Rodrigo and Saliya Galagama and National poolist S. Sandarasekaram made the BRC a very strong and fearful outfit. The teenagers who joined the Club from 1968 onwards blossomed and attained great heights. I had an important role to play as player and coach of the women’s teams from 1959 to 1976 and men’s teams from 1962 to 1976.
Mervin Preena entered my hockey world in 1968 as a 14 year old schoolboy from Isipathana College. When I was conducting my coaching sessions every Sunday from 9 am to 11 am for the United Youngsters Hockey Club, Kotahena, at the De Mel Park, Colombo 2, Mervin’s father approached me during a break and requested whether Mervin could attend, and left him in my care. This sturdy bright-eyed youngster looked a picture of fitness – virtually “ready to go”. He became a Student Member of the BRC. A model student he was indeed a prodigy. In 1971 within three years, he was selected as a 17 year old to tour North India with the Ceylon team. The Manager was none other than Chandra Schaffter who would have given Mervin many an exposure to play in the 14 match itinerary.
His distinguished career began in 1970 until 1983, captaining the BRC team in 1974. As Centre Forward, Mervin mastered the Indian art of dribbling. Many a time he deceived his opponents with ‘head-on’ dribbling, side stepping both ways at full speed, resulting in many spectacular goals. In 1970 his elder brother “Otto’ joined the Club as an 18-year old also from Isipathana College. In full flow as a right Extreme, he dazzled the spectators with his deft stick work and body swerves at full speed.
He would outrun any defence and when encountered display an array of deceptive passes for his team mates to hit the boards. Apart from a very few, all players joined the Club at a very young age. Compulsory practices and coaching were conducted every Monday, Wednesday and Friday and attendance and times were maintained, which was a criteria for match selection, which was highly competitive; but this great bunch of players and others that followed never faulted. In fact they would further tone their skills on Tuesdays and Thursdays and even on Sunday mornings, such was their dedication and passion for the game. Therefore, it was no surprise to me when nine out of 16 selected for the 1978 Asian Games was from the 1976 ‘A’ and ‘B’ squads, namely, Sarath Serasinghe (24) (Captain), Mohamed Jahn (24), BMR Preena (24) AKH Preena (26), MFM Razeen (22), M. Fawzi (22), Lalith Wijesekera (23), MM Hallaj (20), and SHM Kuthubdeen (18). Ishak Sahabdeen (21) was the 10th player who joined the Club in 1977.
SHU Karnain (13) was selected for the 1st Asia Cup in Karachi in 1982 along with Mervin Preena (Vice Captain). So by 1978, most of the top 16 players were very experienced and played together for a decade or so and only had to be guided. S. Sandrasekeran was of immense assistance in this regard and more so, when he became President from 1981 to 1983. Otto and Mervin Preena were hockey secretaries at one time or the other and with Jhan, Serasinghe and A.J. Rumy in the fold, the Hockey Section thrived. These players paved the way for the BRC to win 34 Trophies between 1976 and 1989.
(The next installment will be published in the Sunday Observer of December 17, 2023)
