The sport or game of darts is unique in several ways: the equipment required to play is reasonably inexpensive, a relatively small amount of space is required to play, and special clothing is not required. Age, gender, size and physical strength/endurance have almost no effect on a player's ability to do well. These factors combine to make darts the appealing and popular game it is today.

The game of darts is hundreds of years old. Rumor has it that the sport originally began as a contest between bored soldiers/archers during respites from battle. The soldiers threw short throwing spears into the upturned ends of wine barrels. As their competition progressed, a more critically marked target became necessary, which led to the use of a slice of a tree as a target. The natural rings of the tree proved perfect for scoring purposes, as did the radial cracks which appeared as the wood dried out. The winter forced the game indoors, and shorter darts and basic indoor rules were adopted. As the game caught on, even the nobility tried their hand: in 1530 Anne Boleyn gave Henry VIII a set of "darts of Biscayan fashion, richly ornamented," and even our Pilgrim fathers are said to have played darts on the Mayflower (1620), using the butt of a wine cask as a "board".

The dart itself became more or less standardized as the practice of throwing "missiles" at targets 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. An American patented a folded-paper flight in 1898, and the all-metal barrel was patented by an Englishman in 1906.

The Darts Board Numbering System

The numbering system on the board is often credited to Brian Gamlin, a carpenter from Bury, Lancashire, who is said to have invented it at the age of 44 in 1896, but he died in 1903 without patenting it. But after extensive research viewing the English and Wales Census and contacting Bury News papers and archives, no trace of Brian’s existence can be found. This is not to say he didn't exist, as some reports say that Brian was also attached to a traveling circus and may have missed the census at the time.

According to another source, Thomas William Buckle invented the dartboard in 1913. The source in question is his son, Thomas Edward Buckle, who 1992 made this statement in Darts World (issue 234).

The Oche

The standardization of the throwing distance took place around the same time, although there is still more than one "standard" in use. It is said that the throwing distance was marked by placing three crates end to end from a brewery called Hockey & Sons (which supplied beer to the Southwest of England). The crates were three feet long, making the distance from the line to the board nine feet. The size of the Hockey & Sons crates was eventually reduced to two feet, and four crates lined up to mark the distance (eight feet). The 8-foot distance remained the standard for many years -- and still exists in some places. The phrase "toeing the hockey" has been said to have been brought about by the use of the Hockey & Sons crates, and the toe line is still called the "hockey", though it is more often spelt oche, and is pronounced without the "h". Other theories state the word 'Oche' is derived from Old Flemish (or similar) meaning a notch or nick or its derivation is an obscure word 'hocken' an old English word meaning 'to spit.' And given that darts was originally played in the public bar or vault where the floor was covered in sand and the room liberally furnished with spittoons, the ‘hockey’ line was determined by the length that a given player could spit from a position with his back to the dartboard.

I prefer the theory that the standard length was determined by three crates, but did Hockey & Sons really exist or is this just a nice plausible explanation for this?

Well unfortunately it seems to be a myth, Hockey & Son's didn't exist and we still cannot say 100% how the distance was arrived at.

The sport was nearly banned in the public houses of Great Britain!

In 1908 a decision was made by the Magistrates in Leeds, England which effectively ensured the eventual popularity of darts as a sport. At that time, "games of chance" were illegal in public houses (pubs). A pub owner called "Foot" Anakin was accused of operating a game of chance and prosecuted for allowing darts at his establishment. Foot argued that darts was not a game of chance, and obtained permission for a board to be set up in the courtroom. It is said that Anakin threw three darts in the 20 and invited any magistrate to do the same. The challenge was accepted, however the court officials were unable to duplicate Foot's shot, thus proving darts was indeed a game of skill and not of chance; the case was dismissed. The years afterward saw the progression of the game in British public houses; by World War II the majority of pubs had dartboards, and teams and matches with other pubs were arranged on a regular basis.

The first major step towards making darts the international game it is today occurred when The News of the World, a British Sunday newspaper, instituted its championship in 1927. Originally confined to the London area, the event nevertheless drew large numbers of participants, and due to its success,became a national competition after World War I. This event grew into one of the most prestigious and sought-after international titles in the sport, but was suspended in 1990. It returned in 1997, but was restricted to players in the UK. (This event sadly is no longer being played) 

Major credit for promotion of the game goes to The News of the World and also to the National Darts Association of Great Britain (NDA), formed in 1954, for their contributions in creating both an international forum for the sport, and establishing basic acceptable rules of play.  

The NDA drew together various Counties and London groupings, and began holding English national competitions in 1957.

Is it a Sport or a Game?

On The 24th March 2005, Sport England took the lead in officially recognizing darts as a sporting activity.

The decision was approved at a recent Sport England Main Board meeting and paves the way for further recognition from other sports councils in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

In taking the initiative to acknowledge darts as a legitimate sporting activity, Sport England took into account its status as a national and international sport, its high and growing levels of participation and the physical and mental skills and dexterity needed to compete successfully.

Sport England Chief Executive, Roger Draper, said that the Board decision looked beyond the stereotypical image of darts and took into account its many positive sporting and social values: “The presentation of darts as a pub game has helped popularize its cult appeal, but the reality is that it is a sport played by many thousands of people across the country in locations ranging from schools to village halls, social clubs and sports centers".

"By taking the lead in recognizing the skills and social and community values associated with darts, we hope others will follow suit in the near future to complete its formal and official recognition as a sport,” he added.

Full sporting recognition will allow darts authorities to take advantage of tax incentives afforded to recognized sports by the Government.  There are currently no plans for Sport England to fund darts, as in February this year (2005) the four-year funding strategy was confirmed for the national governing bodies of sport.

Initially recognized by Sport England, on the 3rd June 2005 Sport Wales, Sport Northern Ireland and Sport Scotland have now added their unanimous agreement that darts is to be recognized as a sport.