Darts is usually associated with bars and pubs where it first came into existence. For this reason, many might consider it a fairly new game. However, darts goes way back. It is believed that this game was actually invented somewhere in the middle ages. From the evidence we nowadays have, we know for sure that darts is among the oldest established English pub games. To help you gain a broader understanding of how darts has evolved, here is a short history of darts.
Most probably, given its nature, this game’s roots are linked to archery. According to some opinions, darts was invented by the soldiers of King Arthur who used to have fun aiming to hit a target with their arrows to make time pass by. While we are not able to tell whether this is fact or fiction, one thing is for sure, the earliest type of dartboards resembled the concentric targets used in archery.
As for the darts themselves, no one could argue they don’t look like miniature arrows. Moreover, it is believed that archery teachers used shorter arrows to help their students learn easier and the targets were made of old wine barrels. Therefore, darts’ heritage most probably can be found in archery.
If we think about it historically, darts evolved a lot during the past centuries. Even noblemen appreciated the game. According to historians, Henry the VIII was quite keen on darts and he was even given a set of luxurious darts by Anne Boleyn.
Darts made the leap from archery lessons to the pub with the help of soldiers when they no longer limited their archery practice to a formal setting and decided to throw those arrows while drinking a pint of beer at the pub to have fun with their friends.
This is how darts started to be associated with pubs and bars and it was precisely the pub where the first darts rules started to take shape. The Hockey and Sons is believed to have been the first place where a standard throwing distance was used while playing darts. This distance was measured by placing 3 crates, that measured approximately nine feet, in the spot the players needed to stand when making a throw. Later, the distance was shortened to eight feet.
Darts was born in England and it stayed there for quite a while, more precisely, until the Victorian era. By then, it started to spread throughout the world. Around 1900, darts started to resemble the game we play nowadays as more rules were put in place. This is the period when the dartboard started to have a numbering system and the rules for scoring began to be implemented.
Throughout the 20th century, darts continued to be played mainly in pubs, as a ‘friendly’ game. However, things changed after World War I when the first brewery leagues started to appear.
By 1927, the first darts association was founded, and it organized the first official darts competition, ‘The News of the World Competition’. Before World War II, this competition had already gathered more than 250,000 players.
Around the time of World War II, darts rules became more standardized, and players worldwide started following them. This was also the period when darts became a popular pub game.
In 1986, Brian Gamlin came up with the system that, up to the present date, divides the scoreboard in multiple sections in order to test players’ accuracy.
In 1923, Ted Leggatt started developing the dartboard by creating one from Nodor modeling clay. A year later, he started producing elm dartboards that had additional brass elements in their structure.
In 1935, the first Nodor bristle dartboard was built, a material that remains today the predilect choice for the traditional darts game. This was also the time when the clock format became a standard in designing dartboards.
The same company, Nodor, was also responsible for the first staple-free bull's eye dartboard they manufactured in 1984.
In 1954, the National Darts Association of Great Britain (NDGAB) was founded.
In 1960, the first darts competitions started to be broadcasted on television.
Nowadays, there are 2 major darts organizations in the world: the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) and the British Darts Organization.
As you can see, darts has a long tradition and an intriguing history that contributed to this game’s current fame and popularity. We hope you’ve liked this post, we surely had a great time doing the necessary research while writing it 😊. Stay tuned to our blog for similar posts and don’t forget we’re always here to support you with prime quality darts too!
My stepson just asked me (after watching some professional darts competitions in England) “why are all the pro darts players fat?”!! “You mean they all have beer bellies?” I replied. “Its because the game originated in, and is played mainly, in pubs with good beer!” was my reply. Lots of darts equals lots of good ale!
Actually we need to have Africa darts ogarnazation . here in Africa