Dart League Plans Hit Bull's-Eye

Author: George L. Fleming

Published: May 19, 1992

For years, Larry Irvin had to travel to Tampa each time he wanted to play a serious game of darts. That's because all the organized dart leagues and tournaments were in the big city to the west.

Not anymore. In November, Irvin organized the Brandon Area Dart Association. Now in its second 12-week season, the group fields four teams and has about 35 members, Irvin said.

"Brandon was long overdue for having its own dart league", said Irvin, 39, who works as a printer.

The league plays on Monday nights, alternating among four local bars: Darby's Pub in Brandon Mall, the Fox & Hounds Irish Pub on Brandon Boulevard, Frankie D's Sports Pub on Bell Shoals Road, and the Sparetime Pub in Oakfield Lanes on Oakfield Avenue.

Dart players can join a league team up to six weeks into a season. "We're always looking for new members," said association president Tony Graf, 31, a Valrico resident who works as a draftman.

Lee Lash of Valrico said he honed his throwing skills by practicing on his backyard patio. When he heard that Brandon finally had a dart league, he joined immediately. Now he's the league secretary and treasurer.

Lash, 45, a systems analyst and industrial engineer for the Anheuser-Busch brewery in Tampa, said he finished fourth in a company-sponsored national dart tournament in Los Angeles in 1989.

While the players rejoice at finally having a league in their backyard, bar owners are pleased, too.

"We've really enjoyed having the league play here", said Chuck Winkler, owner of Fox & Hounds. "Besides, the best place to play darts is in a pub".

The league plans to expand to six teams, perhaps in time for the third season, which starts in June, Irvin said.

Other plans include a women's division and an all-star competition between Brandon and Tampa players, he said.

"We haven't even scratched the surface yet with this league," Irvin said.

"Throwing darts takes a great deal of skill, especially in terms of eye-hand coordination. It can frustrate me as easily as golf does, but I don't have to be as far away from the bar."