To honor a man that LOVED the game!!

trantala

On Wednesday of this week The Lakehead Dart League lost one of it's founding members and a fine example of someone that loved the game. Chris Preen Sr. passed away and with him went a little part of me. He was the man that got me into the game of darts on one of the many fun filled Saturday nites at The Elephant and Castle. he taught me not just dart stance, knowing the numbers, or how to throw, but the most important thing dart etiquitte, how to treat others. The last time I played against Chris he was saying how he hadn't hit a double in any game he was involved in this year; he hit a 115 finish against us and his expression and reaction was worth a million dollars. The time to continue this would be over a cold beer and a friendly game of darts thats how Chris would have wanted it. To Chris, my fellow dart player, fine human being and previous employer I will miss you. Deepest sympathy to the entire Preen family, my heart goes out to you all on your loss. I am dedicating my dart season particularily my singles play to his honor, hope I do you proud Chris.
Your Friend Terry Rantala

LALA · Joined: 24 Jan 2007 Posts: 5

What a really touching posting. I just found out about the tragedy the other day. Chris and I were not really close, but I still remember him from the days before I played darts (WAY back when) when I had to work (at the Elephant & Castle) Wednesdays and serve the dart players. He was always such a gentleman (unlike some of the other crass dart players). I have had the honor of playing alongside him (at the Yacht Club) and having a few brief conversations with him. He will definitely be fondly remembered by many in the league. What a huge loss to Thunder Bay darts. My thoughts and best wishes go out to the Preen family.

taustin · Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 10:46 pm Post subject:

I am another person who can thank Chris Preen for being involved in the Thunder Bay Dart League, for good or bad Very Happy

And this was waaaay back in 1988, my bud, and fellow dart player on our team, the Yacht Club Bass, Keith Lange and I, were playing darts at the Elephant and Castle, and watching the league play at times when there were games scheduled there. We were playing darts for fun, and were asked by Chris to play a fun few games against him and his son Chris on occasion.

THEY DESTROYED US IN DOUBLES Very Happy

We weren't even in the same solar system as them.

For the next 3 months, Keith and I were down at the Elephant & Castle playing fun darts almost every bloody day, evening, and weekends with Chris and Chris, and during that summer, I met Terry, Randy, Henri, Alannah, Andy Walker, Jim Merkley, Kenny Sumner, Eric Rantala, HAYWIRE, lol, Glen Nyman, Marci Karjialainen, and a whole slew of others(memory is failing) that are still around or have drifted away now from the league.
It was a hoot to say the least, AND I ran into Rob Dacey(who I went to high school with much further back) lol. Those were indeed great times.
Got to know Mike Meady, who worked at the Elephant & Castle, was introduced to Bass Pale Ale by Chris(no regrets there) and how to properly place the empty Bass bottles along the ledges around the bar and the dart area.

Darn, so many fond memories of that simple time.

Come 1989, early September, and Terry Rantala walks in the door, and says "hey, congrats on being on Chris's team"?????????????????

Huh!!!!

Chris hadn't gotten there yet to ask me or Keith to play on his team, but Terry knew about it . Wasn't long after that, I was playing competitive darts in the league with Chris and Chris, along with Keith, Andy Walker, and Joan Preen.

Since Keith and I joined up with the Bass team, our team has had very few new players, the core has been Chris and Chris, Keith, and I. Andy was with us in the beginning for 2 or so years, Jim Merkley for at least one year, Barb Horth for at least 2 years, Henri for 2 years, and Gerry Rayner since 1995. We recently have had the pleasure of having Steve Oshust playing with us for the last 2 years, and hope he stays with us for a few more.

Its all about attitude, we enjoy playing darts together, win or lose, we give it our best shot on the night, and try to have fun with it at the same time.

Lets all raise a bottle of Bass Pale Ale to Chris, without him and Joan, Eve and Alex Deely, and I think Wayne Wagg may have been involved way back when(not sure), the league as we know it would not exist.