With an 87 year legacy of Lutheran fellowship, the Lutheran Dart League is gearing up for another season of vibrant competition.
Don’t swing, batter, batter, swing–throw, batter, batter, throw! Since its formation in the time of the Great Depression as an opportunity for inexpensive Lutheran fellowship, the Lutheran Dart League has been playing a dart game similar to baseball: dartball.
On Tuesday evenings from Labor Day to Easter, teams of nine from various local Lutheran churches throw darts underhanded from 20 feet to a four foot by four foot board which looks like a baseball diamond. Each player throws until there is an outcome: a hit or an out. Throughout the season, there are various tournaments, and, holding true to their tradition, an Awards Night at the end of each season.
The Lutheran Dart League has been a staple for Lutherans in northern Illinois for decades. It has a rich history from an initial growth from twelve teams to 44 in less than 20 years with dart boards made by hand in a member’s garage. Many long-standing members remember tournaments which once lasted until the wee hours of the morning and awards dinners with seating for 1,000.
As they gear up for another season, it is a wonderful time to form a team and join the fun. The current approximate geographic area of the LDL is bounded by Harlem Avenue on the east, 87th St. on the south, Route 59 on the west, and I-390 on the north.
To learn more about how your church can become involved in this league and its legacy, please contact Norbert Golchert, the president of the Lutheran Dart League, at n.golchert@comcast.net.
This is Our Northern Illinois District! #OurNID