Thirty-five years after India won the hockey World Cup, pride is still writ large on the face of goalkeeper Leslie Fernandez.
Leslie fondly recalls the team's victory procession in Tiruchi, his hometown. “Scores of people lined up along the streets to give us a rousing reception. When the vehicle stopped by my house at Melapudur, my father garlanded Ajitpal Singh, the Indian skipper, and other members. Those are moments to cherish for a lifetime.”
This alumnus of Campion Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School was more interested in athletics and football at school. He took to hockey seriously, he says, after joining the Corps of Signals. “Considering my physique and agility, my trainers groomed me as a goalkeeper. The big break happened when I was selected for the Corps of Signals senior team in 1970.”
Meteoric rise
Leslie's meteoric rise as a hockey player did not surprise many. Hockey Olympian and former Indian goalkeeper Charles Cornelius calls him a “born goalkeeper.” Leslie had little success in his first major international assignment at the 1974 Asian Games in Tehran. India had to be content with the silver medal after losing to Pakistan in the finals.
“Those days, not winning a gold medal in hockey was considered a disgrace by fans. Not to speak of the humiliation after losing against the arch-rival,” he says.
The harsh words of his teammates at Corps of Signals haunted him for a long time. “You should have died at Tehran after losing the final to Pakistan,” they said to him.
After making it to the Indian squad for the 1975 World Cup, Leslie visited the Poondi Matha Church in Boodalur (Thanjavur district) and vowed to offer his gold medal to the Church if his team won.
“I was disappointed after losing the gold medal at the Asian Games and was determined to give my best for the team at the World Cup. But I also wanted support from God,” he smiles.
Rising to the expectations of the country, the team won the championship.
An overjoyed Leslie kept his word to God and not only gave away the gold medal but also the silver he had won at the Asian Games to the Church.
“The medals are still on display in the church,” he says.
Leslie says that rivalry between players of India and Pakistan existed only on the field.
“Indian and Pakistani players were part of the Asian All Stars team that played against European XI in an exhibition match in Belgium in 1974 as part of the golden jubilee celebrations of the International Hockey Federation. Our camaraderie, despite the Indo-Pak war a few years back, surprised European players,” Leslie recalls.
He has warm memories of the time he spent with some of the legendary Pakistani players off the field.
The 63-year-old says the Army shaped him both as a person and as a hockey player.
“I owe everything to the Army,” adds Leslie, who later joined Southern Railways and represented its team. The veteran hockey player was in Tiruchi recently and was delighted that his hometown is getting a synthetic hockey turf: “I am happy that there is a lot of interest among youngsters for hockey. The synthetic turf will be a big boost to hockey in Tiruchi and neighbouring districts.”
Leslie is an admirer of Kapil Dev, especially for the way the legendary cricketer carries himself off the field. “Kapil is a great cricketer and also a good human being. What I like the most about him is his unselfishness and that he speaks up for the players.”
LESLIE LOVES:
Listening to old Hindi and Tamil songs. It is one of the best ways to relax, he says. It helped him a lot during his playing days and suggests the same to young sportspersons now.
Reading books of different genres, from general knowledge to mystery novels.
Learning about wildlife
Watching old movies especially Hollywood classics.
