Everything you wanted to know about the London Scrabble League - and more...


The Reg Lever CupThe John Meikle CupHghest Word ScoresThe Most Improved Player TrophyNoteworthy achievements

The London Scrabble League was formed in November 1971 by Mike Goldman and Reg Lever.
Gyles Brandreth had brought together 100 players to play in the first ever National Scrabble Championship in June of 1971 and with help from Leonard Hodge, who worked for J W Spears and co-organised this event, Mike and Reg sought permission to write to the participants and invite them to form the "Greater London Scrabble League". See also History

The first season was comprised of 32 members split into two groups:
Achilles; Miss S Benjamin, Mr Skinner, Mr I Gordon, Miss K Menon, Mr M R Goldman, Mr R H Ganley, Mrs A Phillips, Rev T Dalton, Miss M Dalton, Mrs E Spiro, Mr N Kay, Mrs M Forrester, Miss S B Peters, Mrs S Hyams, Mrs S F Hockey, Mr D Quilter.
Boadicea; Mrs A P Woolf, Mr and Mrs Lane, Miss R Birch, Mrs R G Newmark, Mrs S Elias, Mr R W Lever, Mrs E Kay, Mrs R Lever, Mr H C Kay, Mr L Phillips, Miss J Jones, Dr K Dalton, Miss K George, Mrs R Grainger, Mrs G Stokes.

For the September-December 1972 season there were 31 and were grouped:
Achilles; Miss S Benjamin, Miss C Bursill, Miss D Clayton, Mr P Dean, Mrs S Elias, Mr R Ganley, Mrs R Grainger, Miss C Jakes, Mr N Kay, Mrs E Kay, Mrs R Lever, Mr R Lever, Miss K Menon, Mrs R G Newmark, Mrs S Peters and Mr Skinner.
Boadicea; Mr R D Bowman, Mr R Crolla, Dr K Dalton, Miss Dalton, Mrs Downie, Mr M Goldman, Mrs S F Hockey, Mrs S Hyams, Miss J Jones, Mr H C Kay, Mrs Lane, Mr C F J Magnus, Mrs P MacBean, Mr W Plinge and Mrs S Spiro.

At this stage the earliest list of permitted two letter words were listed with the address list for the Sept-Dec 1972 fixtures:
ad, ae, at, as, am, an, at, ax, ay, be, bo, by, da, do, ea, eh, el, em, en, er, ex, fa, fy, go, gu, ha, he, hi, ho, id, if, in, io, is, it, jo, ka, la, li, lo, ma, me, mi, mo, my, na, no, ob, od, oe, of, oh, on ,oo, or, os, ow, ox, oy, pa, pi, po, re, si, sh, so, ta, te, ti, to, un, up, us, ut, we, wo, ye, yo, yu, zo. (pencilled additions/omissions were: ai, (for the first 'at') ee, ky, and ur).


To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the London Scrabble League each current member was given a pin badge.
Click on picture for a bigger image.

The 10 game rule was introduced from April 1980
* Winners in the tables below marked with an asterisk had members who finished higher but who had failed to play their required quota of 10 games.

Seasons ending with 'D'­ The League was split in 5/6 divisions with promotion and relegation..

Season April-September 1991 (marked with an Ã) was based on average spread and not on average score.

Highest score was used prior to 1986, changing to average score from 1986.

The perpetual trophies for the winter and summer seasons (The Reg Lever Cup and John Meikle Cup) inaugurated in the October 1981-March 1982 and April -September 1982 seasons and The Billie Gray Memorial Trophy which was inaugurated in the April-September 1989 season (for Most Improved Player), eventually had to be withdrawn as it became increasingly difficult to track down who held the original trophies. New cups honouring their memory will be awarded each season.


The Reg Lever Cup
winter seasons.fixscorepoints
oct 78-mar 79 Philip Nelkon28n/a16.10
oct 79-mar 80Tim Perrott ? n/a n/a n/a
oct 80-mar 81Philip Nelkon1463415.60
oct 81-mar 82Brian Sugar12n/a14.68
oct 82-mar 83not availablen/an/an/a
oct 83-mar 84Allan Simmons20n/a 14.80
oct 84-mar 85Mike Goldman27 n/a17.33
oct 85-mar 86Bob Violett10 48118.50
oct 86-mar 87DIan Gucklhorn1646618.56
oct 87-mar 88Harvey Freeman1051518.05
oct 88-mar 89Allan Simmons1449818.18
oct 89-mar 90Darryl Francis2247318.36
oct 90-mar 91Allan Simmons1147418.27
oct 91-mar 92Ian Gucklhorn1144918.18
oct 92-mar 93Philip Nelkonn/an/an/a
oct 93-mar 94Allan Saldanha1247817.92
oct 94-mar 95Allan Saldanha1044218.20
oct 95-mar 96Philip Nelkon1243517.50
oct 96-mar 97Jackie McLeod *1944417.89
oct 97-mar 98Di Dennis1944718.16
oct 98-mar 99Tony Killilea1143817.64
oct 99-mar 00Martin Thomas*2342617.43
oct 00-mar 01George Gruner2843217.46
oct 01-mar 02Sandie Simonis2343818.02
oct 02-mar 03George Gruner2543517.52
oct 03-mar 04Keith King1345817.85
oct 04-mar 05Keith King1043217.60
oct 05-mar 06Omar Malleh Jah1446117.86
oct 06-mar 07Di Dennis*1345917.69
oct 07-mar 08Sandie Simonis2244917.77
Top

The John Meikle Cup
summer seasons.fixscorepoints
apr-sep 78Allan Simmons1656816.40
apr-sep 79Philip Nelkon1967916.10
apr-sep 80Allan Simmons22 62116.70
apr-sep 81Philip Nelkon2671115.77
apr-sep 82Philip Nelkon1260314.46
apr-sep 83not availablen/an/an/a
apr-sep 84Brian Sugar30n/a17.9
apr-sep 85Allan Simmons19n/a 18.37
apr-sep 86 DDarryl Francis2447117.23
apr-sep 87 DAllan Simmons2348817.39
apr-sep 88Bob Violett1050218.60
apr-sep 89Darryl Francis1847618.50
apr-sep 90Philip Nelkon1749218.71
apr-sep 91ÃHarvey Freeman11140.718.82
apr-sep 92Paul Golder1743817.68
apr-sep 93Philip Nelkon *1844217.06
apr-sep 94 Hartley Moorhouse *19 43216.63
apr-sep 95Karl Khoshnaw1044118.20
apr-sep 96Jonathan Anstey1843717.33
apr-sep 97Terry Kirk *15 44817.67
apr-sep 98Terry Kirk1344417.54
apr-sep 99Martin Thomas2042717.95
apr-sep 00Sandie Simonis *2143918.14
apr-sep 01Brian Silverstone1041818.60
apr-sep 02George Gruner *2943418.12
apr-sep 03Darryl Francis *1544817.87
apr-sep 04Bob Berry1144518.05
apr-sep 05Sandie Simonis *2842417.21
apr-sep 06Theo Kumi *2344817.70
apr-sep 07Theo Kumi2244317.45
apr-sep 08....
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Highest Word Scores

 Scrolls for gold, silver and red seals are awarded to the top three highest word scores of the season.

winter seasongold scroll winnerswordscore
oct 84-mar 85not available n/a n/a
oct 85-mar 86Greg NealANTIQUES284
:Robert RichlandMONOXIDE 284
:Mike WillisSQUEEZER284
oct 86-mar 87DAsh HajiOBLIQUED239
oct 87-mar 88Mike WillisTACKLING221
oct 88-mar 89Bob ViolettQUETZALS374
oct 89-mar 90John MorrisseyCAZIQUES302
oct 90-mar 91Ruth Morgan-ThomasPROFANER203
oct 91-mar 92Terry KirkMAZINESS212
oct 92-mar 93Allan SaldanhaZAPPIEST257
oct 93-mar 94Sandie SimonisQUAGMIRE257
oct 94-mar 95Malcolm Shaw ZINCIEST 212
oct 95-mar 96Alison Stilwell ADJOINED197
oct 96-mar 97Pat MacBeanQUAINTER203
oct 97-mar 98Elie DangoorPERIGONS158
:Barry GrossmanTHORNSET158
:Maureen ReynoldsWEARIEST158
:Graeme ThomasAGRESTIC158
oct 98-mar 99Helen BlythFEVERING176
oct 99-mar 00Phyllis FernandezBASTARDY198
oct 00-mar 01Vipul MaldeMATCHERS221
oct 01-mar 02Paul HowardQWERTIES239
oct 02-mar 03Ruth MacInerneyQUINIELA203
oct 03-mar 04Jackie McLeodSHOWIEST212
oct 04-mar 05Paloma RaychbartGLOWERED176
:David AdkinsTWEEDIER176
oct 05-mar 06Brenda LengwenatREJOINED194
:Kalpana ThakkerSNOBBISH194
oct 06-mar 07John SimonFREEZING230
oct 07-mar 08Barbara MorrisJOINDERS194

summer seasongold scroll winners wordscore
apr-sep 86 DEileen AndersonQUARRIES221
:Darryl FrancisBRISKEST221
:Ivy EdmundsQUENCHED221
:Mauro PratesiCHAFFERS221
apr-sep 87 Dnot available n/a n/a
apr-sep 88Mike GoldmanACQUESTS212
apr-sep 89Eileen AndersonPRETZELS317
apr-sep 90Harvey FreemanCONQUEST302
apr-sep 91ÃRosanna MallozziWRETCHED203
apr-sep 92Mark HandysideGLAZINGS293
apr-sep 93Pat MacBeanSNECKING230
apr-sep 94Judy MossUNEQUALS212
apr-sep 95Maureen DobrinOBLIQUER230
apr-sep 96Nick ButlerSQUATTER203
apr-sep 97Tilly MossDROWSIER185
apr-sep 98Helen BlythREDIVIDE203
apr-sep 99Richard EvansBLOWPIPE221
apr-sep 00Gertie RobertsWARSHIPS221
apr-sep 01Chris KeeleySTOMPERS176
apr-sep 02Julie WatsonSTICKIER221
:Richard WoodwardJASMINES221
apr-sep 03George GrunerSCREWIER203
apr-sep 04Sanmi OdelanaFATHERED176
apr-sep 05Theo KumiUNQUOTES203
:Neil SteinPRATIQUE203
apr-sep 06Jenni ChanREPRIZED221
apr-sep 07Priscilla EncarnacionMANDATED167
apr-sep 08...
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The Most Improved Player Trophy

 Seven players are awarded vouchers for bettering their performance of last season with the best of them being awarded The Most Improved Player Trophy. A new Billie Gray Memorial Trophy will be awarded each time.

winter seasonImproved player+score summer seasonImproved player+score 
oct 84-mar 85Ashley de Safrin n/a apr-sep 85 n/a n/a
oct 85-mar 86Victoria Lear n/a apr-sep 86 DMike Lott 3.88
oct 86-mar 87DDi Dennis4.01apr-sep 87David Keeble8.86
oct 87-mar 88Graeme Thomas3.52apr-sep 88Darryl Francis3.49
oct 88-mar 89not available n/a apr-sep 89Jenny Albon2.79
oct 89-mar 90Mina Haria4.81apr-sep 90Greg Neal7.21
oct 90-mar 91Barrie Knox 5.85apr-sep 91Marian Shepherd4.42
oct 91-mar 92Alan Freeman4.22apr-sep 92Mark Handyside3.78
oct 92-mar 93Kim Phippsn/aapr-sep 93ÂDaphne Lampard3.47
oct 93-mar 94Stella Magnus3.95apr-sep 94Joy Hewgill2.91
oct 94-mar 95Pauline Hewett3.49apr-sep 95Brian Silverstone4.40
oct 95-mar 96Mei Ling Simons3.93apr-sep 96David Shenkin2.86
oct 96-mar 97ÂBarbara Allen3.22apr-sep 97Julie Higgins3.63
oct 97-mar 98Tony Hutchinson 3.93apr-sep 98Liz Wilmott3.33
oct 98-mar 99Helen Blyth3.67apr-sep 99Gloria Stein3.46
oct 99-mar 00Marion Honig 3.01apr-sep 00Vipul Malde5.42
oct 00-mar 01Paul Howard5.22apr-sep 01Brenda Lengwenat3.52
oct 01-mar 02Chrystal Rose4.12apr-sep 02Joe Bridal4.06
oct 02-mar 03Sandy Amber3.76apr-sep 03Darryl Francis3.30
oct 03-mar 04Rick Joseph3.94apr-sep 04Stella Magnus4.76
oct 04-mar 05Margaret Greenyer5.72apr-sep 05Gertie Roberts2.77
oct 05-mar 06Alison Stilwell5.69apr-sep 06Judith Abraham4.26
oct 06-mar 07Eileen Anderson3.48apr-sep 07Gloria Stein3.73
oct 07-mar 08Sammy Idowu-Johnson4.60apr-sep 08..
Top

Noteworthy achievements:

Phil Appleby compiled the first Newsletter dated February 1985.
Although Sheila Hockey distributed the fixture lists to members from November 1971, she was part of a four person committee, newsy bits of information/committee decisions/rules/births and deaths were included on the same page as the fixture list/address list where spaced allowed to keep costs to a minimum. Phil Appleby produced it's first showing as a double-sided single page sheet in February 1985. He held the post for 12 issues before Brian Sugar (1986 - 10 issues) took over. Mike Willis followed later in the same year (27 issues) before Judy Moss took over from 1989 (13 issues). During this period Sheila Hockey (1), Mark Nyman (1) and Peter Dean (4) filled in when the regular editor was unavailable. Judy shared the editorship with Terry Kirk from 1990 (33 issues). When Judy stepped down in 1992 Terry shared editorship with Jackie McLeod (14 issues). Adopting a rota system, Terry then was editor with Graeme Thomas (1993 - 16 issues), Brenda Marsden (1994 - 16 issues) and Chris Keeley (1996 - 8 issues) - Harold Robinson breifly put together two issues during this period. From January 1999 Mauro Pratesi used his typographic skills and redesigned the presentation of the Newsletter and produced 60 issues consecutively until December 2003. He stepped down to concentrate on the London League website. Pamela Kikumu took over in January 2004 and produced 23 issues. Pamela gave up the job in November 2005. Richard Sheridan has taken over from December 2005 and is producing the first emailable version, as well as the ordinary edition, of the Newsletter. The Committee is looking at a suitable format in which to send the Newsletter and the Fixtures which will agree to everyone with Internet access. From March 2008 Richard formally stepped down from his rôles as Editor and Vice Chairman of the Committee so from Arpil 2008 Richard Woodward will have taken the rôle and continue where Richard left off.

Most successive League wins: 42 by Darryl Francis 1989

Highest single game score: 845 by Janet Palmer 1989-90
Second highest single game score: 813 by Viraf Metha 1985
Third highest single game score: 792 by Di Dennis October-November 1987

Highest evening total: 2030 by Viraf Metha

Highest word score: 374 for QUETZALS by Bob Violett (1988-89)

Highest scoring draw: 501 between Frank Moss and Tilly Moss (January 1995)

Highest winning margin over three games: +1087 by Darryl Francis (February 2002)

Largest winning margin in one game: +545 by Graeme Thomas (April-September 1991)
Graeme beat his opponent 789-244

Longest word: 15 letters for DISENFRANCHISES by Bob Violett (1985?)
(It was a London League match somewhere in the depths of Buckinghamshire. Bob's opponent started with FRA, which Bob challenged, Bob added NCHISES [H was a blank] after his initial move of LACINESS [L was a blank] was challenged off, then spent 5 or 6 goes trying to collect DISEN on his rack to score 40 points and a claim to fame)

Most bonuses in one game: 7 by Mike Willis against Amber Sturdy (1983)

Most changes in one game: 10 by Gordon Payne (1990)

High-scoring moves not using all 7 letters - from Newsletter 19 dated August 1986:
  • 6: Allan Simmons had RENAMING around the EN for 134
    ... Diane Pratesi had LIGHTING around the TI for 153
  • 5: Mike Willis, EPIZOONS around the word ZOO for 144
  • 4: Ron Hendra, VIZY above EARNINGS
    ... making YEARNINGS with the Y on the tripple word score, for 108
Left on my rack 1: Hendon Drive on 17th September 2001.
Peter Thomas went out with SCREWED (S and D were blanks) and left Irene Woolley with a rack of ZQJKRU = 35!!

Left on my rack 2: League evening at Nellie Cox's on 18th March 2002.
Pat MacBean went out with SOARING for 68 leaving Mauro Pratesi with a final rack of DCCLVI (plus the blank).
Mauro's rack leave was 756 !?

Furthest League Match
In July of 1998 Phyllis Fernandez, Karen Game, Alison Stilwell and Richard Woodward defied temperatures of over 100 degrees to play two official League matches in a rented cottage in Sinalunga in Italy during a week long Scrabble holiday. Sinalunga is 50 miles south of Florence and about 1,000 miles from London and unless anyone knows different this is the furthest a London League match has been played.

Highest scoring League members:
Phyllis Fernandez scores 37 using ordinary English Scrabble tiles while Jennifer Turovski and Erica Cruickshank both score 33.

Shortest reported game by a League member:
It was between Graeme Thomas and his brother Steve. Graeme asked Steve "Do you want a game of Scrabble?".
Steve replied "No!".

Most blanks: Newsletter 201 - November/December 2001
Barry Grossman picked SEVEN blanks in an ordinary London League fixture.
One at the start when they picked to decide who plays who.
One at start of first game to decide who goes first (after Barry's opponent picked an A).
And 5 during normal play.

High losing score: League evening December 2003
Rachelle Winer lost to David Shenkin 506-525.

Oldest playing League member:
Nellie Cox who last played a League match aged 93 years.
Currently: Ron Hendra is still playing at 90 years.

Youngest playing League member:
Allan Saldanha made his League debut in the winter season 1986-87 aged 9 and a bit
Andrew Perry made his League debut in the winter season 1991-92 also aged 9 and a bit.

600,000 to 1 chance of it happening:
At a fixture on 12th December 2005 between George Gruner, Les Nyman, Rob Kaczmarek and David Holmes. The first game started with George playing Rob on one board and Les playing David on the other board. About 20 minutes into each game, a move was made by George and by Les. No collusion took place in these moves. The two opponents simultaneously challenged the moves which Les and George had made. This does happen from time to time, but what was really spooky was that the word played by Les and George was the same word, namely YEAN.

10 move game with 6 bonuses:
In a game between Philip Cohen and Jackie McLeod on January 2008. Philip played four consecutive bonuses on his first 4 moves: RANCOURS, LOADING, (D)EFECATE, and HEADILY for 111. Two little rack-balancing moves followed, then a 5th bonus, with a blank and two esses, INKINESS. Again two little-uns, finally playing out with STRIATE, catching Jackie with 19 points! A 10-move game, 6 of which were bonuses. Final score 572-329. Jackie was scoring respectably with 20s and 30s, going flat out for turnover and score. Jackie's lowest score was 21 and highest 48 for BOXEN and 53 for QAT.

Most consecutive bonuses, 5:
At a League evening on 21st March 2006 Sandie Simonis opened the game with VITALLY then FOLIATED (around the T of vitally) then TROUNCED (around the O of foliated) then RETRIALS (off a generously given R) then CRUIsED. One letter different on her sixth rack and it would have been 6 in a row (She had SEWAGE + A). Sandie's final score was 571 (disappointing after that start) to opponent's 368 (opponent had the J, K, Q, X and Z).

At a League evening on 25th March 2008, Philip Cohen played 6 bonuses in a game soon after performing the same feat in January 2008 (see above) Philip, after starting out tamely, scored 5 bonuses in a row from move four. TASTIER 86 (double-double), OVERDONE 78 (around a floating R), FIXINGS 83, fISHCAKE 72 (onto the E of OVERDONE, f was a blank), AREOLAE making OF,LI,AS and EH for 80 (running down side of FISHCAKE). Two moves later TEMPTINg for 74 was his sixth bonus (g was a blank, from a generous floating "e" supplied by opponent). Opponent tried hard to balance their rack with moves such as WUDU (UDU onto W) but could not find the right letters. Final score 608 to Philip - 290 to the opponent.


Facts about Sunday Drives:

Drives played to High score rules
  • Highest total score after three games: 1987 by Les Nyman (Hospitality Inn, Bayswater, 7/2/1988).
    (Game scores were 662, 725 and 600)
  • Highest score for one game: 800 by Philip Nelkon (Hospitality Inn, Bayswater, 9/2/1985).
  • Highest word score for one move: 239 for BRACKETS by Jackie McLeod (Hospitality Inn, Bayswater, 9/10/1988).
Drives played to Matchplay rules (Playing to win)
  • Highest winning spread with three wins after three games:
    776 by Graeme Thomas ("77 Bridge Club", Hendon, 26/5/1996).
    (Included spreads of 332, 369 and 75).

  • Highest winning spread with two and a half wins after three games:
    638 by Les Nyman ("77 Bridge Club", Hendon, 11/4/1999).
    (Game scores; 388-388, 533-236 and 541-199).

  • Highest winning spread with two wins after three games:
    606 by Ruth Erskine [Morgan-Thomas] (Hospitality Inn, Bayswater, 22/10/1989).
    (Game scores; 649-234, 512-310 and 332-343).

  • Highest winning spread with one win after three games:
    358 by Ruth MacInerney ("77 Bridge Club", Hendon, 2/3/1998).
    (Ruth won by 582-129 in round one but lost her two other games!)

  • Highest single spread for one game:
    486 by Danny Bekhor (Victory Hall, Chigwell, 27/1/2008).
    (Danny won by 639-153 in round one. His other scores: 438-355, 348-323 failing to get to the magic 600 spread by 2 points!)

note: on 9/2/1985 Philip Nelkon won 800-220 with a spread of 580
(as Philip was playing to High Score rules his winning spread cannot claim the record).

Oldest Sunday Drive player:
Nellie Cox who last attended a Drive aged 92 years.

Youngest Sunday Drive player:
Andrew Perry made his Drive début on the 9th April 1991 aged 9 years, 4 months
Jessica Pratesi made her Drive début on 16th May 2004 aged 8 years, 5 months.

Lowest total wins/spread to gain Drive Cup points:
In the Drive of 5th December 2004 at Chigwell, Jessica Pratesi came fourth with 0 (zero) wins and scored two Drive Cup points.
In the Drive of 31st December 2006 at Hendon, Jessica came fifth having won two games by 359-355 and 341-339, drawn the remaining game 337-337 and finishing with a spread of just six, possibly the lowest ever winning plus spread to finish in the top five.

Games the same:
In the Drive of 25th February 2002 at Chigwell, Rachelle Winer won the drive by winning all three games by the same score: 479.

Same place of birth:
In the Drive of 7th November 1999 at Hendon, it was noted that the top three players, Karl Khoshnaw, Elie Dangoor and Danny Bekhor, had all been born in Baghdad, Iraq.

Most draws by one person at one Drive:
In the Drive of 11th September 2005 at New Malden, Theo Kumi drew two of his 3 games. One with 395 and the other with 449.

Highest scoring move at any Drive? :
In the Drive of 29th January 2006 at Hendon, with a rack of CDEILR plus a blank, Paloma Raychbart slotted CRINKLED around a floating N and announced her score; "70 K" she said pointing to the blank!

The Reg Lever CupThe John Meikle CupHghest Word ScoresThe Most Improved Player TrophyNoteworthy achievements

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