Indoor League

Revision as of 12:50, 7 February 2008

Synopsis

For reasons time has since forgot, ITV was exceptionally proud of its much more regional existence compared to the primarily London-based BBC.

Many of its 1970s shows were abashedly working class (Coronation Street being an excellent example), and they don't get more redneck than this. Which other programme would have with an overweight bloke with his shirt hanging out as its logo?

Remember: no spinning, now

The Indoor League must have been the most non-PC shows ever aired on lunchtimes. It was later relegated (or promoted, depending on your point of view) to the early evening.

Cricketing hero, Fred Trueman

So, in brief what was it all about? It started with the camera panning around Fred Truman swigging a pint of bitter (always a promising start on kids TV!). A typical evening's entertainment revolved around a knock out contest in various pub games, some of which do not seem to exist anymore.

Shove ha'penny, a traditional English game somewhat made more difficult by there not being ha'pennies any more

Bar billiards was always a favourite - played on a sloping table with a timer running. The idea was pot the ball without knocking over a number of "mushrooms" placed on the table which resulted in severe penalties. If the ball was not potted it ran back to be re-struck. If it went into a pocket, it rolled back down a chute. When the timer ran out, the ball didn't come back.

The bar billiards was followed by arm-wrestling. Two gentleman with arms the size of small airships would inevitably end in stalemate with one guy having his wrist forced onto the table, but the other guy being unable to push the hand flat. Several minutes of air-time could be spent with no noticeable movement, except the odd grunt to show the players were still alive.

Now place the ring on the bride's finger

Nine ball pool came next. This was an odd Brit version of the game which mankind has never seem before or since. It was played with yellow and red balls (presumably a black must have figured in the picture) but there were no dots and stripes as we all are familiar with now. Rest assured, for the original 15-ball game was also played.

This advanced version used an invisible cue ball

Here's where things get a bit hazy, but there was also nine-pin bowling and weird skittles-type games. Darts was also featured heavily, bringing to light for the first time several World Champions to be. We're sure there were other games - dominoes might be one - but too many brain cells have bitten the dust to recall clearly. Maybe it's the beer.

Catchphrases

Signoff: "I'll see thee"

Trivia

The original producer was Mr Darts himself, Sid Waddell.

Recorded at The Queen's Hotel, Leeds.

Although Indoor League was the first networked programme to show darts, it wasn't the first programme to do so. That honour befalls to Westward Television who started up their own televised invitational championship in 1962. Eight years later, the ITV network broadcast the News of the World Championship for the first time.

Videos

Series 1 compilation featuring Yorkshire darts, table skittles, table football, bar billiards and best of all, the Indoor League Shove Ha'penny final!

A tribute to the Indoor League...courtesy of Channel 4's 100 Greatest TV Moments from Hell

Merchandise

Indoor League DVD - Vol. 1 - Very good disc containing the entire first series of six shows, recommended!

Web links

TV Cream

Pictures

Picture 1 - Ha, who needs Playstation 2?

Picture 2 - "101 in 6 darts or more..."

Picture 3 - That's one way to hold it...

Picture 4 - Women playing darts? Whatever next?

Picture 5 - Nope, not a clue what this is.***

Picture 6 - A frenzied crowd looks on

***Footnote: Ian Dolby adds: "I thought you might like to know that Picture 5 is actually a Northamptonshire Skittle alley with some of the skittles knocked over. The idea of the game is to throw a two inch thick, 5 inch diameter disk called a cheese at the skittles in order to knock them over. This is a very dangerous game when played by novices as they are usually crap and this results it the cheese hitting the padded sides or front of the table and flying off in random directions around the pub. I have lost many a good pint in this way."

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