Dart History
Dart History
If rumor holds true, the sport of darts has a long and decorated history. Originally the sport began as a contest between warriors during lulls in battle. The soldiers heaved short throwing spears into upturned ends of wine barrels. As the competition evolved, targets were marked, leading to the use of tree slices as a target.
The tree's natural rings were perfect for scoring. Winter forced the sport indoors where shorter darts and standard rules were adopted. Darts likely evolved from archery and spear throwing, Henry VII of England and Charles VI were said to be among the first dart throwers. In 1530 Anne Boleyn gave Henry VIII a set of "dartes of Biscayan fashion, richly ornamented." Our pilgrim fathers aboard the Mayflower in 1620 are also said to be dart throwers, using an upturned wine barrel as a dartboard.
Throughout the establishment of the British Empire, soldiers would visit drinking clubs with built-in dartboards. The development of modern darts was closely associated with English Pubs. Darts spread and locals picked up the sport. It was commonly believed that to hit the center of the board (the bullseye) with a dart was pure luck. However, in 1908 an innkeeper demonstrated that it is indeed a game of skill. Darts is now accepted as a popular social and sporting activity. Tournaments are held in every country and millions worldwide enjoy the game. The dart itself became standardized, as the sport became a general pastime. The barrel was typically a piece of wood about 4 inches long with a metal point stuck in one end and feathers on the other.
In 1898 an American patented a folded paper flight. In 1906 an Englishman patented the all-metal barrel. Around this time, the numbering system on the dartboard was devised and gained acceptance. Placing three crates end to end from a brewery called Hockey and Sons, which supplied beer to the Southwest of England, marked the standardization of the throwing distance. The crates were three feet long, making the distance from the toe line to the board nine feet. The crates from Hockey and Sons were reduced to two feet, and four crates were lined up to mark the eight-foot distance from the board. This is supposedly the origin of the phrase "toeing the hockey".
American servicemen stationed in England during World War II caught the dart fever, often bringing the flavor of the English game home to the United States. From young to old now darts brings friends together as individuals and teams to enjoy the sport of darts. The high tech game of darts many of us know today is much different than the medieval version. Revolutionary electronics has elevated the excitement of the game to a new level. Automatic scorekeeping and new and exciting games make darts easy and fun for the entire family. The popular game of darts worldwide extends the tradition of beginning and ending each game with a handshake.
