Difference between revisions of "London Raiders"
m (Category) |
(Adding history if first few years) |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| − | The London Raiders (formally known as The Rainbow Raiders) is reputably the largest softball club in Europe. It was started by [[Jonathan Harbourne]] shortly after he arrived in London in 1990 and is an LGBT sports club. | + | The London Raiders (formally known as The Rainbow Raiders) is reputably the largest softball club in Europe, if not the world. It was started by [[Jonathan Harbourne]] shortly after he arrived in London in 1990 and is an LGBT sports club. |
== About == | == About == | ||
| Line 24: | Line 24: | ||
Training sessions are every Monday at 7PM at our usual spot on Wandsworth Common. | Training sessions are every Monday at 7PM at our usual spot on Wandsworth Common. | ||
| − | == | + | == History == |
| + | Jonathan Harbourne moved to London from Cardiff in 1989 to work for a company called Chroma Image Workshop. He played softball once with his colleagues on Clapham Common in that year, and having never played teams sports in school due to discrimination, thought this would be a good alternative that the 'pubbing and clubbing' of the gay scene. He bought a ball and a bat and encouraged his friends to play a few times in Hyde Park. This continued to the summer of 1991 when he moved to Harrogate for a year, before doing so, marking his departure by 23 of the softballers going to Brighton for the weekend. When he returned to London, in the spring of 1993, Jonathan designed and printed some flyers advertising a weekly gay softball games in Hyde Park. The flyers were distributed around the gay venues of Soho and Coventry Garden, including [[The Village]], [[Compton's Cafe]] (now Ballan's Cafe) and [[The Edge]]. On the first Sunday, it was raining, no-one turned up. Undeterred, Jonathan refreshed the flyers, the second week, it was still raining, two people turned up and they went down the pub. But by the end of that first summer over 200 people re turning out each week to watch or play. | ||
| + | |||
| + | In 1994 Jonathan encouraged the new gay venues of the burgeoning West End gay scene to form teams, and play each other in a gay league. This proved very successful, and teams from the following gay venues played that year: [[Comptons]] (pub), [[The Village]], [[The Edge]], [[Centrepoint Gym]], [[First Out Cafe]], and [[Compton's Cafe]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | == External links == | ||
http://www.londonraiders.co.uk/ | http://www.londonraiders.co.uk/ | ||
[[Category:Sports]] | [[Category:Sports]] | ||
Revision as of 15:02, 24 July 2011
The London Raiders (formally known as The Rainbow Raiders) is reputably the largest softball club in Europe, if not the world. It was started by Jonathan Harbourne shortly after he arrived in London in 1990 and is an LGBT sports club.
Contents
About
London Raiders Softball Club is a gay softball club which aims to offer a meaningful softball experience through play and training at skill levels that match players' abilities in a fun, safe and social environment that is accepting of sexual diversity.
Joining
Raiders has seven different league teams, including one in the top division of the Greater London league (GLSML). If you would like to play with us, get in touch with our Membership Managers by using the contact form on our website.
Softball Sunday
There is no official Sunday session on 3rd July (day after Pride). Our next planned Sunday activities will be on 17th July, starting at 1pm.
Tournament Success
Raiders won top prize in the B division at the Pioneers Tournament in Canterbury on 24-25 June. This is one of the biggest tournaments in the country and a major achievement for the club! Special congrats to Kelvin Terblanche and Pam Wilburn, team MVPs!
Development Squad
Training sessions are every Monday at 7PM at our usual spot on Wandsworth Common.
History
Jonathan Harbourne moved to London from Cardiff in 1989 to work for a company called Chroma Image Workshop. He played softball once with his colleagues on Clapham Common in that year, and having never played teams sports in school due to discrimination, thought this would be a good alternative that the 'pubbing and clubbing' of the gay scene. He bought a ball and a bat and encouraged his friends to play a few times in Hyde Park. This continued to the summer of 1991 when he moved to Harrogate for a year, before doing so, marking his departure by 23 of the softballers going to Brighton for the weekend. When he returned to London, in the spring of 1993, Jonathan designed and printed some flyers advertising a weekly gay softball games in Hyde Park. The flyers were distributed around the gay venues of Soho and Coventry Garden, including The Village, Compton's Cafe (now Ballan's Cafe) and The Edge. On the first Sunday, it was raining, no-one turned up. Undeterred, Jonathan refreshed the flyers, the second week, it was still raining, two people turned up and they went down the pub. But by the end of that first summer over 200 people re turning out each week to watch or play.
In 1994 Jonathan encouraged the new gay venues of the burgeoning West End gay scene to form teams, and play each other in a gay league. This proved very successful, and teams from the following gay venues played that year: Comptons (pub), The Village, The Edge, Centrepoint Gym, First Out Cafe, and Compton's Cafe.
