Noted teams and players have their following of spectators who are as keenly interested in the game as the most partisan of football supporters and logical step from that is the beginning of professionalism. To the player or spectator of the more generally recognized sports there may seem something almost ludicrous in the idea of professional darts players, but there is nothing strange when the remarkable growth of ihe game is considered. Darts has followed table tennis in growing from a parlour (generally a bar parlour) pastime to a national sport.
A year ago darts was almost confined to public houses, but now clubs, works and church institutes and other bodies are taking to the game with enthusiasm. There are now 750,000 players in the National Darts League, quite apart from the many thousands who play privately in their local inns or their homes, In Wales alone there are 45,000 affiliated players, compared with only twelve affiliated Players five years ago. Probably it England and Wales there are at present between 2,000,000 and 3,000,000 players, Not all play under the same rules, the "clock" and "fi " boards being used in different parts of London. for instánce, and the "no trebles" board being favoured in Yorkshire and Lancashire, Moves are being made to introduce a standard board, and in time to form a'truly representative championship. Tt is planned to run a championship in five sections to cover the North Leicester Favoured of Ireland, Wales and three areas in Sheffield United, who are striving for promotion, went: out to -the Wolves last year, and as the Rovers have not been maintaining their promise, I shall not be surprised to see the Second Divisioners win.
There: will: be team' and amount:
This indication that open prof tionalism is to be fostered, though the National Darts Association sets its face firmly against. it, Third Round F.A. Cup Cinema Tickets Arsenal v. Bolton W.
Swansea v. Wolverhampton W-Southend v. Barnsley Millwall v. Manchester City Tottenham v. Blackburn R. Tranmere v. Portsmouth Bradford City v. Chesterfield Notts F. v. Southampton Clapton O. v. Coventry City West Brom A. Newcastle United Manchaster United v. Yeovil Leeds v. Chester Charlton v. Chardiff Lincoln v. Leicester Bradford v. Newport Huddersfield v. Hull Middlesbrough v. Stockport Sheffüeld W. v. Burnley Birmingham v. Blackpool Crewe v. Plymouth A.
Norwich v. Aston. Villa Preston v. West Ham United Scarborough v. Luton Sunderland v. Watford Doncaster R. v. Sheffield U-Brentford v. Fulham Derby v. Stoke Aldershot v. Notts County Tama Divisio. (SovrummN)
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.