Indoor League 1972-1977

[The Cat]

The indoor league was broadcast on Yorkshire TV during the 1970's. Initially having a lunchtime slot it was first shown regionally in 1972 then nationally from 1973-1977.

The show was presented by pipe-smoking ex cricketer Fred Trueman who would usually down a pint at the beginning before kicking off the week's knockout competitions which included darts, bar-billiards, arm-wrestling, pool, skittles and shove ha'penny amongst others.

The show was one of the earliest to bring televised darts to the public, beaten to it by Westward Television's invitational tournament which began in 1962.

Indoor League was originally produced by Sid Waddell and the darts commentary provided by Dave Lanning. The shows were recorded in Leeds.

The darts champions each year were:

1972 Colin Minton (beat Charles Ellis)
1973 Tommy O'Regan (beat Alan Evans)
1974 Leighton Rees (beat Alan Evans)
1975 Conrad Daniels (beat Cliff Inglis)
1976 Leighton Rees (beat Charlie Ellix)
1977 Tony Brown (beat David Rocky Jones)

Footage:

[youtube][/youtube]



The first series is available on DVD from Amazon.

[jameshope]

Loved the Indoor League when it was on in a Monday Lunchtime slot at 12-30 i used to run home from school to watch it great memories too. Cat the N.O.W was first shown on tv in 1972 on World of Sport not 1970 m8

[The Cat]

Loved the Indoor League when it was on in a Monday Lunchtime slot at 12-30 i used to run home from school to watch it great memories too. Cat the N.O.W was first shown on tv in 1972 on World of Sport not 1970 m8

Can you give me a source please James ?

Everything I have read and researched definately says 1970 was the first time on ITV.

Cheers.

[The Cat]

Loved the Indoor League when it was on in a Monday Lunchtime slot at 12-30 i used to run home from school to watch it great memories too. Cat the N.O.W was first shown on tv in 1972 on World of Sport not 1970 m8

Can you give me a source please James ?

Everything I have read and researched definately says 1970 was the first time on ITV.

Cheers.

Nevermind found one - cheers James.

[jameshope]

Sorry cat m8 Leighton Rees on Darts (1978) was where i read it

[Philezra]

In the documentary "Arrogant Irresponsible Genius, footage shows the draw being made in the semi-finals of 1976 - Charlie Ellix plays Bristow..............probably Bristow's debut on TV????

Phil

[Doctor Darts]

I wrote about the history of the Indoor League in my DR. DARTS' NEWSLETTER a few months ago. Dave Lanning helped with some of the info. If anyone wants a copy please e-mail me via my website www.patrickchaplin.com and I'd be happy to send one to you.

Also back in the mid-1970s Sid Waddell and Producer John Meade published a paperback (London: Pan Books, 1975) cunningly titled THE INDOOR LEAGUE. It's a scarce little volume but packed with information. Derek Brown also reported about TIL in his THE GUINNESS BOOK OF DARTS (1981) and records all the winners.

[Ellis180]

My uncle Charlie Ellis lost in the final in 1972, I never got to see him play as I wasn't born until 1994 and he sadly passed in 2003. I was just wondering if anybody has any links to footage or any pictures, if so please feel deee to contact me via my email:
Brad-x-ellis@hotmail.co.uk
Thankyou.

[Ginge]

My uncle Charlie Ellis lost in the final in 1972, I never got to see him play as I wasn't born until 1994 and he sadly passed in 2003. I was just wondering if anybody has any links to footage or any pictures, if so please feel deee to contact me via my email:
Brad-x-ellis@hotmail.co.uk
Thankyou.

Have you tried your luck with Yorkshire Television?

[Rout]

Cats opening post says it ran from 1972 and that the first series is available from amazon. If your uncle was on in 1972 it must have been the first series

[Booji Boy]

My uncle Charlie Ellis lost in the final in 1972, I never got to see him play as I wasn't born until 1994 and he sadly passed in 2003. I was just wondering if anybody has any links to footage or any pictures, if so please feel deee to contact me via my email:
Brad-x-ellis@hotmail.co.uk
Thankyou.

Here is some footage of your uncle from the QF its from about 4.20 onwards.

[Zapp Brannigan]

I have the first series on DVD I'll try and rip it and upload it if I have the chance

[nikkiboy]

Ah brass darts, wood stems and feather flights - those were the days

[uamniw]

Hi

I believe series 2 is also still available on DVD.

It features Alan Evans hitting what could be the first maximum on TV. Also the American Pool is worth watching as the table football and cheese skittles.

[malcy93]

Hi

I believe series 2 is also still available on DVD.

It features Alan Evans hitting what could be the first maximum on TV. Also the American Pool is worth watching as the table football and cheese skittles.

Yes series 1 and 2 are out on DVD. Have both.

[uamniw]

Nahthen

Just a heads up.. Series 1 of Indoor League is being repeated on channel Front Runner (Channel 91 on Freeview and 468 on Sky). Episodes are shown on Monday's and repeated on Wednesday's - they show two episodes in full from 6pm -.

Interestingly, there is a voiceover who asks if any viewers know of any of the participants and to let them know by email, the email address is shown.

I just wonder, if enough people respond, what the chances are of showing series 2 - already shown on ESPN Classic in 2012 and on DVD - or maybe, just maybe, series 3 or more?.

Ahl sithee

[Zapp Brannigan]

Just remembered this thread. Ive finally got round to ripping the episodes of series 1 and 2 to my computer but I think they are too big to share (each episode is around 600-700mb and there is 19 episodes). If anyone wants them desperately I could try and see what the best thing to do is otherwise If you want to cover the costs of a memory stick I can stick them on.

Ive tried updated some of the wiki page as well with what Ive seen, might try and write down the tournament brackets for seasons 2.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Indoor_League

Does anyone know if seasons 3-6 got shown on Frontrunner when it was going or was it just the ones on dvd?

[Zapp Brannigan]

Can someone move this to the main board, dunno if anyone actually looks at the other sections?

[ssjsa]

Can someone move this to the main board, dunno if anyone actually looks at the other sections?

There you go Brett.

[Zapp Brannigan]

Can someone move this to the main board, dunno if anyone actually looks at the other sections?

There you go Brett.

Cheers