From Playing Fields to Battlefields
George Orwell described sport as “war minus the shooting”, but his cynicism overlooked sport’s ability to provide a sanctuary for those involved in real wars, not metaphorical ones…
This is the introduction to June’s edition of the Off-Field newsletter, curating monthly tales from the fringes of sport and society. Read it here.
In his 1945 essay The Sporting Spirit, George Orwell described sport as “war minus the shooting”. And as the Euros begin this month, it’s unlikely that a day will go by this summer without someone somewhere casually conflating our favourite leisure activity with humankind’s darkest acts.
Attack down the flanks. Take no prisoners. Caught in no man’s land. Aerial bombardment. Under siege. Dogfight. Rear guard action. Hold the fort. Rally the troops.
Whether it’s written in a match report, barked out in commentary, or uttered in the pub, we’re all guilty of spouting the occasional war cliché.
The terminology isn’t distasteful or disrespectful, but it does suggest a blurring of perspective. Occasionally, events arise that realign our focus.
For many in the UK, the 80th anniversary of D-Day last week was one of those moments. I was lucky to be in Normandy just a few weeks ago, visiting the landing beaches that have become synonymous with displays of unprecedented courage and ultimate sacrifice.
Standing on those same grains of sand had a profound effect on me, as I suspect it does on many others who visit (except, it seems, our Prime Minister). Staring up towards the coastal defences, with surviving artillery still pointing towards the beach, you can’t help but wonder what you would have done in that situation when expected to sprint towards the very people shooting at you. Thanks to our formidable grandads and — as you’ll read below — grandmas, we’ll hopefully never find out.
Sadly the same can’t be said in other parts of the world, where new generations have been forced into combat boots. Conflicts in Gaza, Myanmar, Sudan, Ukraine, and Yemen continue to kill thousands and uproot millions.
Orwell may have viewed sport as “bound up with hatred, jealousy, boastfulness, disregard for all rules and sadistic pleasure” but his cynicism overlooked sport’s ability to provide a sanctuary for those involved in real wars, not metaphorical ones. From the Syrian and Palestinian teenagers playing cricket in Lebanese refugee camps, to the Sudanese and Ukrainian football teams playing on foreign fields to offer hope for their desperate people back home.
This month’s Off-Field newsletter features the above stories alongside more examples of where war and sport have overlapped.
As for keeping a sense of perspective in a stonking summer of sport that will see tribal rivalries reignite, it’s worth remembering the tale of Aussie cricketer Keith Miller.
The all-rounder’s 170 wickets and 2,958 runs are made all the more remarkable given that he spent the Second World War flying Mosquito bombers over Germany and occupied France. When asked by renowned interviewer Michael Parkinson how he handled the pressure of playing Test cricket for Australia, Miller’s incredulous response was one for the ages.
“Pressure? There’s no pressure in Test cricket. Real pressure is when you are flying a Mosquito with a Messerschmitt up your arse!”
Enjoy the selection.
This is an excerpt from the Off-Field newsletter. Subscribe, for free, here
