Oral History Interview: Christopher Todd

Partial Transcript: TODD: My name is Christopher Todd. I'm the England Hockey Vice-president. I was born on the 5th of May 1946.

Segment Synopsis: Todd introduces himself and states his date of birth.

Keywords: Date of birth; England Hockey (EH); Vice-president

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: TODD: I played hockey at school, er, in Liverpool and, er, I played club hockey for Hightown Hockey Club men which sadly is no more.

Segment Synopsis: Todd discusses his transition from playing to umpiring, rising up the levels to become England's youngest international umpire by 1974.

Keywords: Bowden Hightown Hockey Club; Bowden Hockey Club; Cheshire (county); England; Hightown Hockey Club; Illness; International Match; Ireland; Lancashire (county); Liverpool--United Kingdom (UK); National League; North West Hockey Umpiring Association (NWHUA); Operation; Scotland; Southampton--United Kingdom (UK); Umpire; Wales

Subjects: Associations--Umpiring Club Liquidation & Mergers Fitness & Injury Teams--Men--Club Teams--Women--Club Tournaments--International Umpiring--Club

Partial Transcript: TODD: Uh, in the early days of my umpiring we had no National League.

Segment Synopsis: Todd recalls the founding of the National League in the 1988–89 season (the women's league began in the 1989-90 season) remarking on how little he umpired in it despite his Grade One qualifications.

Keywords: International Hockey Federation (FIH); National League; Olympics/Olympic Games; School; Teaching; Umpire; Umpire Panel; World Cup

Subjects: Associations--Umpiring Life Outside of Hockey--Career Tournaments--Club Tournaments--Junior Umpiring--Club Umpiring--International

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: But you umpired at international level?

Segment Synopsis: Todd gives an overview of his international umpiring experiences citing the various tournaments he has officiated in. He goes on to recall the breakdown of his relationship with the International Hockey Federation (FIH) following the British boycott of the Moscow 1980 Olympic Games.

Keywords: Amsterdam--Netherlands; Champions Trophy; European Nations Championship/EuroHockey Nations Championship; Final; Germany; Great Britain Hockey; Hockey Association (HA); International Hockey Federation (FIH); Karachi--Pakistan; Moscow--Russia; Netherlands; Olympics/Olympic Games; Paris--France; Semi-final; Umpire; Umpire Panel; World Cup

Subjects: Associations--International Associations--National Associations--Umpiring Life Outside of Hockey--Retirement Olympic Games--1980 Moscow Olympic Games--1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games--1988 Seoul Olympic Games--1992 Barcelona Politics Tournaments--International Umpiring--International

Partial Transcript: TODD: And as a neutral European umpire I was sent to the Pan American Games in August 1991 and that was the Americas Olympic Qualifier.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: Alex Falcones; Argentina; Canada; Fidel Castro; Final; Havana--Cuba; Olympic Qualifiers; Pan American Games; Umpire

Subjects: Recollection of Others--Celebrity Recollection of Others--Umpire Tournaments--International Umpiring--International

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: Did these different, erm, tournaments feel different...
TODD: Well...
SOMERVILLE: ...To you?

Segment Synopsis: Todd discusses the differences between international tournaments comparing the EuroHockey Nations Championship less favourably to the World Cups and Olympics. He goes on to analyse the playing styles and rule interpretation of different nations and reflect on how that affected his umpiring.

Keywords: AstroTurf/Artificial Turf; Australia; European Nations Championship/EuroHockey Nations Championship; Forward; Germany; India; International Match; Midfielder; Netherlands; Obstruction; Olympics/Olympic Games; Pakistan; Spain; Style of Play; Umpire; Umpiring Cards; Winger; World Cup

Subjects: Playing Surfaces Rules Teams--Men--International Tournaments--International Umpiring--International

Partial Transcript: TODD: I went to the pre-Olympic tournament in, in Montreal in Canada in July 1975 and after that I got my World Cup and Olympic Games ranking.

Segment Synopsis: Todd recounts how he umpired a tournament in the USSR in August 1975 and the central role languages played during his trip. He goes on to examine the impact of language on his umpiring career more generally.

Keywords: Five Nations Tournament; Injury; Language; Olympic Games; Reserve; Soviet Union (USSR); Speech; Teaching; Ulyanovsk--Russia; Umpire; Vladimir Lenin; World Cup

Subjects: Dinners Life Outside of Hockey--Career Olympic Games--1976 Montreal Tournaments--International Umpiring--International

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: So you, you umpired at all these wonderful tournaments...
TODD: Yes.
SOMERVILLE: ...You've travelled extensively.
TODD: I did.
SOMERVILLE: Erm...
TODD: Largely on my own I have to say.

Segment Synopsis: Todd discusses how umpiring, whilst often a lonely affair, has enabled him to form long-standing friendships with his international umpire bretheren during their frequent tournaments together.

Keywords: Alain Renaud; Alex Falcones; Argentina; Australia; Buenos Aires--Argentina; Claude Seidler; Cuba; Don Prior/Donald Prior; France; Germany; India; Louis Gillet; Malaysia; Netherlands; Pakistan; Paris--France; Peter von Reth; Rio de Janeiro--Brazil; Santi Deo/Santiago Deo; Spain; Umpire; Umpire Panel; World Cup

Subjects: Recollection of Others--Umpire Reunion Social & Friendships Tournaments--International Umpiring--International World Cup--Men--1978 Buenos Aires

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: What about the, the rule changes?
TODD: Very interesting.

Segment Synopsis: Todd discusses the rule changes within hockey over recent years and how they have affected the game. He lauds young, up-and-coming umpires for their implementation and interpretation of the rules during recent tournaments.

Keywords: Aerial; Back Stick; England Hockey Futures Cup; European Nations Championship/EuroHockey Nations Championship; Free Hit; High Stick; Lacrosse; Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre; National League; Penalty Corner; Reverse Stick (Tomahawk); Sin Bin; Umpire; Umpiring Cards; Youth

Subjects: Coaching & Management--School Hockey Homes, Venues & Stadia Rules Tournaments--Club Tournaments--International Tournaments--School Umpiring--Club Umpiring--International

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: And are you still umpiring?

Segment Synopsis: Todd discusses his forced retirement from umpiring due to knee problems. He elaborates on his role as an umpiring coach and assessor in, predominantly, the Merseyside/Wirral area.

Keywords: Bowden Hightown Hockey Club; Brooklands Hockey Club; Deeside Ramblers Hockey Club; Injury; Liverpool Sefton Hockey Club; National League; North Hockey Association (NHA)/North (territory); North Hockey Umpiring Association (NHUA); Preston Hockey Club; Umpire Assessment

Subjects: Associations--Umpiring Coaching & Management--School Coaching & Management--Umpiring Fitness & Injury Life Outside of Hockey--Retirement Teams--Men--Club Teams--Women--Club

Partial Transcript: SOMERVILLE: You've had an extensive career that's taken you all over the world and involved you at all levels of hockey...
TODD: Yes.
SOMERVILLE: ...When you look back on it, what are you, what stands out as, as key memories for you that will last you forever?

Segment Synopsis: Todd reminisces on his career highlights. He specifically recalls umpiring the Spain vs Pakistan match during the group stages of the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games; and he reflects favourably on accompanying the England team on its tour of Australia in 1981.

Keywords: Australia; Don Prior/Donald Prior; England; Germany; International Match; Netherlands; Olympics/Olympic Games; Pakistan; Penalty Stroke; Spain; Sydney--Australia; Tour; Umpire; World Cup

Subjects: International Travel Olympic Games--1992 Barcelona Recollection of Others--Umpire Social & Friendships Teams--Men--International Teams--Men--Touring Tournaments--International Umpiring--International World Cup--Men--1994 Sydney