INGATESTONE & DISTRICT DARTS LEAGUE

Winter
Introduction

The league was originally formed as "The Ingatestone and Fryerning Dart League" in 1948.
The original members of the league are assumed to be the Public Houses within the two Parishes {The Crown, The Bell, The Star, The Anchor, The Spread Eagle, The Woolpack and The Viper}.
It is also assumed that over the next season or two the league expanded into neighboring villages, Mountnessing, Highwood, Blackmore, Stock & Margaretting.
The Spread Eagle in Ingatestone High Street were the first League Champions, the Public House no longer exists, it’s now shops. The Viper (Mill Green) then dominated the league for the next 3 seasons and were given the original Winners Shield to keep which can still be viewed in the Pub today.  In 1956 the Wheatsheaf (Nine Ashes) won the first of their 3 consecutive championships & again were given the second Winners shield to keep.

For the 1958/9 season the league introduced a Silver Cup to replace the Wooden Shield's & the committee must of agreed at the time that if a team should win the league 3 times in succession, the Cup isn't kept, which was a good thing ‘cos The Thatchers Arms (Radley Green) won the trophy that season & also the following two seasons.  It is worth noting that when this Silver cup for the League Championship Cup replaced the 2^nd Shield, the league became "The Ingatestone and District Dart League".  In 1963, a second division was first played, but the trophy which was purchased is missing and the whereabouts is a mystery, the runners-up cup exists and is in my possession, and in fact  has been used as the Hatcher Runners-up Cup since 1979. The second division lasted only 3 seasons & it's assumed that the cup is still held at the Public House that won it in 1966.  The 2nd division returned in 1993 and lasted 5 season's before having one season off, it returned for the 1999/2000 season.

I’ve been reliably informed that in 1980 a rule was made that no team outside a 9 mile radius from the Centre of Ingatestone could join the league. I’ve found no evidence of this although I do remember this being mentioned at a Annual General Meeting prior to me joining the Governing Body in 1984, and it's talked about by the older members of the league, although some believe it's 8 miles.

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Format

The original format for league games was five games of Pairs, 301 best of 3 legs, double start double finish, this format was unchanged for 33 season's.

In 1981 a dramatic decision was made by the committee & new governing body, to change the format to 15 legs, five Pairs 401 best of 1 leg and ten Singles 301 best of 1 leg, straight start double finish.

In 1984, the Pairs was increased to 501 and the Singles to 401, this followed the change in the Closing time of licensed premises from 10:30 pm to 11:00 pm a year earlier.

In 1993 came a change that reduced the number of players required per team for the first time.   The format consisted of four Pairs 601 best of 1 leg & seven Singles 501 best of 1 leg, straight start double finish, this had an immediate effect with 3 new teams joining & the 2^nd division was re-established.

In 1997, two games of 4 aside was added to the format, 801 best of 1 leg, straight start double finish.

In 1999, comes the latest change, and a further reduction in the number of players required.
Each team now only requires 6 players & the format is three Pairs 501 best of 3 leg's, straight start double finish & six Singles 401 best of 3 leg's, straight start double finish.
Again this change prompted an increase in teams, with 8 new teams joining, & after one seasons absence, the 2^nd division is re-established.

In 2003, the 1st & 2nd division's Six Singles were increased to 501 best of 3 legs, the newly formed Division 3 was 401 best of 3 legs.

In 2007 it was agreed to abolish the NO BUST rule, the final old ruling to change.

The throwing distance was 8 foot until 1977, for the 1977/78 season the oche was set at 7 foot 6 inches, but since 1978/9 season it's been the standard B.D.O. throwing distance 7 foot 9¼ inches.

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Milestones

1948 - League formed as "INGATESTONE & FRYERNING DART LEAGUE"

1954 - Singles Knockout Cup introduced - The Honeyball Cup

1956 - Pairs Knockout Cup introduced - The Passfield Cup

1958 - League became known as the "INGATESTONE & DISTRICT DART LEAGUE"

1959 - Dibble Shield introduced for the player with the seasons highest score

1963 - A Knockout Cup introduced - The Fargo Cup
          Second Division first formed
          Secretaries Knockout Cup introduced - The Spread Eagle Cup

1967 - Landlords Knockout Cup introduced - The Prince of Wales Challenge Cup

1968 - Captains Knockout Cup introduced - The Royal Steamer Cup

1977 - Hatcher Cup introduced for the teams that were knocked out of the Fargo Cup

1982 - Michael Simms (League Secretary) introduced a Special Award Shield
          Trevor Greenwood (League Chairman) introduced a Wooden Spoon for last place

1983 - New Dibble Shield introduced for most 180’s scored.

1988 - Kevin Stammers (League Secretary) introduced the Player of the Year
            award for the player with the best win average during the season
          Highest Checkout award introduced - The (George) Brook Shield

1990 - Female player of the year award introduced - The (Ron) Wood Shield
          Original Pairs KO Cup (Passfield Cup) replaced with the Harry Knight Cup
          An open Singles knockout competition introduced in the memory of the
            late Chairman - the Alfred Candler Memorial Cup
          Jim Wheldon (League Chairman) introduced the Wheldon Shield to
            replace the Simms Shield
          Kevin Stammers (League Secretary) introduced the Secretaries Special Award

1991 - New Wooden Spoon replaced the Greenwood Spoon

1992 - Ladies singles knockout introduced - The Whitbread Rose Bowl

1993 - Second division re-established

1995 - New Triple’s competition introduced - The Royal British Legion Cup

1996 - Female Highest Checkout Award introduced

1997 - New Special Award Personality of the Year replaced the Wheldon Shield

1998 - League’s 50^th Anniversary

1999 - 6th March, 50th Anniversary Dinner & Dance
          Changed the Pair's competition to an Open Male Pairs Knockout
          Introduction of a Female Pairs Knockout - Stammers Shield
          Introduction of a 100's League Table
          Introduction of a Individual Singles Champion Award

2000 - Presidents Shield is introduced to recognize the team that supports the league

2002 - Division 3 introduced

2003 - Fargo & Hatcher Cup's format changes too: 1 x Six 1001; 2 x Triples 701;    
            3 x Pairs 601; Captain v Captain 501 and 6 x Singles 501, all 1 leg

2004 - Fargo, Hatcher & Bentley (new) Cup's become Divisional

2005 - Most Improved Player replaces Personality of the Year Award
          Stammers Shield changed to best performance by an all Female or Mixed Pairs in
            the All-in-Pairs competition

2007 - Champion of Champions introduced
          Points system changed from 2 points a win to 1 point per game won, plus
            match win bonus point
          No Bust Rule abolished
          The Hatcher Cup & Division 2 Winners Cup were lost by Horse & Groom (Warley),
            when the pub was closed for re-furbishment

2008 - League’s 60^th Anniversary

2009 - The Royal British Legion Cup Change: The Triples is scrapped and the Perpetual trophy
            replaces the Hatcher Cup as the Division 2 Knockout Cup
          Blind Draw Pairs introduced
          The Harry Knight Cup becomes the Division 1 Pairs KO Cup; the Stammers Shield becomes
            the Divisions 2 & 3 Pairs KO trophy

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Summer
Introduction

In 1994 the newly formed "Writtle & District Dart League", was played for the first time. This was run on a Thursday Night during the Summer months between the 1993/4 & 1994/5 of the Ingatestone & District League winter seasons, and was organized by David Prentice & Malcolm Campbell (Cock & Bell).  At the 1994 Ingatestone & District AGM I was asked to help run the Writtle & District League which I declined.  But it was obvious to me that there was a need for a summer league or summer competitions by the players currently within the Ingatestone league, and they weren't entirely happy with the Writtle set-up. Therefore in March 1995, I called a meeting to inform the committee that I intend introducing a Summer League once the winter season was finished, under the title of "The Ingatestone & District Summer Dart League" and subsequently 21 teams entered (3 divisions of 7 Teams was created).
The Writtle & District league changed to a Wednesday Night during the summer, however no longer exists.

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Format

The format was six games of Singles, 401 best of 3 legs, three games of Pairs, 501 best of 1 leg straight start double finish. Also there was after each league match was complete, a Six Aside League competition consisting of 801 best of 3 legs straight start double finish.

In 1996, the Six Aside League Competition was changed to 1001 best of 1 leg straight start double finish.  In 1997, the Six Aside League Competition became a Divisional Knockout Competition, and the Pairs in the league games became best of 3 legs.

In 2004, the 1st & 2nd division Six Singles are to be increased to 501 best of 3 legs, the other divisions remained 401 best of 3 legs.

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Milestones

1995 - League formed as "INGATESTONE & DISTRICT SUMMER DART LEAGUE"
            Divisional Six Aside League formed
           Player of the Years Awards formed
          180 Shield formed
          Highest Checkout Shield formed
          Secretary’s Special Award for best game average formed
          Male Singles Knockout Cup formed
          Female Singles Knockout Cup formed
          Mixed Pairs Knockout Cup formed
          Mixed Triples Knockout Shield formed

1997 - Divisional Six Aside League was replaced by the Divisional Six Aside Knockout

1998 - Female Highest Checkout Award introduced

1999 - 3^rd Division re-established

2000 - Introduction of a 100's League Table
          Introduction of a Individual Singles Champion Award

2001 - Presidents Shield is introduced to recognize the team that supports the league
          Division 4 introduced

2003 - Division 5 introduced  for one season only

2005 - Divisional Singles replaced the Male & Female Singles KO's
          Champion of Champions introduced

2007 - Points system changed from 2 points a win to 1 point per game won, plus
            match win bonus point

2008 - No Bust Rule abolished

2010 - Singles Drawn in League Matches

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HELP REQUIRED!

To complete the history I need help!
Unfortunately there are gaps in the history of the League, & I need help to complete it.
Some of the past Secretaries didn't always get the Perpetual Trophies engraved, and there were certainly no written records ever passed on or exist to my knowledge.
I need past & current players to be on the lookout for anything that may have evidence of who took part or who won what. I need Dates, Team Names or Players Names, Fixtures or League Tables, view Old Trophies, Newspaper cuttings, all items will be returned.
I would be grateful for any snippet of information.
So, if your reading this & used to play in the league or had relatives who did & have any recollection of pre 1988 when I took over running the league,

Please e-mail me kjsdarts@talktalk.net

I would also like to know what Teams (Pubs/Clubs) participated in the League each season, prior to the 1980/81 season.

Does anyone know where the original 2nd division winners cup is? last awarded in 1966.

The missing records are from the following Competitions:-
(Note year stated is the year the season finished - i.e. 1949 = 1948/1949 season)