Brigg Servicemen's Club having very recently reached a milestone 100 years since its formation reminded us of a great night at the Coney Court premises which involved appearances by two world famous sportsmen.
Darts stars Dennis Priestley and Rod Harrington visited the club in 2004 to play local players in an exhibition event and also to present darts trophies won during the Brigg & District Games League season.
Among locals who took to the stage against Dennis were Terry Finch - well known locally for his hard work on behalf of Broughton Workingmen's Club - Roger France (Dog & Rat), Rob Collins (Ancholme Inn), Martin Drury (Britannia), Richard Drury (Dog & Rat), Clive Humphrey (Black Bull), Sandra Clarvis (Brocklesby Ox), Peter Pixley (Brigg Servicemen's) and Lou Hutchinson (Shires).
Rod Harrington's opponents included Tom Vessey (Brocklesby Ox), John Carter (Black Bull), Kev Hewer (Shires), Kevin Robers (Queen's Head), Mick Finch, Jack Colquhoun (Ancholme), Trev Vessey (Black Bull) and Dick Butler (Dog & Rat).
Next time we see Trev in Brigg we'll ask him about this night 16 years ago; we are sure he'll have some memories.
Kelly Taylor, from Brigg, won the souvenir Dennis Priestley darts board used on the night for all the legs.
Many people in our area are currently enjoying live coverage of the PDC World Darts Championship - courtesy of Sky TV - Rod Harrington being one of the commentators and expert summarisers.
Dennis, from South Yorkshire, has featured at other local darts nights down the years - the latest being at Brigg Town Football Club's Hawthorns venue.
Brigg Blog was invited down to cover that event and initially thought the organiser's invitation to play against the former world champion was a wind-up. It wasn't, and we did indeed take to the stage against Dennis. Although soundly beaten by the star nicknamed The Menace, it made a good addition to our sporting CV... "I once played a world darts champion... in Brigg!"
We wasted money on a new set of darts, having long thrown away the battered ones we used to employ while appearing for the Queen's Arms in the Brigg & District Games League during the 1980s.
PICTURED ABOVE: Terry Finch (top left), Martin Drury (right) and Lou Hutchinson pictured with Dennis Priestley on stage at Brigg Servicemen's Club in 2004. The former world champ wore his trademark Dennis the Menace shirt while playing but donned a jacket to make the formal presentations on behalf of the local league. Dennis was world champion in 1991 and 1994; Rod Harrington, from Essex, became world masters champ in 1991.
