Whilst at Takapuna Grammar School James Palmer began playing field hockey in a nearby local park after a ground maintenance man taught the children how to play. Palmer was one of the students at the school to make it onto the team with him eventually going on to play more than 100 games for Auckland. During the 1960s he was good enough to earn himself a place on the national team. Palmer was named in New Zealand’s squad for both the 1964 Tokyo and 1968 Mexico City Olympics although he did not play in any matches at either Games.
New Zealand