Oral History Interview: Michael (Mike) Corby

Partial Transcript: CORBY: My name is Mike Corby. I was born on February the 18th, 1940, and I was born in India.

Segment Synopsis: Corby introduces himself stating his name and date and place of birth.

Keywords: Date of Birth; India

Partial Transcript: CORBY: I came here in 1948, on April the 4th. I remember it well because it was a foggy day in Tilbury.

Segment Synopsis: Corby recounts his memories upon arriving in England.

Keywords: Essex (county); United Kingdom (UK); England

Subjects: Emigration; Immigration; Migration

Partial Transcript: CORBY: And the first thoughts of sports was in fact in 1948, when my father took me to the Olympic Games at Wembley.

Segment Synopsis: Corby recounts what inspired his love of sport, hockey and drive to one day play at an Olympic Games.

Keywords: Athletics; Barney Ewell; Harrison Dillard/William Harrison Dillard; London--United Kingdom (UK); Olympics/Olympic Games; Wembley Stadium

Subjects: Olympic Games--1948 London; Recollection of Others--Non-hockey Athlete

Partial Transcript: CORBY: And ever since then I've actually been determined to get to the Olympic Games. It just happens that I was moderately good at hockey which took me to the Olympics.

Segment Synopsis: Corby reminisces about his first Olympic Games in Tokyo 1964 and friendship with England Manager, C.I.M. Jones. He goes onto recount how his other sporting interest, Squash, impacted his hockey playing career.

Keywords: C.I.M. Jones/Charles Ian MacMillan Jones; Manager; Olympic Stadium; Olympics/Olympic Games; Penalty Stroke; Right Half; Rome--Italy; Squash; Tokyo--Japan

Subjects: Olympic Games--1960 Rome; Olympic Games--1964 Tokyo; Recollection of Others--Coach and Manager; Recreation; Social & Friendships

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: You then played in the '64 Olympics.
CORBY: I played in the '64 Olympics. I was actually very unlucky because in 1960 I was twenty.

Segment Synopsis: Corby describes how he started playing hockey for Hounslow Hockey Club.

Keywords: Athletics; C.I.M. Jones/Charles Ian MacMillan Jones; Cricket; Dickie Dickens; England Hockey (EH); Great Britain Hockey; Hounslow Hockey Club; Hounslow--United Kingdom (UK); Squash; Tennis; Tokyo--Japan; Trials

Subjects: Olympic Games--1964 Tokyo; Recollection of Others--Coach & Manager; Teams--Men--Club

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: So, tell me about the Mexico Olympics.
CORBY: Mexico Olympics was a tragedy. I wasn't selected. I had an argument with Jeff Cutter who was the then manager, probably the worst manager we have ever produced.

Segment Synopsis: Corby describes why he was not selected for the 1968 Olympic Games and then his return to hockey and involvement in the 1972 Olympic Games.

Keywords: Bill Vans Agnew/William Vans Agnew; Bronze Medal; Bronze Medal Match; Coach; Geoffrey Cutter; Horst Wein; Inside Right; Manager; Mexico City--Mexico; Munich--Germany; Netherlands; New Zealand; Richard Oliver/Richard Michael Oliver

Subjects: Olympic Games--1968 Mexico City; Olympic Games--1972 Munich; Recollection of Others--Coach & Manager; Recollection of Others--Player

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: What about after the '72 Olympics?
CORBY: After the '72 Olympics I still carried on playing, I had now joined Southgate Hockey Club and Southgate, er, were probably one of the best teams, the greatest teams, that I ever played for.

Segment Synopsis: Corby fondly remembers his time at Southgate Hockey Club and the friends he made whilst playing.

Keywords: Inside Forward; Mike Crowe/Michael Crowe; Southgate Hockey Club; Tony Ekins/Anthony Ekins

Subjects: Recollection of Others--Player; Social & Friendships; Teams--Men--Club

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: I interviewed Sutindar Kehar earlier, and er.
CORBY: Suti, yep.
SOMERVILLE: And he explained that when he first, had his first cap, you just said, forget the coach, just give me the ball and I will score.

Segment Synopsis: Corby recounts his memories of playing with Sutindar Singh Kehar. He also highlights the importance of competitiveness and one's will to work as part of a team within hockey.

Keywords: Bernie Cotton/Bernard Cotton; Christopher Langhorn; Half Back; Hounslow Hockey Club; Hounslow--United Kingdom (UK); Inside Forward; Mike Crowe/Michael Crowe; Slough Hockey Club; Slough--United Kingdom (UK); Suti Kehar/Sutindar Singh Kehar; Tony Ekins/Anthony Ekins

Subjects: Recollection of Others--Player; Social & Friendships

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: Were you playing in the Southgate team that won the Europeans?
CORBY: We played, I came in and we won three of the things, and er, three European Championships and we came, er, fourth, second or fourth, fourth, third the next time.

Segment Synopsis: Corby describes how he, alongside his Southgate team, played in a European Club Championship. He also highlights the tensions that arose between himself and his manager.

Keywords: Coach; European Club Championship/EuroHockey Club Championship; Hockey Wales; Jimmy Neale/James Neale; Lilleshall--United Kingdom (UK); Loughborough--United Kingdom (UK); Manager; Mike Crowe/Michael Crowe; Roger Self; Southgate Hockey Club; Tony Ekins/Anthony Ekins

Subjects: Coaching & Management--Club; Recollection of Others--Coach & Manager; Recollection of Others--Player; Teams--Men--Club; Tournaments--Club

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: So, how long did you play for? When did you finish?
CORBY: My first, I er, my first ever international was the season of 1960/61 and I played, er, for England v Wales at Cardiff Arms Park

Segment Synopsis: Corby recounts an international hockey game in which he played against Wales. He lists other players which he admired during that game.

Keywords: Cardiff Arms Park; Centre Half; England; Goal; Howard Davis/Francis Howard Davis; Inside Forward; International Match; Kenneth Rex Seymour-Lynn/Rex Lynn/Rex Seymour-Lynn; Tony Ekins/Anthony Ekins; Wales

Subjects: Recollection of Others--Player; Teams--Men--International; Tournaments--International

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: And, how long did your England career last?
CORBY: Sorry, I, my first team was in fact, as I said, it was Cardiff in 1960/61 season and my last international was the 1979,1980 season or 78/79 which is twenty years which, apparently, should be a record or is a record.

Segment Synopsis: Corby recounts the highlights of his career.

Keywords: Bronze Medal; Cardiff--Wales; David Vincent; England; European Cup; Hanover--Germany; International Match; Record; Youth

Subjects: Recollection of Others--Player; Teams--Men--International; Tournaments--International

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: Did you retire after that?
CORBY: I never retired at all, I just wasn't chosen.

Segment Synopsis: Corby explains why he stopped playing hockey.

Keywords: David Vincent; Second Eleven; Southgate Hockey Club; Youth

Subjects: Kit & Equipment; Recollection of Others--Player; Teams--Men--Club

Partial Transcript: CORBY: But, you know, you can say whatever you like. I might, I hope I don't come across as too arrogant and conceited, but I love the game.

Segment Synopsis: Corby reflects on his sporting career so far and how he passes his time today.

Keywords: England; Golf; Great Britain; International Match; Squash

Subjects: Life Outside of Hockey--Retirement; Recreation; Teams--Non-hockey