The game of field hockey existed in some form for several centuries, whether it were stick-and-ball games in the American southwest by Native Americans, or some form shinny played by English colonists, then amongst university students in New England who couldn’t wait for the local pond to freeze over to play ice hockey.
And then came the narrative most of us have learned: Constance Applebee sailing from Scotland to Boston in the summer of 1901, and then, bored with the parlor games that the Radcliffe College summer students were using as physical education, taught the game of field hockey to her classmates.
Over the history of the game here in the U.S., there have been a lot of legendary names — builders, players, coaches, teachers.
This week, we learned of a unique honor bestowed on the only scholastic field hockey coach with more than 1,000 wins, Susan Butz-Stavin of Emmaus (Pa.).
Yup, a song. There have been many sports figures who have had songs written about them, from Mike “King” Kelly, the baseball player from the 1890s to boxer Rubin “Hurricane” Carter.
But I can’t think of a time when a female figure has been immortalized in song. Sure there have been songs like “Roar,” “Unstoppable,” or “Firework” which have been linked to certain female sports figures, they aren’t namechecked like the legendary Emmaus coach.
And I hope she’s not the last to be so honored.