A BRIEF HISTORY OF DARTS

Wooden Dart circa 1920

The true origins of darts are lost in the mists of time. Legend has it that King Henry VIII of England instructed his archers to practice their skills all the year round, so that they were always ready for battle. Taking into account England’s unfavourable weather, some archers took their skills indoors. They threw cut down arrows at the end of upturned beer barrels in the inns and taverns of the Middle Ages. History does not tell whether this “indoor archery” proved beneficial in combat, but the skills of the modern day players make a connection through the passage of time to their historical darting forefathers.

DARTS DATA

  1. The weight specified on the packaging of steeltip darts in this catalogue is for one pointed dart barrel only. It does not include the weight of the shaft and flight.
  2. The average speed of a dart hitting a board is around 64kph (40mph).
  3. In tournament play a player is only allowed 9 practice darts (3 shots) before commencing a match.
  4. In tournament play the longest time a player may be allowed between throwing individual darts is 3 minutes. This allows for a player to replace or repair damaged darts equipment.
  5. In tournament play the maximum allowable dart weight is 50 grams.
  6. In tournament play the maximum allowable dart length is 12 inches (30cms)