Oral History Interview: Avtar Singh Bhurji

Partial Transcript: BHURJI: My name is Avtar Bhurji and, um, I was born on the 15/12/1944
SOMERVILLE: And where were you born?
BHURJI: I was born in a village called Bika in Punjab.

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

Keywords: Bika--India; Construction Business; India; Kampala--Uganda; Police; Police Officer; Primary School; School; Secondary School; Uganda

Subjects: Education and Schooling; Emigration; Life Outside of Hockey--Family--Childhood

Partial Transcript: BHURJI: Hockey exactly wasn't my, um, first love. Cycling used to be my first love.

Segment Synopsis: Bhurji describes how cycling was his preferred sport and how he became involved with hockey.

Keywords: Athletics; Brother; Cycling; Cycling shoes; England; Europeans; First Eleven; Goa; Goans; Grass; India; Kingston College; Kingston--United Kingdom (UK); League Cup; Mixed hockey; Money; Muslim; Ramgarhia Hockey Club; Sikh; Sikh Union Hockey Club; Sikh Union Kampala; Uganda

Subjects: Amateurism & Professionalism; Playing Surfaces; Recollection of Others--Player; Recreation; Social & Friendships; Teams--Mixed--University

Partial Transcript: BHURJI: Then I, er, um, in the summertime I met a friend called Steve Grimmer, his younger brother played for England, and they invited me to play for London Indians.

Segment Synopsis: Bhurji recounts how the London Indians Hockey Club allowed him to continue to play the 'Asian style of hockey' that he was used to.

Keywords: 'Asian style of hockey'; Africa; Anglo-Indians; Club Match; County Match; England; Jimmy James; Kampala--Uganda; London Indians Hockey Club; Munich--Germany; Olympics/Olympic Games; Sikh Union Kampala; Steve Grimmer; Uganda; Zambia

Subjects: Emigration; Olympic Games--1972 Munich; Recollection of Others--Coach & Manager; Social & Friendships; Teams--Men--Club; Teams--Men--International

Partial Transcript: BHURJI: But, um, then I got selected for 1972 Olympics. We qualified for for '72 Olympics.
SOMERVILLE: How did you qualify?
BHURJI: Because we finished second in Africa and, um, um, there was a slot which we had applied for and there was a empty slot because somebody had, er, applied late, or there was a technical fault and we got, because we were the first reserve team for the Olympics.

Segment Synopsis: Bhurji discusses how he qualified for the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich and how the politics of the time impacted his experiences.

Keywords: Africa; Blame; Brother; Father; First reserve team; Government; Journalist/Journalism; Kenya; London--United Kingdom (UK); Meeting; Munich--Germany; New York Times; Olympic Village; Olympics/Olympic Games; Paris--France; Press; Press Secretary; Project; Residential Camp; Shot; Sister; Uganda; Ugandan Officials

Subjects: Corruption & Illegality; Hockey Homes, Venues & Stadia; Media; Olympic Games--1972 Munich; Politics; Recollection of Others--Media Figure; Recollection of Others--Player; Teams--Men--International

Partial Transcript: BHURJI: In between the Olympics we had that tragedy of the Israelis who were killed.

Segment Synopsis: Bhurji recounts his memories of the 1972 Olympics terror attack by the Black September Organisation

Keywords: Africa; Apartheid Regime; Balcony; Black September Organisation; Chain link fence; Fence; German soldier; Ian Smith; International Olympic Committee (IOC); Israel; Israeli; Israeli athlete; Killed; Mourning; Munich--Germany; Olympic Stadium; Olympics/Olympic Games; Packing; Palestine; Palestine Liberation Organisation; Quarters; Rhodesia/Southern Rhodesia; Security; September; South Africa; Suspended; Terrorist; Threaten

Subjects: Corruption & Illegality; Media; Olympic Games--1972 Munich; Politics; Prejudice & Inequality--Racial; Teams--Men--International; Terrorism

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: Tell me that story about the Pakistani receiving the medals with their feet.
BHURJI: The thing is with that one is that I blame Pakistani themselves.

Segment Synopsis: Bhurji explains how the Pakistani players refused to wear their silver medals or face the West German flag at the 1972 Olympic Games final.

Keywords: 'hot headed'; Banned; Coach; Crowd; Germany; Hockey Shirt; Hockey Shoe; India; Medal; Munich--Germany; Olympics/Olympic Games; Pakistan; Pakistani; Short Corner; Silver Medal; West Germany

Subjects: Captaincy; Kit & Equipment; Olympic Games--1972 Munich; Politics; Recollection of Others--Coach & Manager; Recollection of Others--Player; Teams--Men--International

Partial Transcript: BHURJI: When I became a captain for London Indians, and, I said to these guys, you get warned by the umpire automatically you are not going to play the next game.

Segment Synopsis: Bhurji explains his style of coaching and why this was important in helping to remove the stigma he perceived as being associated with 'Asian-style' hockey.

Keywords: 'Asian style of hockey'; Coach; Hockey Ball; London Indians Hockey Club; Net; Spain; Stigma; Umpire; Warning

Subjects: Captaincy; Coaching & Management--Club; Teams--Men--Club; Umpiring--Club

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: I think you had some other interaction with Idi Amin
BHURJI: Oh yes.

Segment Synopsis: Bhurji recounts the time he met Idi Amin before leaving Uganda for the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich. He goes onto discuss the Ugandan hockey team's experiences of the 1972 Summer Olympic Games and the impact these had on his family life.

Keywords: Aeroplane; Army; Bank; Biscuits; Blazer; British Embassy; British Passport; Business; Calf; Ceremony; Cheque; Children; Church; Club House; Coach; Drew; Entebbe International Airport; Family; Father; Flag; Francis Were Nyangweso/Frank Nyangweso; Friends; Hockey Tea; Hospital; Hotel; Idi Amin; Journalist/Journalism; Kampala--Uganda; Kenya; London--United Kingdom (UK); Money; Munich--Germany; Nairobi--Kenya; Olympics/Olympic Games; Passengers; Plane; Political Party; Press Conference; Robbers; Robbery; Shot; Sister; Soldier; South Africa; State house; Tea; Truck; Uganda; Uganda Citizenship; Uganda Olympic Committee; Vehiche; West Germany; Workers; chef de mission

Subjects: Armed Forces; Captaincy; Coaching & Management--Club; Corruption & Illegality; Emigration; International Travel; Media; Migration; Olympic Games--1972 Munich; Politics; Prejudice & Inequality--Racial; Teams--Men--International

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: So you played hockey until, what was that about, 1996, '97.
BHURJI: '91, probably I would say I played pretty competitive.

Segment Synopsis: Bhurji reminisces over his time playing for Llamas Hockey Club and the friendship he made during this time.

Keywords: Father-figure; Friends; Gerald Wilkinson; Jim Pollock; Kenya; Llamas Hockey Club; Medical Condition; Munich--Germany; Peter Child; Tim Brooking

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

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: What position did you play?
BHURJI: I, at international level I played left half, and er, a lot of the time I played, er, centre. For Surry county I played inside left, left mid.

Segment Synopsis: Bhurji lists all the sporting positions he has played within hockey throughout his career.

Keywords: Adam Parson; Captain; Centre Half; County Match; England; Gavin Featherstone; Goalkeeper; Graham Evans; Ian/Pinks/Ian Peter Pinks; Inside Left; Inside Right; International Match; Kenya; Left Half; London Indians Hockey Club; Neil Francis/Gerald Neil Francis; Richard Barker/Dick Barker; Surrey (county)

Subjects: Captaincy; Emigration; International Travel; Migration; Olympic Games--1972 Munich; Recollection of Others--Player; Teams--Men--Club; Teams--Men--County; Teams--Men--International

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: Was there a big difference between the type of hockey played in England and the type of hockey played in Uganda and Kenya?
BHURJI: So here there is more kind of structured hockey, it's um, um, more disciplined.

Segment Synopsis: Bhurji compares the 'Asian style of hockey' to that played by those in Europe. He explains how the development of hockey playing surfaces from grass to astro turf made it very difficult for him to continue to play the 'Asian style of hockey' that he was used to and how they adapted their hockey playing style because of this change.

Keywords: "Off the cuff"; 'Asian style of hockey'; AstroTurf/Artificial Turf; Australia; Discipline/disciplined; England; European style of hockey; Fast; Flair; Grass; Great Britain; Great Britain Hockey; India; Kenya; Low body position; One touch hockey; Pace; Pocession hockey; Structured hockey; Two touch hockey; Uganda

Subjects: Fitness, Injury & Health; Media; Playing Surfaces; Recollection of Others--Player; Rules; Tactics and Performance; Teams--Men--International; Teams--Women--International; Tournaments--International

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: Which did you enjoy most?
BHURJI: Well I was very fortunate because I could easily, when I came here, um, when I first came to Blackheath I met Rui Saldanha who played for GB in the '72 Olympics.

Segment Synopsis: Bhurji describes how he found himself playing for Surrey Hockey Club and his transition from county hockey to coaching.

Keywords: Blackheath Hockey Club; Blackheath--United Kingdon (UK); Bracknell Hockey Club; Bracknell--United Kingdom (UK); Central Midfield; Coach; County Match; Director of Coaching; Exhibition match; Germany; Great Britain Hockey; Hampstead Hockey Club; Hampstead Hockey Club; Hendon Hockey Club; Joe Ahmad/Sheikh Mahmood Ahmad; Kent (county); Munich--Germany; Olympics/Olympic Games; Promotion; Richmond Hockey Club; Richmond--United Kingdom (UK); Rui Ninnian Saldanha; Spencer Hockey Club; Surrey (county); Teddington Hockey Club; Teddington--United Kingdom (UK); Third Eleven; Trials; Weston-super-Mare--United Kingdom (UK); Wimbledon Hockey Club; Wimbledon--United Kingdom (UK); April

Subjects: Captaincy; Coaching & Management--Club; Coaching & Management--County; Recollection of Others--Player; Social & Friendships; Teams--Men--Club; Teams--Men--County

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: You've seen hockey change a lot over the years and the rules change, do you think you'd enjoy playing under the current rules?
BHURJI: I would have enjoyed, in every situation because modern hockey is ever changing.

Segment Synopsis: Bhurji discusses the ever changing status of hockey and whether he would have enjoyed playing under the modern rules.

Keywords: Ajit Pal Singh; AstroTurf/Artificial Turf; Captain; Centre Forward; Coach; England; European style of hockey; Fast; Flat Hockey Stick; Grass; India; Left Winger; London Indians Hockey Club; Midfielder; Pace; Right Winger; Umpire

Subjects: Amateurism & Professionalism; Kit & Equipment; Playing Surfaces; Recollection of Others--Media Figure; Recollection of Others--Umpire; Rules; Tactics and Performance; Teams--Men--Club; Tournaments--International; Umpiring--Club

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: Who was the best player you played with and the best player you played against?
BHURJI: The, you see the, there are two types of players.

Segment Synopsis: Bhurji reminisces over past hockey players. He also discusses what, in his view, makes a great hockey player.

Keywords: Ajit Pal Singh; Captain; Centre Half; Fast; Gavin Featherstone; Great Britain; Great Britain Hockey; India; Inside Right; Kuldip Singh Bhogal; Manzoor Hussain/Manzoor Junior; Olympics/Olympic Games; Rajinder Sandhu; Rui Ninnian Saldanha; World XI team

Subjects: Olympic Games--1984 Los Angeles; Recollection of Others--Coach & Manager; Recollection of Others--Player; Tactics and Performance

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: What sort of training did you do?
BHURJI: Before the Olympics, um, the training, um, once we were, we started with, we would get up in the morning, we had to be there seven o'clock.

Segment Synopsis: Bhurji recounts the strict training regime which he and his other team members had to follow in preparation for their upcoming Olympic Games. He discusses how some team members were very good at running and how this gave their team an advantage when playing hockey.

Keywords: Africa; Bleep Test; Breakfast; Circuit training; Cross country; Gymnasium/Gym; Medicine ball; Olympics/Olympic Games; Running; Shuttles; Training Camp; Weights

Subjects: Fitness, Injury & Health; Tactics and Performance; Training & Conditioning--International

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: You've travelled around quite a lot.
BHURJI: Yeah we did a lot of travelling in Africa, America, Canada, all of Europe virtually, er, travelled to India, played hockey as well there.

Segment Synopsis: Bhurji lists all the countries he has travelled to throughout his hockey playing career, the food he ate and places he stayed while away.

Keywords: 'Delhi belly'; Africa; Bottled Water; Canada; Europe; Hotel; India; Train; United States of America (USA); World Cup

Subjects: Dinners; Hockey Homes, Venues & Stadia; International Travel

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: What are you doing now?
BHURJI: I, um, I stopped coaching a few years ago.

Segment Synopsis: Bhurji describes how he transitioned from coaching Spencer Hockey Club teams to veterans hockey. He goes onto mention the importance of encouraging younger individuals to join hockey clubs.

Keywords: Coach; Fast; Spencer Hockey Club; Veterans Hockey

Subjects: Captaincy; Recreation; Social & Friendships; Teams--Men--Masters & Veterans; Teams--Women--Club

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: Is there anything you regret about your hockey career?
BHURJI: No, I, I would say, I would relive it all again because I met some absolutely brilliant people all over the world.

Segment Synopsis: Bhurji reflects on his career, the friendships he has made and how his family and upbringing has continuously inspired him to work hard and do his best.

Keywords: Brick; Charity; Crocodiles; Culture; Family; Father; Hockey Family; Ice Breaker; Ireland; Religion; Sign Language; Spain; Turban; Uganda

Subjects: Education and Schooling; International Travel; Life Outside of Hockey--Family; Life Outside of Hockey--Family--Childhood; Volunteering

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: That's a lovely philosophical note to end, I'd just like to ask, when you look back, what's the main highlight that stands out the most in your memory?
BHURJI: I think I probably. God has been great to me in many senses. I've, I've survived, three, er, two, er, in fact, one, two, three, coup, which is political coups, take overs, political takeovers.

Segment Synopsis: Bhurji describes the political takeovers he has survived, friendships he has made throughout his hockey playing career and challenges to his health.

Keywords: Ambulance; Blood; Bombing; Brother; Brussels--Belgium; Car; Chris Belshaw; Daughter; Defender; Doctor; Dunkirk--France; Endoscopy; Great Britain; Guilford Hockey Club; Guilford--United Kingdom (UK); Hockey Ball; Ian Russell; Idi Amin; National Health Service/NHS; Political Coup; Portal vein; Robbery; Shelling; Son; Tarlochan Singh Panesar/Tochi Panesar; The Three Lives of Thomasina; Tito Okello; Vomit; Wife

Subjects: Fitness, Injury & Health; Life Outside of Hockey--Family; Recollection of Others--Player; Religion; Social & Friendships