Martinsville is an independent city near the southern border of the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 13,821, it is the county seat of Henry County. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Martinsville with Henry County for statistical purposes. Martinsville is the principal city of the Martinsville Micropolitan Statistical Area, with a population of 73,346 as of the 2000 census; the paper clip-shaped Martinsville Speedway, the shortest track in the NASCAR Cup Series at 0.526 miles and one of the first paved "speedways," is located just outside the city near the town of Ridgeway. Martinsville was founded by American Revolutionary War General, Indian agent and explorer Joseph Martin, born in Albemarle County, he developed his plantation Scuffle Hill on the banks of the Smith River near the present-day southern city limits. General Martin and revolutionary patriot Patrick Henry, who lived in Henry County and for whom the county is named, were good friends.

The city's chief industry for many early years was the manufacture of plug chewing tobacco. The Henry County area became known as the "plug tobacco capital of the world." In the wake of the collapse of the plantation economy following the American Civil War, the local economy was reeling. Stepping into the breach were several thriving plug firms which sold their merchandise across the nation beginning in the nineteenth century. Local families were involved in these companies, bestowing their names on them and reaping sizeable profits until the early twentieth century, when the tobacco monopolies created by R. J. Reynolds and James Buchanan Duke bought out most firms. Among the earliest of these firms were D. H. Spencer & Sons and Spencer Bros. Other families soon joined in founding other early firms, including the Gravelys, the Comptons, the Ruckers, the Wittens, the Lesters and the Browns; the city's main industry for a century was furniture construction, today Virginia furniture makers still reside in the region.

DuPont in 1941 built a large manufacturing plant for producing textile nylon filament, a vital war material. During the Cold War, the city was identified as a target for strategic bombing by the Soviet Union; this nylon production jump-started the growth of the textiles industry in the area. For several years Martinsville was known as the "Sweatshirt Capital of the World," and in the 1980s it boasted of having more millionaires per capita than any city in America. Business leaders in the mid-20th century, like Whitney Shumate, worked to improve sub-standard housing in Martinsville, he helped clear out a portion of Martinsville called "Mill Town", which had sub-standard rental housing provided for 19th century employees of a now defunct cotton mill. New homes were constructed in the neighborhood, built with sound materials and with all city services for the first time. What had been considered a depressed civic area became a center of progress as middle class blacks began to prosper; as an editorial in the local newspaper noted, "One of the projects which won him considerable attention and praise was the instigation of the redevelopment of what was once known as Martinsville Cotton Mill Village.

He and associates purchased about 50 houses in North Martinsville, using private capital rather than federal aid, rebuilt them into comfortably inhabitable homes, making it possible for many persons to purchase homes within their financial range."In the early 1990s, changing global economic conditions and new trade treaties made Martinsville textiles and furniture manufacturing economically unsustainable. Many firms laid off thousands of workers; the city is repositioning itself long-term as a center for technology manufacturing. MZM, Inc. opened a facility in Martinsville as part of the Cunningham scandal. Memorial Hospital of Martinsville serves Henry County area; the earliest local hospital was the 50-bed Shackelford Hospital, founded by Dr. Jesse Martin Shackelford, joined by surgeon son Dr. John Armstrong Shackelford, an early graduate of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Founder of the Hospital Association of Virginia, Dr. Jesse Shackelford was an early advocate of comprehensive care for state citizens.

Shackelford Hospital was sold in 1946, Martinsville General Hospital subsequently opened with Dr. John Shackelford as its first chief surgeon. In 1970 Memorial Hospital of Martinsville opened its doors; the Beaver Creek Plantation, John Waddey Carter House, Dry Bridge School, East Church Street-Starling Avenue Historic District, Fayette Street Historic District, Little Post Office, Martinsville Fish Dam, Martinsville Historic District, Martinsville Novelty Corporation Factory, Scuffle Hill are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Liberty Fair Mall opened in 1989. Martinsville's relationship with Henry County is somewhat complex. Martinsville was included in Henry County's jurisdiction until it was declared a city by court order in 1928; as with all cities in Virginia, Martinsville's incorporation as a city made it independent from Henry County's jurisdiction. Although Martinsville technically remains the county seat of Henry County, nearby Collinsville serves as the de facto county seat, as it is where the county's primary administrative and judicial offices are located.

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The Men’s field hockey Qualifying Tournament for the 2012 Summer Olympics are qualification tournaments to determine the final three spots for the 2012 Summer Olympics. The qualifying tournaments, which involve 18 teams divided into three groups, with three separate qualifying tournaments, are to be held in India and Japan, at different times in 2012. Only the winners of each qualifying tournament earn a berth in the 2012 Summer Olympics. India qualified to Olympics after beating France 8–1 in first qualifying tournament, while South Korea qualified after beating Ireland 3–2 in the second qualifying tournament. South Africa qualified. Below is the list of 18 teams who participate in these qualifying tournaments: ^1 – Replaced by Italy ^2 – Replaced by Brazil ^3 – Replaced by Singapore ^4 – South Africa played in qualifying tournament gave up automatic berth, given to Spain. Qualifying 1 was held from February 16 to February 25, 2012 in New Delhi, India. Dhyan Chand National Stadium Best Player: Sardar Singh Best Goalkeeper: Mariusz Chyla Top Goalscorer: Sandeep Singh Fair Play: India Qualifying 2 was held from March 10 to March 18, 2012 in Dublin, Ireland.

National Hockey Stadium Topscorer: Muhammad Razie Abdul Rahim, Timothy Cockram, Lee Nam-Yong Best Player: You Hyo-Sik Qualifying 3 was held from April 26 to May 6, 2012 in Kakamigahara, Japan. Gifu-ken Green Stadium Topscorer: Justin Reid-Ross Best Player: Na Yubo Best Goalkeeper: Shunsuke Nagaoka Fair Play: Brazil Official website Official website Official website

The 2001–02 II liga is the 54th season of the Polish II liga, the second highest division in the Polish football league system since its establishment in 1949. The league is operated by the Polish Football Association; the league is contested by 20 teams -- 03 Ekstraklasa. The regular season was played in a round-robin tournament; the champions and runners-up will receive automatic promotion while the 3rd- and 4th-placed teams will compete in Ekstraklasa's qualification play-offs. At the other end, the bottom six teams face automatic demotion to the II liga; the season began on 21 July 2001, concluded on 5 May 2002. After the 23rd matchday the league will be on winter break between 3 December 2001 and 1 March 2002; the following teams competed in the II liga 2001–02: Lech Poznań Orlen Płock Szczakowianka Jaworzno Górnik Łęczna GKS Bełchatów Ceramika Opoczno Hetman Zamość Ruch Radzionków Polar Wrocław Tłoki Gorzyce Arka Gdynia Górnik Polkowice Świt Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki ŁKS Łódź Jagiellonia Białystok Hutnik Kraków Zagłębie Sosnowiec Odra Opole Włókniarz Kietrz KS Myszków 21 goals Jacek Ziarkowski 19 goals Piotr Żaba 17 goals Adam Grad + Source: 90minut.pl – Strzelcy Source: 90minut.pl – Baraże o udział w I lidze Poland - List of final tables