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The origins of hashing
Hash House Harriers started when
Albert Stephen Ignatius Gispert, a British accountant working in what is
now Malaysia, formed a group with fellow expatriates.
The plans were laid for the forming of the Hash House Harriers at the
Selangor Club Chambers, nicknamed the Hash
House (due to the dismal food), Kuala Lumpur, in 1938. The continuing traditions
of the Hash House Harriers are very different from other harriers groups;
'it is the emphasis on the social camaraderie and non-competitive running
as well as the sport of following the trail that makes hashing
something different again!'
The 'Hash Bible'
tells us about the
original Hash trails that were laid by two hares:
'They used 4 inch square
paper cuttings from the Malay Mail. Checks were simply a loss of scent
(the paper would run out). "Check!" would be called and runners would then
go in all directions in search of more scent (or the paper cuttings of that day). On sighting hash
(the trail) "On!" or "On
here!" would be heard ("On On!" today). False trails were
introduced to confuse the pack of hounds. They allowed the slow runners to
catch up with the leaders (termed FRB's today). There were no markings for
checks, arrows, ON IN's, etc., all of these would come as the sport
developed in later years.'
All Hash House Harriers groups trace their lineage back to the
Selangor Club Chambers, the Hash
House, in 1938. The hash tree here is the bit to show L2H3 roots.
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