HISTORY
· Games played with curved sticks and a ball can be found in the histories of many cultures.
· Most evidence of hockey-like games during the Middle Ages is found in legislation concerning sports and games. Similar to Edward's proclamation was the Galway Statute enacted in Ireland in 1527, which banned certain types of ball games, including hockey.
· By the 19th century, the various forms and divisions of historic games began to differentiate and unite into the individual sports defined today.
· Organizations dedicated to the codification of rules and regulations began to form, and national and international bodies sprung up to manage domestic and international competition.
Ice hockey also evolved during this period as a derivative of field hockey adapted to the icy conditions of Canada and the northern United States.
