The first darts tournament to be played under standardised rules took place 100 years ago today, in Wandsworth, South London.
The Licensee’s Cup was staged at The Red Lion in Wandsworth, with a clear set of rules – using the London (or Trebles dartboard), three darts per throw, counting down from 301 points (five times around a cribbage board), and starting and ending with a double. Although the scores has since increased and the throw line shortened, the fundamental rules were now in place.
I know about the Red Lion from Arthur Taylor’s Played at the Pub, which, in common with pretty much every piece of darts history, is indebted to the work of Dr Darts, Patrick Chaplin. Pat’s recent newsletters and his social history of darts describe how there were several brewery and other dart leagues in existence prior to 1926, but that rules and notably boards were varied, with no central organisation – until in early 1925 when an Association was set up following, typically for British sport, a meeting in an office in London.
Quite why it took another year to confirm the rules, I have no idea, but then sports administrators are a special breed, and I don’t want to find out right now, just in case it stops me from, today, saying Happy 100th Birthday to darts – and congratulating whoever has arranged this Blue Plaque, in just about the right place.
The Red Lion was at 412 York Road just near the Ram Brewery, but by the time the road turned into Ram Street it pub seems to have long been eaten up by a one-way system.
For a proper history of darts read Patrick Chaplin’s Darts in England 1900-39, or sign up to his lovely Newsletter at https://patrickchaplin.com/newsletter/.