LMMI - Leadville Mining and Milling Corporation (fka LMMI)

[the cork]

And the Patron of D’arts is …

I remember the days when there was a Patron Saint for just about everything. The Patron Saint for Charity was St. Vincent de Paul. The Patron Saint for Travelers was St. Christopher, at least prior to getting Pluto-ed from The List of Saints in 1969 when Pope Paul VI revised the canon of saints.

Could there be a Patron Saint of Darts, whose celestial intercessions might be purposefully sought out by Tungsten Pilgrims seeking spiritual advantage?

Since our sport is likely an extension of the knightly disciplines of archery and the short spear, our saintly candidate should by extension likely be an athlete, a soldier, perhaps a strategist, even a mystic.

I looked to the Wikipedia List of Patron Saints by Occupation and Activity for guidance. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_patron_saints_by_occupation_and_activity

The top 4 candidates on the men’s side boiled down to:

1. St. Adrian of Nicomedia – Patron of arms dealers, butchers, and soldiers.
2. St Ignatius of Loyola - Patron of Soldiers, and Educators.
3. St Christopher - Patron of Travelers , mariners, and athletes
4. St George – Patron of Archers, Armourers, cavalry, crusaders, and Knights

The Top 4 candidates on the Women’s side was:

1. St Ursula – Patron of archers, orphans, students
2. St Rose of Lima - Patron of embroiderers, and gardeners
3. St Barbara – Patron of artillerymen, military engineers, and firemen
4. St Joan of Arc – Patron of Soldiers

St Jude – Patron of Lost Causes served as the first alternate.

In the Men’s first round, St Ignatius gave St Adrian a 7-1 hiding to advance to the second round.
St George and St Christopher battled to a last game decider, where St George prevailed 7-6 to advance.

The Women’s first round saw St Ursula whitewash an overmatched St Rose of Lima 5-0 while
St Joan of Arc stole St Barbara’s thunder in a 5-2 sleeper.

The Men’s final saw St George outlast a game St Ignatius 7-5 while St Joan overpowered St Ursula 5-3 on the women’s side.

Congratulations to St. George and St Joan of Ark – The reigning Men’s and Women’s patron Saints of darts!