ALLSTON

Darting, but faithful

By Chris Berdik, Globe Correspondent, 12/2/2001

ould you rather ''muff an out'' or ''hit a fat 20?'' If you don't know, or if neither sounds very appealing, then you're missing one of Boston's quiet manias - team darts.

For more than a quarter century, the Minuteman Dart League of Massachusetts has organized hundreds of teams, representing thousands of men and women who step up to the line every Tuesday night to throw for fun and glory.

And in the world of Boston darts, few bars match Allston's Silhouette Lounge on Brighton Avenue, which sponsors four dart teams and is the home pub of the Kinsmen, one of the state's strongest teams.

Joe Dacey, 33, the captain, attributes the Kinsmen's success to chemistry and stability.

''There's a tremendous amount of loyalty,'' he says of the nine-man squad he's led since 1993. ''These guys are all really good shots. They could go anywhere they want and be the stars of their team. But there's very little turnover. We've all gotten better together.''

Still, on a recent Tuesday night, with the December playoffs near, the Kinsmen find themselves out of their accustomed spot atop the most competitive division, having lost their last match to the Beernuts, of Waltham.

Their match would pit them against the Fighting Irish, from Brighton's Castle Bar. Dacey and teammates arrive at the Silhouette almost two hours before match time, to warm up.

Five dart boards, cork circles of black, green and red, are brightly lit along one wall of the dart room. The opposite wall has a special window for quick bar service.

One of the Kinsmen, Bob Given, 43, who along with teammate Jeffrey Borland, 33, has been ranked among the top 50 US players by the American Darts Organization, says this room is one of the Kinsmen's home-bar advantages.

''Sometimes you're throwing into alleys or right next to a bathroom door. People are often pressed right up behind you, like being on the T, you know. It can be tough, if you're not used to it.''

Other Kinsmen filter in, most in the maroon championship shirts they earned last fall.

The bar soon fills with the growling strains of Metallica's ''Enter Sandman.'' The pace of warm-ups increases. Match time is approaching.

Practicing next to the Kinsmen is another team from the Silhouette, Fulla Bull, which competes in one of the lower divisions. Tonight, they await the River Rats from Beacon Hill, and they make a few good-natured cracks about how seriously the Kinsmen take their darts.

Nevertheless, it's evident that most everyone knows and likes each other here.

One of Fulla Bull's throwers, Peggy Borland, is married to Jeffrey Borland of the Kinsmen. And when the team from Brighton arrives, it's clear that everyone here knows them, too.

''The bottom line,'' explains Donald Garnett, the league's Boston-area director, ''is that it's a game that begins and ends with a handshake.''

Pitchers of beer slide in from the bar. The music transitions to ''London Calling'' by the Clash.

Play moves along rapidly, with throwers approaching the line like free-throw shooters in basketball. Shouts of encouragement greet most throws.

''Oh, good darts, Donnie!''

''Smart darts, Eddie!''

For the best players, throwing is a matter of balance, and the less movement the better. Forget about lunging and leaning to get closer to the board.

''The only thing you want moving is from your elbow down,'' explains Myles Cassidy, 34, ''because if everything's moving, it's harder to aim.''

Many players, however, tell of darters with very strange technique, including a few who threw from belt high, and one man who looked away from the board before throwing, like a baseball pitcher checking the runner on first.

The jukebox cycles through U2, REM and The Police, and the match remains close. Finally, about an hour and a half into it, Cassidy ensures a victory for the home team. The players punch fists and high five.

''The rest is just gravy,'' says Given. The Kinsmen are back on top.

This story ran on page 5 of the Boston Globe's City Weekly section on 12/2/2001.
© Copyright 2001 Globe Newspaper Company.