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Oliver Albert "Olly" Croft, OBE〔(Queen's Birthday Honours 2004 )〕 (born 17 November 1929) is a former darts administrator and the founder of the British Darts Organisation. He was one of the most influential protagonists in darts for almost four decades having set up and run the British Darts Organisation from its inception in 1973 until he was voted off the board in August 2011. Prior to the formation of the British Darts Organisation, the major organisation for county darts had been the National Darts Association of Great Britain (the NDAGB, commonly referred to as NDA) which had been formed in London on September 25, 1954. Croft began playing darts himself in 1961 for the Harringay Arms in Crouch Hill and was soon playing seven nights per week. ==BDO formation== The British Darts Organisation was formed at its inaugural meeting at Croft's home in Creighton Avenue, Muswell Hill in North London on January 7, 1973. Twelve others attended that meeting including his wife Lorna, Sam Hawkins, Jim Sweeney and James Rogers. They agreed to start an inter-county league that autumn and instead of working within the NDA decided to go it alone. After the British Darts Organisation separated from the NDA in 1973 he said, "We have 61 counties, our links with television and the big sponsors. Our ultimate aim? I think it is a headquarters where we can hold big finals... But I can't see that in our lifetime." There are now 66 counties providing competitive darts for men, women and youth, backed up with internal county Super Leagues. Croft also affiliated the British Darts Organisation as a founder member of the World Darts Federation which set up the World Cup and Europe Cup. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア(Wikipedia)』 ■ウィキペディアで「Olly Croft」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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