Until recently, darts was basically a pub sport with one or two national competitions. Now, suddenly, it has become international, and it has become big business, too. Although darts is part of the British folk heritage, we know surprisingly little of its history. Those famed English archers are supposed to have played a form of darts before defeating the French at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. The Pilgrim Fathers are supposed to have thrown darts as they travelled to America on the Mayflower in 1620.
Goodness knows how they managed it as their tiny boat was tossed about in the North Atlantic.
We even know little of darts in Victorian times. What we do know, is that darts is essentially a twentieth century sport. And, incidentally, all true enthusiasts will insist that it is a sport and not a pastime such as cards. The important point here is that darts requires both physical and mental skill. The mental skill may be less obvious.