A resident from Canada has got in touch with BwB.
Nothing unusual in that, you may say, but, unusually, this time it was not our regular contributor Rob Boag.
With this tale, the hunt is on for information on a local darts trophy.
Bobby Alexander opened: “Recently, I was back in Dundee, and was trying to find out about a local darts trophy linked to my late father, also named Bobby, who died on June 19, 1971.
“I was informed that it was a trophy played for in the Dundee Darts League and is called The Bobby Alexander Memorial.
“My understanding is that it was a knockout trophy played for by the best player for each team in the league, and awarded to the winner.
“I know it was still competed for in 2006-07 as I was shocked to see the name in the sports section of the Evening Telegraph when I was visiting my sister (she had the papers sent to her every week).”
Bobby continued: “My ask is in a few parts.
“Is it still played for, is the trophy still around, and are there any records kept? If the trophy is not played for, is it still around, and can I be connected with whoever has it?
“My children, Bobby’s granddaughters, would be interested in seeing or owning the small piece of family history.”
Bobby, who lived in the city at Glamis Court, Menzieshill, from about 1965-1976, revealed he will be back in Dundee later this year for the Menzieshill Hockey Club’s 50th anniversary reunion.
Bobby attended schools at Hillside, St Ninian’s and Lawside, and served an apprenticeship at A Bruce & Sons on Clepington Road. He then worked for Tay Valley Joinery and Highgrove. At nights, he was also a barman in Fat Sam’s from 1983-85.
He emigrated to Canada on May 31, 1985, and is currently working in healthcare as a Regional Director for Niagara Health in Southern Ontario.
Bobby went on: “When I lived in Dundee, I played hockey for Menzieshill from 1973 through to my emigration, and was part of the first Championship year in 1985 when we won every Scottish indoor hockey trophy – National Indoor Championship, The National Indoor League and the Glenfiddich Indoor Invitational.
“The NIC was held in Dundee for the first time, and it was great to be congratulated by the Lord Provost Tom Mitchell as I used to babysit his boys.
“They were close friends of the family in Glamis Court. After emigration, I played for two Toronto clubs, Ookpicks and Huronia.
“I represented Ontario on two occasions as a player, 1986 indoor and 1988 outdoor.
“My time at Menzieshill is what made me continue with the sport and coaching.
“It was the leadership shown by Billy McPherson and the camaraderie and friendship of Harry Byers, Wee John Christie, Bruce Cuthill, Mike Chalmers, Paul Golden, the Storrie brothers, Alan Kelly, Brian Walker, Brian (DJ) Matthews, George Batchelor and Peter Burns.
“We all basically lived within two miles of the Menzieshill Community Centre and achieved amazing things for such a small group. Billy was a great inspiration and fantastic mentor.”
After a car accident forced him to quit playing, Bobby pursued certification as a sports coach, and coached Hockey Ontario at all levels in Canadian Nations Championships for both the men’s and women’s programmes, winning five gold and six silver medals.
Bobby lives with his wife Milinda and two daughters Kalen and Tehya and, over his time in Canada, has called Toronto, Goderich, Vancouver and now Hamilton home.
This article originally appeared on the Evening Telegraph website. For more information, read about our new combined website.