Baseball Darts
While most people are accustomed to the sight of a bristle board with steel tip darts, there is a completely different type of darting going on in the world. American style darts makes use of a wooden (or sometimes paper) board, and darts with wooden barrels and turkey feather flights.
Baseball Darts
One to Nine
Without a doubt, the most basic dart game played on the American dart board is Baseball. It is to American darts what Texas Holdem is to poker.
Baseball is a simple game. Players, or teams, each take turns throwing three darts at an inning. Darts landing in the thin outer ring score three points, and those landing in the thicker red ring score two. Any dart landing in the inner pie-shaped piece of the inning scores a single point.
Darts that land outside the inning do not score. Darts that fail to stick into the board, and that includes those sticking into another dart accidentally, do not score.
Innings are played in order, one through nine. The player or team with the most points at the end of the ninth inning wins. Ties are broken by playing additional innings.
Baseball is a simple game. Players, or teams, each take turns throwing three darts at an inning. Darts landing in the thin outer ring score three points, and those landing in the thicker red ring score two. Any dart landing in the inner pie-shaped piece of the inning scores a single point.
Darts that land outside the inning do not score. Darts that fail to stick into the board, and that includes those sticking into another dart accidentally, do not score.
Innings are played in order, one through nine. The player or team with the most points at the end of the ninth inning wins. Ties are broken by playing additional innings.
Sites of Interest
- American Style Darts
- Lists the different games that can be played on an American board, reviews equipment, and includes a free web game based on American darts.
- A.B.D.A.
- The home of the American Baseball Darts Association. Lots of links to American dart leagues. Also includes tournament information and results.
- Dart Shark
- The dart division of the Wood Specialty Company out of Philadelphia. They create wooden boards made of the endgrain pieces of Basswood.
Recreational and Competitive Play
The American style game is played mostly in the Pennsylvania/NY/NJ area. You'll often find taverns in this region will have an American board instead of an English pub board.
There are recreational leagues, and of course informal "pick up" games. There are also serious American dart competitions.
The most prestigious event is the Pennsylvania State Dart Tournament, which has been running continously for nearly 40 years. This event pits teams of three against each other, and regularly draws over 100 teams. Anyone can shoot on any team, regardless of average.
Pennsylvania also plays host to the National Championship of American Darts. This tournament makes use of classes, and shooters must have a proof of average. Teams are classified by their team average, and broken into divisions. The high team average allowed in the top division is 130.
There are recreational leagues, and of course informal "pick up" games. There are also serious American dart competitions.
The most prestigious event is the Pennsylvania State Dart Tournament, which has been running continously for nearly 40 years. This event pits teams of three against each other, and regularly draws over 100 teams. Anyone can shoot on any team, regardless of average.
Pennsylvania also plays host to the National Championship of American Darts. This tournament makes use of classes, and shooters must have a proof of average. Teams are classified by their team average, and broken into divisions. The high team average allowed in the top division is 130.
