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1999 ADO PRESS RELEASES

 

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ADO PRESS RELEASES

October 17, 1999

 For information, call (714) 254-0212 or (949) 497-2680 or e-mail adooffice@aol.com

ENGLAND CLAIMS WORLD CUP

American Teams Place in Top Quarter of 32-Team Field

Anaheim, Calif. England swept both the World Cup and Women's World Cup from defenders Wales and America, respectively, in Durban, South Africa last week, claiming gold medals in Men's Team, Women's Pairs, and Women's Singles and a silver medal in Men's Pairs.

The American team, though a strong one, came home without any medals for this first time this decade, though the men's team placed 8th overall and the women placed ninth. The ADO team of Steve Brown, Paul Lim, David Marienthal and Dieter Schutsch missed at least a bronze medal in the team event by a hair when they met eventual champions England at the quarter final round. Down 6-0, the Americans came back to tie the score at 6, then 7 and then 8 before falling to the Brits 9-8 in the 17th and deciding leg. Brown and Marienthal again saw the quarter finals in the Men's Pairs, but lost to a surprisingly strong South African team in that round. Lim and Schutsch went down at 32 to the other pair from South Africa. The quarter finals were the jinx for the USA at this Cup, with women's team Stacy Bromberg and Marilyn Popp also getting knocked out at that level by astrong team from Sweden that ended up 2nd to Trina Gulliver and Aplyee Jonesfrom England in the final. Bromberg exited singles at the final 16 and Poppat 32.

The ADO would again like to thank its corporate and individual sponsors whohelped make this trip possible.Corporate sponsors included Bull's Eye News,Dart Team, New Haven Dart League and LB Dart Enterprises.Full details of the World Cup will be published in the final Double Eagle of1999 due out next month.

* * *

WDF World Rankings released last month prior to World Cup included fiveAmericans. Both John Kramer of Laguna Beach, Calif. and Dieter Schutsch ofLas Vegas, Nev. were among those in a 10-way tie for 16th on the men's side.Among the women, Stacy Bromberg, Las Vegas, was tied for 9th withAustralia's Helen Chalson; Lori Verrier, Salem, Ore., was tied for 10th withNew Zealand's Noeline Gear and England's Debra Royal; and Marilyn Popp,Milford, Conn., was tied for 11th with Canada's Patricia Farrell andEngland's

August 29, 1999

 For information, call (714) 254-0212 or (949) 497-2680 or e-mail adooffice@aol.com

REGIONAL REALIGNMENT TO BE FINALIZED IN NOVEMBER

Board Announces Changes for Masters Team; Elections Slated

Anaheim, CA The ADO Board of Directors will meet the weekend of November 12-14 in California. Among numerous agenda items will be the final plan for regional realignment, a task that had not been undertaken for 10 years. As player demographics and populations shift, it is periodically necessary to adjust regional boundaries to best assist associations to work together for playoffs and other ADO programs. The current realignment has been under discussion for over a year; some minor adjustments have already been made, and proposed boundary shifts were posted throughout the weekend at the North American Open at the ADO booth in order to solicit member input. Area Managers and Regional Directors have also been asked to contact their associations for input. Any further thoughts on boundary realignment must be directed to the appropriate area managers no later than mid-October to allow for distribution to board members and proper consideration at the meeting. Any club that has not yet seen how boundary adjustments might affect the club should contact the resident area manager as soon as possible for full details.

Due to startlingly poor participation in the Masters regionals this year, the Board of Directors was forced to reduce the size of the team it will send to England in December to two men and one woman instead of four men and two women. With only 37 finalists registered in the playoff, the funds collected did not support additional team members. In the past, participation for this event has been high enough to send a full contingent and allow the playoff program to remain healthy. However, in the face of this year's participation, the board believed it was unfair to use funds that could benefit clubs in other ways to make up the shortfall. The invitation from the BDO to the U.S. remains the same, and should a runner-up choose to pay his/her own way to the Masters, will still be included with the group. It is the hope of the board that playoff program participants will provide their respective ADO regional directors and area managers with constructive ideas on ways this portion of the program might be more successful again next year.

ADO elections for the following offices will be held by the end of 1999 with officers beginning their terms on January 1, 2000: president, chief financial officer, area managers in areas 1, 3 and 5; and regional directors in areas 2, 4 and 6. Anyone interested in running for these positions should contact the ADO office for information about candidacy. Per Article 11, Section 4 of the ADO By-Laws, candidates for executive offices (president, vice-president and general secretary) are restricted to past executive officers, area managers (present or past) and present or past youth managers. Per Article 11, Section 5 of the By-Laws, candidates for chief financial officer are exempt from the above qualification; however, candidates for that office must demonstration past experience in finance, possess a general knowledge of the sport of darts and be nominated by a board member in good standing. Candidates for CFO should also be bondable. Resumes received from any executive candidates not currently on the board will be distributed to all current board members for consideration.

August 20, 1999

For information, call (714) 254-0212 or (949) 497-2680 or e-mail adooffice@aol.com

  UMBERGER, BROMBERG, CABLE CLAIM ADO TITLES

ADO Signs New Sponsorship Contract

Anaheim, CA Five-time World Cup team member and member of the 1999 ADO National Ambassadors team Jerry Umberger of Schuylkill Haven, Penn. won his first ADO National 501 Championship on the eve of his retirement from the tournament circuit, defeating three-time World Cupper Roger Carter, Atlanta, Ga., in the final match. Umberger, despite numerous tournament titles and representation on Pacific Cup and World Cup teams, had only won one other ADO national title: in 1982 he was the National Points Champion. Carter was runner-up in the 501 Championships to Jim Widmayer in 1996. Joint third in the championships went to Dieter Schutsch, Las Vegas, who will also represent the U.S. at this year's World Cup, and Brian Dougherty, Ocala, Fla., who is a current member of the National Ambassadors team and represented the U.S. at the Winmau World Masters in 1996. On the women's side, Stacy Bromberg won her fourth National Championship, besting New York's Marcia Loche in the final. Joint third went to Lori Verrier and Lori Burgett. Bromberg and Verrier are the reigning Women's World Cup champions. Verrier won the National Championship in 1995 and 1996. In the first year of an expanded youth final, Tullahoma, Tennessee's Adam Cable lost only one match in the 10-way youth round robin, beating out Wayne Creeden Jr. of Earleville, Md. for the title of National Youth Champion. Cable, 17, will represent the U.S. at the Winmau World Youth Masters in December in England. Cable, Creeden and six other youth finalists also earned scholarship awards from the Memorial Scholarship Fund toward post-high school studies. Other finalists were: Travis Miller, Gahanna, Ohio; Gerard Greaves, Kingston, N.Y.; Marty Jones Jr., Duncanville, Texas; G.M. Smith, Mechanicsville, Va.; Chris Kusler, Aberdeen, S.D.; Michael Walsh, Caseyville, Ill.; Sean Kelly, Long Beach, Calif.; and Matt Yarnell. Former National Youth Champion Kevin Holden, also of Tullahoma, Tenn., this year received special recognition as a "junior all-star", achieving the highest point-per-dart average among the six 18-20-year-olds who took part in the East-West All-Stars for the first time as representatives of the 18-20 age bracket added to the youth program this year. Holden posted a 23+ ppd during the competition.

>In an effort to bolster contributions to the Memorial Scholarship program to benefit youth darters through tax-deductible contributions, Donna Lacombe of Dolls by Donna will donate $5 for every "dart doll" sold to the Scholarship Fund. Dolls by Donna can be reached at (618) 398 7669 or by e-mail at lacombe@peaknet.net. *** The board of directors of the American Darts Organization voted at its August meeting to accept a proposal for a new sponsorship agreement from Nodor/DMI. Under the agreement, Nodor/DMI will pay a royalty to the ADO for Nodor dartboards sold in the U.S., with guaranteed minimums that will increase over a period of three years. In addition, the ADO will receive a limited number of dartboards to make available for sanctioned tournaments and playoff hosts at special prices to be offered only to ADO members. Nodor/DMI will also work with the ADO on sponsorship of a major ADO tournament. Pricing information for dartboards will be available through the ADO office and board members within the month. The ADO and General Sportcraft Ltd. terminated their longstanding contractual agreement earlier this summer by mutual agreement and on friendly terms.

August 4, 1999

For information, call (714) 254-0212 or (949) 497-2680 or e-mail adooffice@aol.com

WORLD CUP SPONSORSHIPS ADD UP

Youth program attracts attention, too

Anaheim, Calif. The World Cup team, whose female members (Stacy Bromberg and Marilyn Popp) will be defending a World Championship earned in 1997 in Perth, Australia, will get a sendoff from both business entities and individuals in the American Darts Organization who have stepped up to the plate to help offset the expenses of travel to Durban, South Africa in October. The men's team consists of Paul Lim, David Marienthal, Dieter Schutsch and Steve Brown (the alternate for Roger Carter who is unable to make the trip.) First to step up, with a platinum sponsorship of $2,000, was Bull's Eye News. Other corporate contributors include dart promoters LB Enterprises, New York; Dart Team, an equipment supplier in New Jersey; and New Haven Dart League, New Haven, Conn., a home club of World Cup team member Marilyn Popp. Individuals and clubs have also gone to bat for the team with donations ranging from $5 to $50 each in sponsorships. (Southeast Connecticut Dart League was a club contributor). Individuals will receive ADO and/or World Cup souvenirs in exchange for their donations. In addition, the women's team received a plug in Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal in the wake of the success of the U.S. women's soccer team. Parties interested in contributing to the sponsorship effort for the World Cup team may obtain further information by calling one of the above numbers.

Brackla/Nodor Group donated special edition dart boards for the National Youth Finals this year. Inscribed with the ADO logo and the new marketing slogan -- Shoot Darts, Not Guns -- the limited quantity of boards will be available for sale from the ADO. Interested parties may reserve their board for $35 at the ADO booth in Las Vegas during next week's festivities or by contacting the ADO office. In addition, Patch Products donated CD-ROMs of its computer game, Elite Darts, to the youth finalists who will compete in Las Vegas. The game is endorsed by the ADO. And a significant contribution was recently made to the Memorial Scholarship Fund in the form of a computer to be used to maintain the trust fund's records. That tax-deductible donation was received from the editor of a regional business publication. The sport of darts has lost some notable figures this year; donations to this Memorial Scholarship Fund are one way other players can pay their respects to darters who have passed on. The fund is a registered 501(c)3 charity administered by a committee of trustees apart from the ADO board of directors.

July 21, 1999

For information, call (949) 497-2680 or (714) 254-0212 or e-mail adooffice@aol.com

ADO NAMES WORLD CUP TEAM; FIRST JUNIOR ALL-STARS COMING TO VEGA

Women to Defend World Cup Title; Number of Youth Finalists Doubles

Anaheim, CA The American Darts Organization last week named its 1999 World Cup team that will compete with approximately 30 other countries in World Cup XII in Durban South Africa in October. The women's team will go into the competition as defending champions, having claimed the title in Perth, Australia in 1997. Bull's Eye News is a platinum sponsor of the team. The women's team will be comprised of defending champion Stacy Bromberg, Las Vegas, with first-time World Cupper Marilyn Popp of Milford, Conn. Popp was on last year's World Masters team and was a Pacific Cup team member in 1994 and 1996. Her local league, the New Haven Dart League, for which Marilyn has competed for 15 years, is a bronze sponsor of this year's World Cup team. This will be World Cup No. 4 for Bromberg, who won both bronze and silver medals in the event before bringing home the gold with teammate Lori Verrier in 1997. The men's team will be made up of veterans Paul Lim, San Bernardino, Calif. and Roger Carter, Atlanta, Ga., and first-time team members David Marienthal, Bloomingdale, N.J., and Dieter Schutsch, Henderson, Nev. Lim is a three-time national points champion, a former national 501 and cricket champion, was a member of the 1991 and 1997 World Cup teams and captained the 1993 World Cup team in Las Vegas. Carter has been on the past two World Cup teams and was a semi-finalist in the singles in 1995. Marienthal is a newcomer to the World Cup arena, but was on the most recent ADO Masters and International teams, and captured the men's doubles title with partner Steve Brown during the team's appearance at the Australian Grand Masters in June. Schutsch is a newcomer to the American World Cup team, earning his berth in his first year of eligibility as an American resident, but was a member of the 1993 German team before moving to the U.S. Both corporate and individual sponsorships are still available for this year's team; interested parties should contact the representatives listed above for further information.

After revamping the ADO Youth Program to enable more of the under-21 crowd to participate at the national level, the ADO will bring 10 youth players under 18 to Las Vegas this year -- up from 6 finalists in previous years -- to compete for scholarship funds and a chance at the world arena. The National Youth Champion will compete this December in London, England in the Winmau Youth World Championships. In addition, the ADO added an 18-20 age group to its youth program for the first time, enabling young players in this category to earn a berth as a "junior all-star" in the East-West All-Star competition. Six junior all-stars earned berths on this team; the one with the best record will receive special recognition for the event. Youth competitors are: Adam Cable, Tullahoma, Tenn.; Wayne Creeden Jr., Earleville, Md.; Gerard Greaves, Kingston, N.Y.; Marty Jones, Duncanville, Texas; Shaun Kelly, Signal Hill, Calif.; Chris Kusler, Aberdeen, S.D.; Travis Miller, Gahanna, Ohio; G.M. Smith, Mechanicsville, Va.; Michael Walsh, Caseyville, Ill.; and Matt Yarnell, Monmouth, Ore. Junior All-Stars include: Dwight Boehmer, Parkston, S.D.; Jeremy Doty, Tucson, Ariz.; Kevin Holden, Tullahoma, Tenn.; Jesse Ibarra, Rosamond, Calif.; Benson Smith, Taylor, Mich.; and Kari Stevenson, St. Louis, Mo. Holden and Stevenson are previous youth finalists.

June 22, 1999

For information, call 254-0212 or (949) 497-2680 or e-mail adooffice@aol.com

AMERICAN TEAM MAKES ITS MARK DOWN UNDER

Marienthal, Brown Take Doubles Title

Anaheim, CA The ADO International Team made its presence known at the Australian Grand Masters earlier this month. Team members David Marienthal and Steve Brown bested Perth native and World Cup runner-up Peter Hinkley and his partner, Dennis Parr, for the doubles title in the competition. And teammates Stacy Bromberg and Lori Verrier, World Cup women's champions, each placed 3rd in ladies' singles.

Men's singles champion was Victoria, Australia resident Steve Duke, who bested Western Australia's Graham Hunt for the title. Perennial ladies powerhouse, Western Australia's Dot McLeod, took both the ladies' singles title and the ladies' doubles, with partner Helen Chalson. ;In other action during their trip, the American team maintained its winning ways in what is fast becoming a traditional exhibition match played as a round robin of team members playing singles in the best of 17, 501- game format. The ADO team won that match 8-6 over Aussies Graham Hunt, Steve Duke, Dot McLeod and Helen Chalson. Both Marienthal and Brown went 3-1 in their respective match-ups, while Bromberg posted a 1-2 record while Verrier posted 1-3. (All team members do not play the same number of matches if a team reaches the required 8 wins before the round robin is complete. Men and women play equally. )

Approximately 70 All-Stars will convene on Las Vegas in August for the 13th annual East-West All-Star Challenge. These players will have the opportunity, based on point per dart averages achieved in the competition, to advance to the National 501 Championships, for which a $10,000 prize will be offered for the first player to throw a perfect game. For the first time, junior all-stars -- regional winners from the new 18-20 age group -- will join in the East-West format, with a special recognition award for the junior all-star with the best overall performance in that competition. The National Ambassadors Team will be seeded into the National Championships based on their points finish in 1998. Darts got another boost in the media with its inclusion in the Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal's list of sports halls of fame. The Darts Hall of Fame is in Martinsburg, W.Va. and was listed in the June 7 issue of the weekly publication.

June 9, 1999
For information, call (714) 254-0212 or (714) 497-2680 or e-mail adooffice@aol.com

ADO International Team Finalists

From Blueberry Hill to the Australian Grand Masters......

On Friday April 23, 1999, 43 shooters converged in St. Louis, Missouri. That evening the 27th annual Blueberry Hill Open Dart Tournament would begin in the same historic location and they would get to relax and have some fun, but during the day they had some serious competition ahead of them, in the ADO International program finals.

Eighteen women began shooting at 10:00 a.m. under the watchful eyes of the winners' portraits that decorate the 'Wall of Fame' room. To begin the first round, the women were drawn into two groups of nine. With only two advancing into the final round from each group, every leg of every match was very important. At the end of the preliminary matches, Stacy Bromberg (1998 Ladies 301 singles champion), Nita Kimball, Stacey Stanich, and Lori Verrier advanced to the final round robin.

Meanwhile, at the opposite end of the bar, the 25 men who made it through the regionals were gathering in the famous 'Duck Room'. They were split into four groups (3 groups of 6 and 1 of 7) named for the suits in a deck of cards. Again, only two finalists from each group would advance to the final round robin. George Walls (1998 ADO International Team Member) and Sammy Cruz moved up for the Hearts. Ken Swanson won the tiebreaker over Scot Kingdon to join David Marienthal from the Clubs. Scott Wollaston took an exciting six-leg match to break a three-way tie with Ben Zurita and Patrick Lee, and emerged with Paul Lim from the Spades. Having played one match more than the rest, Steve Brown and Dan Lauby from the Diamonds (group of 7) completed the eight-man field for the final round.

In the final round, Stacy and Lori, each holding the fate of the other in her in hands, faced off in the last match. Lori threw some tough darts against her long-time partner and produced a 2-1 victory, thus creating a first place tie at 6. The tie did not need to be broken as the top two of each sex make the team.

The eight male players also pounded the boards during the final round in their quest for the trip "down under". But when Dave and Steve squared off in a last match of the final round they were both so far ahead in total score that the only question to be settled, was who would have bragging rights as the overall winner? Steve pulled out a 2-1 win to create a 15 score tie for first.

It seemed somehow appropriate that the two men and two women ADO International Team would be decided by a tie in their respective finals. Overall, 35 ton-eighties were thrown.

From June 11th through the 14th, Stacy Bromberg and Lori Verrier (the defending Women's World Cup Team), and Steve Brown and Dave Marienthal will be in Canberra City for the 17th Australian Grand Masters representing the ADO and the USA. We wish them the best of luck, and we know they will represent us well in Australia.

June 1, 1999

For information, call
(714) 254-0212 or (714) 497-2680
or e-mail adooffice@aol.com

ADO WORLD CUP TEAM UPDATE (revised)

The ADO World Cup Team consists of four (4) men and two (2) women. The selection of the 1999 team relies on ADO Championship Points earned from July 1st, 1998 through June 30, 1999. Our system will use only the 12 best point finishes in singles events in ADO Sanctioned Tournaments. The list below names those players currently ranked top 10 in the hunt. If you feel you have been omitted, please contact the ADO Office as soon as possible.

WOMEN
MEN
STACY BROMBERG-340

MARILYN POPP-292

DOREEN BERRY-216

LORI VERRIER-200

JULIE NICOLL-128

NANCY HUNTOON-102

TINA DI GREGORIO-100

HOLLY BOYNTON-96

STACEY STANICH-96

PAULA DELP-94
PAUL LIM-312

DAVID MARIENTHAL-280

DIETER SCHUTSCH-268

ROGER CARTER-234

STEVE BROWN-230

DAN LAUBY-208

BRAD WETHINGTON-195

SEAN DOWNS-178

SCOTT WOLLASTON-172

BRIAN DOUGHERTY-168

May 5, 1999

For information, call
(714) 254-0212 or (714) 497-2680
or e-mail adooffice@aol.com

 

INTERNATIONAL PLAYOFF WINNERS HEADED TO AUSTRALIA

ADO Proposes New International Event

 

Anaheim, CA Forty-five international playoff finalists converged on Blueberry Hill in St. Louis the last weekend of April to compete for the right to represent the U.S. at the Australian Grand Masters in June. At the end of the day, it was local champion Steve Brown, New Jersey‚s David Marienthal, Las Vegas‚ Stacy Bromberg and Oregon‚s Lori Verrier who were making plans for the trip Down Under. The team will compete at the A$20,000 tournament in Canberra June 11-14. In addition, the team will play an exhibition match against an Aussie team using the World Cup team format that gained popularity as an exhibition format in two matches against Canada last year. Team members will also be presented to local media at a press conference and welcome reception prior to the start of the tournament.

***

The American Darts Organization has submitted a proposal to the World Darts Federation Executive requesting permission to begin a new regional competition that would be recognized by the WDF. The new cup, the Americas Cup, would be open to all countries in North, Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean. The ADO has already received support in principle for the event, which could begin as early as next year, from Canada, the Bahamas, Turks & Caicos, Ecuador, Trinidad & Tobago and Brazil. Other countries are expected to endorse the move in the near future. An Americas Cup was first proposed by Brazil in 1995, but did not receive enough support at that time. With the demise of the Pacific Cup and the requirement for a larger team to take part in the replacement Asia-Pacific Cup that would mean increased travel costs, the ADO solicited input from American countries to determine the feasibility of a new event before presenting the proposal to the WDF. Providing the proposal is passed at the next WDF meeting in Durban, South Africa in October, the first Americas Cup would most likely be scheduled for next year in Florida, with assistance from dart organizations there to secure requisite facilities. ADO board members are excited by the prospect of beginning a new century with a new program that will ultimately bring more national darts organizations to the international scene and thereby increasing the likelihood of darts securing recognition from the International Olympic Committee.

***

The ADO Board of Directors will host a brief general meeting for ADO members in conjunction with the Welcome Party in Las Vegas this August. While open to any ADO member, attendance will be limited by the size of the room available to the organization for the party. The meeting will include introduction of the board of directors, a brief description of accomplishments of the past year, and plans for the future. While time limitations may preclude questions from the floor, board members will be available to field questions from members throughout the evening.

April 17, 1999

For information, call
(714) 254-0212 or (714) 497-2680
or e-mail adooffice@aol.com

 

ADO NAMES OFFICIAL WEB SITE

Former U.S. and World Cup Champion Nicky Virachkul Dies

 

Anaheim, CA At its recent board meeting in Texas, the ADO board voted to name Cyberdarts as the official host of the ADO web page. The action came after more than a year of talks with Cyberdarts as well as other potential web site providers and was based on a package of services that will be provided to the ADO by Cyberdarts.

Other clubs, sites, are welcome to publish public domain information -- such as this release -- on their sites, but cannot claim to be the ìofficialî site of the ADO.

***

Long-time players and board members were saddened to hear of the recent death of one of the ADO's former premier players, Nicky Virachkul, who passed away of cancer earlier this month in his native Thailand. Virachkul was the first ADO player to win a World Cup Singles event (in 1979). He won numerous U.S. titles, including the NAODT and Dallas Open and in 1984 was MVP of the Citizen Triple Crown of Darts. Virachkul, fondly known as the ìThailand Cowboy,î represented the U.S. in 37 international competitions, including eight Winmau World Masters, eight Embassy World Professional Championships; four World Cup teams and one Pacific Cup team, as well as at events no longer contested today. He returned to Thailand to manage his family's business in the early ë90s. While he will be missed, his contributions to the sport of darts cannot be forgotten.

***

Area Manager Dennis Aitken reports enthusiastic response to the Team Challenge event that is being conducted this year in one geographic area as a test program for consideration by the ADO. If successful, the Team Challenge will be expanded to other areas of the country next year as a way for cities, counties or states to play for geographic honors and money at the grass roots level. This program is intended to be a choice activity for ADO member clubs. For details on the program, contact Dennis Aitken at kvgp42a@prodigy.com.

***

The ADO board voted to accept a new design for 180 certificates. This is the first redesign of the award since the organization's inception. Watch for the updated version to begin appearing later this year!

***

General Secretary Katie Harris reported in March that membership numbers for 1999 were up from the same period in 1998, with over 200 clubs having already joined or renewed for this year. A number of other clubs not previously members have expressed interest in joining the ADO after being contacted via their web sites by board members. And several organizations previously affiliated with other darts bodies have joined the ranks of the ADO in 1999.

***

Watch for information in the next Double Eagle and in Bull's Eye News about how YOU can support the 1999 World Cup team as it travels to South Africa this fall to defend the Women's World Cup title and strive to bring home the Men's title as well. The ADO board hopes every member will get involved to support this team -- the last of the century!

March 28, 1999

For information, call
(714) 254-0212 or (714) 497-2680
or e-mail adooffice@aol.com

 

ADO BEGINS PLANS FOR ALL-STAR, YOUTH, NATIONAL 501 CHAMPIONSHIPS

Board Votes to Make Cricket, 501 Parallel Programs in 2000

 

Anaheim, CA At its spring board meeting, the ADO board began plans for the annual East-West All-Star Challenge, National 501 Championships and a new, expanded Youth Championship format that includes ìjuniorî all-stars from the 18-20 youth group. In addition, back by popular demand this year will be the (limited entry) blind draw at the Welcome Party that will include National Team members, youth champions, all-stars and the board.

Qualifiers for the All-Star regionals must be completed by April 11; for youth, May 30. Regionals are slated for the weekend of May 21-23 (player should contact their regional directors for specifics).

In an effort to more closely align the cricket and 501 programs, the board voted at its spring meeting to make these two programs parallel, so that those advancing to the national level in each of these playoffs will participate in a modified round robin of two ìteamsî that will lead to the knockout format for the national championship. In aligning the two playoff systems, the board voted to award shirts to all national finalists for both East-West All-Stars and for Cricket, but to do away with plaques, which have lost popularity over the years.

***

In other action at its spring meeting, board members renewed their own commitment to the Memorial Scholarship Fund by taking up a collection at the end of the meeting that netted $64 for the fund. Donations to the scholarshipfund, originally established in memory of darters who have passed away, have fallen dramatically over the past three years. In order to meet the fund's commitment to young players who have won scholarship money through their darting prowess, a renewed effort to solicit contributions from clubs and tournaments will be undertaken this year. Donations to the Scholarship Fund are kept in a special account and are under the auspices of a board of trustees, none of whom are on the board of directors, though all are past directors of the ADO. Contributions to the scholarship fund are tax deductible.

March 27, 1999

For information, call
(714) 254-0212 or (714) 497-2680
or e-mail adooffice@aol.com

 

ADO STATEMENT CONCERNING THE LOSS OF JASON LUCAS

 

Anaheim, CA The board of directors of the American Darts Organization was shocked and saddened to learn of the untimely accidental death of one of its 1997 World Cup players, Pennsylvanian Jason Lucas, last week. Lucas rose fast through the ranks in the darting world and earned a spot on the World Cup tea after competing in the sport for just over a year.

Lucas, who at 26 had a new job, a new car and a new computer that had led him to new interests through the Internet, apparently fell asleep at the wheelwhile returning home from a visit to a friend. He is survived by his parents, three brothers and a 4-year-old daughter, who lives with her mother.

Lucas finished 1997 in a three-way tie for 39th place in ADO points, with 244. Last year, he dropped out of darts for a time while making some changes in his personal life. Though his dreams for the future in darts were cut short, he had many friends in the dart community who will miss him, and we hope that his family finds consolation in the kindness and friendship that darters traditionally display toward those in distress.

This is the second loss of an American World Cup player in one year; last year, almost to the day, 1995 World Cup representative Glenn Silva was killed in a car crash in Florida.

 

March 20, 1999
For information, call
(714) 254-0212 or (714) 497-2680
or e-mail adooffice@aol.com

 

ADO WORLD CUP TEAM UPDATE

The ADO World Cup Team consists of four (4) men and two (2) women. The selection of the 1999 team relies on ADO Championship Points earned from July 1st, 1998 through June 31, 1999. Our new system will use only the 12 best point finishes in singles events in ADO Sanctioned Tournaments. The list below names those players currently ranked top 10 in the hunt. If you feel you have been omitted, please contact the ADO Office as soon as possible.

 
WOMEN
MEN
STACY BROMBERG - 300

MARILYN POPP - 180

DOREEN BERRY - 168

NANCY HUNTOON - 99

JULIE NICOLL - 92

LORI VERRIER - 92

HOLLY BOYNTON - 66

STACY STANICH - 60

PAULA DELP - 56

PAM PATTON - 50
DAVID MARIENTHAL - 228

ROGER CARTER - 214

PAUL LIM - 198

STEVE BROWN - 166

DAN LAUBY - 154

DIETER SCHUTSCH - 150

SCOTT WOLLASTON - 126

JIM WIDMAYER - 118

BRAD WETHINGTON - 117

BILL DAVIS - 116

March 9, 1999

For information, call
(714) 254-0212 or (714) 497-2680
or e-mail adooffice@aol.com

 

PREPARATIONS FOR AUGUST GALA EVENTS BEGIN

$10,000 Bonus to be Offered for Perfect 501 Game; 1999-2000 Calendars Ship

 

Anaheim, CA The ADO board will begin preparations later this month for the annual East-West All-Star shootout; National 501 Championships and an expanded Youth National Championships in Las Vegas this August. Once again, the ADO will offer a $10,000 bonus prize for the first perfect 501 game recorded in the knockout portion of the National 501 Championships.

Those wishing to hold preliminary qualifiers for the All-Star teams must do so by April 11; regional playoffs are slated for May 21-23. This is the only portion of the playoff program for which regional winners automaticall qualify for the final prize: the trip to the 30th Annual North American Open and the East-West All-Star Challenge in Las Vegas.

For the first time, youth qualifiers will be held on a regional instead of an area basis and have been expanded to include an 18-20 age group. Winners from that age group will earn a slot on the East-West team, where the highest finisher in that event among those 18-20 will receive special recognition. In addition, youngsters 12 and under may enter the qualifiers for a reduced fee to gain experience. Youth players under 18 will again compete for scholarship awards. The deadline for youth qualifiers is May 30, with regional playoffs scheduled for June 25-27. Questions concerning the expanded youth program should be directed to National Youth Manager Linda Stockman at (573) 474-4034 or stockman@computerland.net.

***

The final ADO calendar of the century and the first for the new century will be shipping to all members before the end of March. The calendar covers the period of April 1, 1999 through March 31, 2000. The ADO pocket calendar is one of the organization's most popular items. Members should be certain to ask their club representatives for their copy. Only tournaments of $5,000 or more hosted by ADO member clubs are listed on the pocket calendar.

***

The competition for a spot on this year's World Cup team is heating up as players head down the stretch toward the June 30 cutoff for qualifying championship points. The team is determined based on players' best 12 singles finishes in the period from July 1 1998 through June 30 1999; therefore, World Cup points do not match total ADO championship points, which accrue on a calendar-year basis.

In the thick of the hunt for the men as of tournaments reported mid-February are: David Marienthal -228; Roger Carter- 214; Paul Lim-198; Steve Brown-166; Dan Lauby-154 and Dieter Schutsch-150. Leaders on the women's side (who wil be defending the U.S. Women's World Cup title won by Stacy Bromberg and Lori Verrier in Perth, Australia in 1997) are: Stacy Bromberg-300; Marilyn Popp-180; Doreen Berry-168; Nancy Huntoon-99; Julie Nicoll-92 and Lori Verrier-92. The team consists o four men and two women who will travel to Durban, South Africa in early October for the competition.

Feb. 26, 1999

For information, call
(714) 254-0212 or (714) 497-2680
or e-mail adooffice@aol.com

 

ADO NAMES 1999 NATIONAL TEAM

New Safety Data Good News for Darts

 

Anaheim, CA The American Darts Organization has announced the 1999 National Team. These players earn their spots on the team by way of total championship points earned during the prior year. National Team members act as ambassadors for the sport of darts for the ADO and are automatically seeded into the National 501 Championships in August, for which they also earn the trip to Las Vegas to compete. The team, normally composed of six men and three women, this year has seven men on it because of a tie in points at the last position. Team members for the men are: Steve Brown, Missouri; David Marienthal, New Jersey; Paul Lim, California; Dan Lauby, Indiana; Roger Carter, Georgia; Brian Dougherty, Florida; and Jerry Umberger, Pennsylvania. On the women's side are Stacy Bromberg, Nevada; Marilyn Popp, Connecticut; and Nancy Huntoon, Virginia. National Team members also have photos and biographies included in the ADO media kit.

***

Consumer Product Safety Commission data for 1997 reported by Consumer Reports in March revealed that recreational sports are linked to accidents that most often require emergency-room treatment, accounting for one-third of the 11.7 million emergency-room visits reported for that year (the most recent year for which figures are available).

Darts once again proved it is a safe sport by not even making a showing in the Commission's list of 15 ìmost dangerousî sports. Fishing, however, made the cut at No. 15, with about 80,000 emergency room visits. And soccer, currently gaining in popularity by leaps and bounds, ranked No. 7, with about 150,000 emergency room visits. The most dangerous sport, according to the Commission? Basketball, with more than 600,000 reported emergency room visits.

Other sports listed among the most dangerous 15 were bicycling, football, baseball/softball, playground equipment, skating (of all kinds), track and field events, skiing and snowboarding, swimming/diving, all-terrain vehicles (including mopeds and minibikes), other ball sports, trampolines and hockey.

***

The last ADO press release incorrectly reported the hometown of Cricket Championship runner-up Chad Hersman. Hersman is from Columbus, Ohio and is a member of the Columbus Darters Association.

 

Feb. 13, 1999

For information, call
(714) 254-0212 or (714) 497-2680
or e-mail adooffice@aol.com

 

1999 CRICKET CHAMPIONS CROWNED

Scholarship Fund Gets Boost; Board Meeting Set

 

Anaheim, CA Fifty-six national finalists convened in New York City for the 1999 ADO Cricket National Championships, contested prior to the New York Open on Super Bowl weekend. The competition, which is played as a modified round robin leading to a knockout format, saw new champions at the forefront. On the men's side, it was 1998 National Team member and reigning National 501

Champion Steve Brown, St. Louis, Mo., who emerged as the new champion, replacing Boston's John Finnegan, the 1998 champion who did not earn a place in the finals this year. Brown defeated Chad Hersman of Dallas, Texas 3-1 in the best-of-five final. In the semi-final match, Hersman defeated San Antonio's Chris Helms 3-2, while Brown disposed of many-time champion Paul Lim, 3-1.

Meanwhile, on the women's side, National Team members Marilyn Popp, Lor Verrier and Stacy Bromberg (who was also defending cricket champion) were all eliminated in either the quarter- or semi-finals, leaving up-and-comers Tina DiGregorio of New York City and Doreen Berry of Hampton, Va. to battle it out in the finals, with Berry emerging victorious to claim the cricket crown. This is the first national championship for Berry, who also claimed a singles title at the Witch City Open in Boston in November. Berry defeated Salem, Oregon's Lori Verrier in the semi-final; while DiGregorio bested Daphne Leach of Melbourne, Fla.

***

The Portland (Ore.) Area Dart Association sent a $300 donation to the ADO Memorial Scholarship Fund, kicking off donations for 1999. The donation represented money collected from players at area events throughout 1998 that was matched by the association to make up the $300. The association said in its accompanying letter that its members hope other associations will follow their lead to help build the Scholarship Fund, which has languished in donations over the past two years.

Portland, Ore. is in ADO Area I, which is the home of two previous National Youth Champions, Albert Mendoza and Kevin Luke, both of whom earned scholarship money from their darting prowess. Those wishing to donate to the Memorial Scholarship Fund may send their contributions to the ADO office at 230-K N. Crescent Ave., Anaheim, CA 92801. Donations are tax deductible; the fund is a 501(c)3 charitable arm of the ADO and its moneys are in a trust fund account administered by a three-person board of trustees, all previous ADO board members.

***

The ADO Board of Directors will hold its next meeting March 19-21 in Houston, Texas. One item on the agenda is to continue looking at regional realignments on a nationwide basis. Area Managers need input from clubs on possible changes in regional boundaries. Changes are generally only made where it is of benefit to the players. Anyone wishing to provide feedback on this issue, or to have other issues addressed at this meeting should contact their Area Managers before the end of Feb.

January 16, 1999
For information, call
(714) 254-0212 or (714) 497-2680
or e-mail adooffice@aol.com

 

SEVEN U.S. PLAYERS IN TOP 20 OF WDF RANKINGS

WDF Introduces Web Site; Barneveld Repeats as Embassy Champ

 

Anaheim, Calif. - Seven ADO players are world-ranked based on their 1998 performances. End-of-year results were released on Jan. 1, with the following players cracking the top 20 (including ties) in the world. California's Paul Lim, a former National Champion and World Cupper, is tied at No. 16 with England's Ted Hankey, who more recently bested Roger Carter in the first round of the 32-person invitational Embassy tournament in England. Steve Brown, St. Louis, a national team member who narrowly missed making the last World Cup team, is tied at No. 20, as is current North American Champion and Masters team member Brad Wethington of Dayton, Ohio. (Fifteen players are tied for this position, including the familiar names of Peter Hinkley, Australia, Canada's Gary Mawson and England's Kevin Painter.)

On the women's side, Las Vegas' Stacy Bromberg, national champion and defending Women's World Cupper, leads the way at No. 11, just one spot behind Mandy Solomons of England, a former world No. 1. Milford, Conn.'s Marilyn Popp made the list for the first time, tied at No. 17 with Belgium's Sandra Pollet and Sweden's Grethel Andersson. Lori Verrier, who earned the Women's World Cup title along with Bromberg, is ranked No. 18, tied with England's Sally Smith and Australia's Joyce Mackie. (Verrier was unable to compete in the Masters in 1998, a world-ranked event for which she qualified.) Also new to the women's list for 1998 is Hampton, Va.'s Doreen Berry, tied at No. 20 with six others, including Australia's Bubs Silva. As of November, Berry was ranked No. 7 in the U.S. (final rankings will be posted as soon as all 1998 tournaments have reported.)

The ADO has three world-ranked tournaments, the maximum allowed under WDF rules, which entitle member countries (now 55) to anywhere from one to three ranked events, depending on their membership.

The first of 1999's U.S.-ranked events will be the Virginia Beach Open hosted by Tidewater Area Dart Association on March 19-21. The others are the North American Open (August,Las Vegas) and the Witch City Open (Nov., Boston).

***

The Netherlands' Ray Barneveld (Barney) successfully defended his Embassy title, defeating Ronnie Baxter of England in a tightly contested final that went to the tie-breaker for a second consecutive year, with Barneveld winning 6-5. Both players registered in excess of a 31 point-per-dart average.

Full details of the Embassy can be found on the new WDF web site at http://home.c2i.net/roys.

***

The next meeting of the ADO board of directors will be March 19-21 in Houston, Texas. Any issues to be addressed must be directed to Area Managers or members of the executive no later than Feb. 15 to be included on the agenda. Any members interested in attending any portion of the meeting should contact Sandi Cain at (949) 497-2680 or scainado@aol.com by Feb. 15 as space is limited.

***

ADO club representatives and other members with e-mail addresses are urged to provide those to the ADO board. Any ADO member can be added to the e-mail distribution list for regular updates by request. Please send those requests to ADOoffice@aol.com and/or scainado@aol.com.
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