Sport or Bar Room Game?
Darts, for the most part, are played in bars with, of course, alcohol. Do you prefer to have a drink before competing or do you hold off? Do you think that because of the alcohol involved with the sport, that this hinders the sport of darts from being recognized as such?
This is a lovely question and I answer it with all honesty, darts began in the UK in the bars, clubs and hotels. It has always been a social pastime for the British. Dart leagues were formed in the early 1940's and there was not any money involved. At the end of the season prizes would be given out and that was it. Of course there would be the money challenge match here and there between rival players, but all in all no one tried to separate the drink from the sport.
In later years when television came along the image of darts was put right in front of the public, in their front rooms. Most did not mind the players being seen having a drink in between throws while others protested that it was a beer swilling sport that belonged in the tap room of the local inn. The same people embraced snooker with open arms even though it came from a far seedier place than darts, because they had a dress code were they wore tuxedos and dickey bow ties. They looked a class above themselves! They could even take their favorite tipple to the table and drink freely between visits to the table. It is surprising how you can dress a sport up to look what it is not.
Darts has paid the penalty for being directly involved with alcohol, probably more so in America than anywhere else. In the UK drink was banned from televised events over ten years ago and it is widely known that the sport has improved it's image greatly because of this. In PDC events all matches are live. This means when a commercial break is held the players go off the stage. If you feel a drink is needed, that is the time to take one. You only have a couple of minutes so it is not a time for downing pints, just a sip of what you fancy and then it's back on stage. I personally liked the old days were we could take a drink in between legs. I never thought I was doing any thing wrong and I certainly did not think I was setting a bad example to others. I have never smoked in my life so I always looked upon a drink as enjoyment and not a need.
Miss it? Yes, I probably do.
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