The Indoor League

The Indoor League was a pub games competition series that was produced by Yorkshire Television and aired from 1972 until 1977. The programme was hosted by England cricketer Fred Trueman. The first series (1972) competition was first transmitted by ITV on Thursday 5 April 1973 at 1 pm and ran for the following 6 weeks. The TV Times magazine dated 31 March 1973 contains a one-and-a-half-page editorial on featuring darting legend Tom Barrett. Most of the competitions were filmed the previous year before transmission due to various edits that were made to the programmes. From series 2 onwards the Indoor League made their various competitions open to International competitors, and they played for the Indoor League World Championships.

Trueman often wore a cardigan whilst smoking a pipe throughout his links. He always ended the show with the phrase, "ah'll see thee".

The show featured many indoor games, the majority of which were pub games, each of which had a prize of £100 for the competition winners. The sports included darts, pool, bar billiards, bar skittles, table football (a.k.a. foosball), arm wrestling and shove ha'penny amongst others. Among the commentators was Dave Lanning and Keith Macklin.

The Indoor League was created by Sid Waddell^[1], who also produced the series from 1972 to 1976. Darts coverage on television was in its infancy, with the News of the World Darts Championship having just begun to be broadcast on ITV in 1972. Waddell would later go on to become one of the voices of darts on television when the World Championship was created in 1978.

In the first series all dart matches were played on a Yorkshire dartboard that does not have any treble scoring segments. The competition was restricted to players form within the Yorkshire TV region, but due to the programme's success from the second series onwards the men's and ladies' darts competition was open to all players from around the globe and they played for the Indoor League World Darts Championships. In the final series there was also an International mixed darts tournament. The winner of the first competition received £100 with the runner-up getting £50.

From the 1974 Season onwards the winner of the mens darts tournament qualified for the BDO World Masters the following year

The first two series of The Indoor League have been released on DVD, remastered by Network on Air and all available episodes were shown on UK TV in 2017 and 2018 on the FrontRunner TV (Sky 468, Freesat 250).

Season air dates

According to the ITV listing magazine at the time 'TV Times' the Indoor League programmes were shown by the different ITV regions at different days and times of the week across their schedules. Some ITV regions showed an episode of the programme one or more week later then other ITV regions.

The details above are taken from the ITV listing magazine TV Times.

Tournament winners

1972 Indoor League Mens Darts Results

1st Round Best of 3 Legs

Quarter Finals Best of 3 Legs

Semi-finals Best of 3 Legs

Final Best of 3 Legs

Ballam Bolton on Dearne

2

Sykes Huddersfield

Ballam Bolton on Dearne

Colin Minton Easingwold

2

England Barnsley

Colin Minton Easingwold

2

Colin Minton Easingwold

2

Gerry Haywood Dewsbury

1

Twigg Sheffield

Gerry Haywood Dewsbury

2

Gerry Haywood Dewsbury

2

Graham Elvidge Scarborough

Dodds Conisbrough

Graham Elvidge Scarborough

2

Colin Minton Easingwold

2

Charles Ellis Bradford

0

John Walker Hull

2

Hornby Upton, Lincs

John Walker Hull

2

Keith Naylor Scunthorpe

1

Bob Crosland Knottingley

1

Keith Naylor Scunthorpe

2

John Walker Hull

0

Charles Ellis Bradford

2

McDonald Wombwell

Les Mills Hull

2

Les Mills Hull

1

Charles Ellis Bradford

2

Reid Hull

Charles Ellis Bradford

2

All matches were played on a Yorkshire dartboard that does not have any treble scoring segments. The 1972 dart tournament was limited to players within the Yorkshire TV region.

The winner received £100 and the runner up £50.

There was no ladies dart tournament in 1972.

Only the final, two semi-finals and two of the quarter finals were transmitted during the 1972 series of six episodes.

1973 Indoor League Mens Darts Results

	1st Round Best of 3 Legs					Quarter Finals Best of 3 Legs					Semi-finals Best of 3 Legs					Final Best of 3 Legs
	1	Tommy O'Regan	2
		Unknown
						Tommy O'Regan		2
						Frank Crolla		0
	Frank Crolla		2
	Ivor Hodgkinson		1
											Tommy O'Regan		2
											Des Stabb		0
	Des Stabb		2
	Willie Ethrington		1
						Des Stabb		2
						Ron Church		1
	Ron Church		2
	Charlie Ellis		1
																Tommy O'Regan		2
																Alan Evans		0
	Tony Riddler		2
	Unknown
						Tony Riddler		2
						Colin Minton		1
	Colin Minton		2
	Unknown		0
											Tony Riddler		1
											Alan Evans		2
	Bob Whyte		2
	Unknown		0
						Bob Whyte		0
						Alan Evans		2
	Unknown
	Alan Evans		2

Alan Evans, in his semi final match against Tony Ridler became the male player to score a 180 on TV. In the same game Tony Riddler also scored a 180 in the second leg.

The current News of the World Darts Championship winner Ivor Hodgkinson entered the tournament but was beaten in the first round by Frank Crolla.

The tournament featured several internationally capped darts players. Winner O'Regan played for both England and Ireland before becoming captain of Ireland. Willie Ethrington, Ron Church and Des Stabb represented England, Bob Whyte represented Scotland and Alan Evans and Tony Riddler played for Wales.

1974 Indoor League Mens Darts Championship Results

	1st Round Best of 3 Legs					Quarter Finals Best of 3 Legs					Semi-finals Best of 3 Legs					Final Best of 3 Legs
	Des Stabb		0
	Leighton Rees		2
						Leighton Rees		2
						Tom Brown		0
	Tom Brown		2
	Alan Glazier		1
											Leighton Rees		2
											Ivor Hodgkinson		0
	Stefan Lord		2
	Pat Mullings		0
						Stefan Lord		0
						Ivor Hodgkinson		2
	John Craine		1
	Ivor Hodgkinson		2
																Leighton Rees		2
																Alan Evans
	Joe Matthews		0
	Willie Etherington		2
						Willie Etherington		1
						Alan Evans		2
	Frank Brown		1
	Alan Evans		2
											Alan Evans		2
											Tommy O'Regan
	Peter Chapman		2
	Steve Rollings		0
						Peter Chapman		0
						Tommy O'Regan		2
	Tommy O'Regan		2
	Doug Priestner		1

Doug Priestner, hit a 180 with his first three darts in the competition.

1975 Indoor League Mens Darts Championship Results

1st Round Best of 3 Legs

Quarter Finals Best of 3 Legs

Semi-finals Best of 5 Legs

Final Best of 5 Legs

Conrad Daniels

2

Tony Ridler

Conrad Daniels

2

Peter Hobson

Peter Hobson

2

Doug Priestner

Conrad Daniels

3

Phil Obbard

Leighton Rees

2

Dave 'Chalie' White

Leighton Rees

Phil Obbard

2

Phil Obbard

2

Unknown

Conrad Daniels

3

Cliff Inglis

Cliff Inglis

2

Willie Etherington

Cliff Inglis

2

Harry Heenan

Harry Heenan

2

Andre DeClerqe

Cliff Inglis

3

Alan Glazier

Alan Evans

Alan Glazier

2

Alan Glazier

2

Peter Chapman

Tommy O'Regan

Peter Chapman

2

For the second year running Doug Priestner, hit a 180 with his first three darts in the competition. Cliff Inglis, hit back-to-back 180s in one of his matches.

1976 Indoor League Mens Darts World Championship Results

	1st Round Best of 3 Legs					Quarter Finals Best of 3 Legs					Semi-finals Best of 5 Legs					Final Best of 5 Legs
	Charlie Ellix		2
	Willie Scott		0
						Charlie Ellix		2
						John Lowe		1
	John Lowe		2
	Peter Chapman		1
											Charlie Ellix		3
											Eric Bristow		2
	Stefan Lord		2
	Ken Brown		1
						Stefan Lord		1
						Eric Bristow		2
	Eric Bristow		2
	Alan Glazier		1
																Charlie Ellix		0
																Leighton Rees		3
	Leighton Rees		2
	Phil Obbard		0
						Leighton Rees		2
						Cliff Lazarenko		0
	Cliff Lazarenko		2
	Brian Vaux		0
											Leighton Rees		3
											Conrad Daniels		2
	Conrad Daniels		2
	John Stanton		0
						Conrad Daniels		2
						Cyril Hayes
	Bill Lennard		1
	Cyril Hayes		2

In the 1976 Indoor League mens darts World Championship players were redrawn after each round. And the draw above reflects this.

1976 Indoor League Ladies Darts World Championship Results

	1st Round Best of 3 Legs					Quarter Finals Best of 3 Legs					Semi-finals Best of 3 Legs					Final Best of 3 Legs
	Jean Dickinson		2
	Susie Robertshaw		0
						Jean Dickinson		2
						Pat Piper		0
	Pat Piper		2
	Pam Langridge		0
											Jean Dickinson		2
											Maureen Flowers		1
	Maureen Flowers		2
	Cathy Wardell		0
						Maureen Flowers		2
						Loveday King		1
	Loveday King		2
	Eva Johansson		1
																Jean Dickinson		2
																Margaret Lally		0
	Brenda Simpson		2
	Ceiwen Potter		1
						Brenda Simpson		0
						Sandra Gibb		2
	Sandra Gibb		2
	Molly Gregory		0
											Sandra Gibb		0
											Margaret Lally		2
	Betty Hughes		2
	Sharon Brown		0
						Betty Hughes		0
						Margaret Lally		2
	Babs Evans		0
	Margaret Lally		2

1977 Indoor League Mens Darts World Championship Results

	1st Round Best of 3 Legs					Quarter Finals Best of 3 Legs					Semi-finals Best of 5 Legs					Final Best of 5 Legs
	Alan Glazier		2
	Eric Bristow		0
						Alan Glazier
						David 'Rocky' Jones		2
	Alan Evans		1
	David 'Rocky' Jones		2
											David 'Rocky' Jones		3
											John Lowe
	Cliff Lazarenko		2
	Rab Smith		0
						Cliff Lazarenko
						John Lowe		2
	John Lowe		2
	Doug McCarthy		0
																David 'Rocky' Jones
																Tony Brown		3
	Charlie Ellix		0
	Bill Lennard		2
						Bill Lennard
						Cyril Hayes		2
	Cyril Hayes		2
	Stefan Lord		0
											Cyril Hayes
											Tony Brown		3
	Phil Obbard		0
	Kevin White		2
						Kevin White
						Tony Brown		2
	Nick Norris		1
	Tony Brown		2

Reigning champion Leighton Rees was unbelievably at the time of filming the competition due to him touring Australasia doing dart exhibitions. In the 1977 Indoor League mens darts World Championship players were redrawn after each round. And the draw above reflects this.

1977 Indoor League Mixed Pairs Darts World Championship Results

	Semi-finals Best of 5 Legs					Final Best of 5 Legs
	1	Kevin White & Lynn Stewart	3
	4	Bob Crosland & Margaret Lally	2
						Kevin White & Lynn Stewart
						Ken Brown & Sandra Gibb		3
	3	Ken Brown & Sandra Gibb	3
	2	Peter Chapman & Brenda Simpson	2

During the second semi-final Peter Chapman become the first player to a televised 180 in a mixed pairs game, and Sandra Gibb scored the first ever televised 180 scored by a female player.

The semi-finals and final in this mixed pairs competition were the best of 5 legs of 701.

References

External links

• The Indoor League on IMDb
• Indoor League at UK Gameshows web site
• Major Darts tournament winners