The original Dwarf Alligator line up

From left to right: Stevie, Eric, Stuart, and Andy

There's only one "f" in Dwarf Alligator

and the johnny-come-latelies

Doddie boy and Sonic

Once upon a time there was a history teacher, a chef and two IT guys who were all pretty intelligent but went their own ways.  
 
One night in August 93, Andy the teacher ran the first ever quiz at the Colinton Inn (the Colly) in Edinburgh. One of the participants on the night was Stevie the chef.  Stevie, not being short on the grey matter skooshed the quiz, on his own, to the embarrassment of Andy and the other numpties who took part.
 
Two weeks later Eric, one of the IT guys turned up at the Colly on spec, had a drink at the bar and engaged in conversation with Stevie (defending his  unbeaten record). Question 30 ensued, asking the names of the players in the European Ryder Cup squad for the forthcoming competition. Eric duly advised Stevie of the 12 European names, then added the 12 US names for good measure.  Thus a friendship was born.
 
Back in the office, Eric spoke to Stuart, the other IT guy, about the quiz and was invited to join Stuart and his mates at the Phoenix in Broughton St. for a Sunday night quiz.  So it came to pass that Eric joined Stuart and friends in the "Buckie Boys" team at Dave Albury's quiz in the Phoenix.
 
Success followed and Stuart reciprocated by joining Stevie and Eric ant the Colly quiz. More success followed and so Stevie, Eric, Stuart and Andy, now all good quiz mates, formed a team to take on all-comers at the Phoenix.  With decent cash and drinks prizes at the Phoenix it became a regular Sunday night haunt for the four of us. Win after win followed, averaging 9 out of every 10 weeks, defeating such stalwarts as the "Corner Boys", "Pumpherston Pre-school Playgroup", "Freshly Baked", "Norfolk And Chants", "Sonic" and "Spank Me ........".    
 
Dave's quiz wasn't exactly the most demanding.  In fact, the most difficult challenge of the night was to come up with a team name. We had gone through the a range of "Andy and the .........",  "Eric and the  .........." and so on. Other names included "The Four Stomachs", "Gut Busters"  and  "The Men With No Shame".  Frustrated at this difficult challenge, Andy demanded that we stick to the same name each week and that it should be short and snappy. Stuart with impeccable comical timing, borne out of years of experience, immediately retorted "Dwarf Alligator - that's short and snappy!".  Andy almost fell off his seat with laughter. And so the legend of "Dwarf Alligator" was born.     
 
Over the years the team has built on the early success and won quizzes across the city.  Additions to team personnel followed as individuals  flitted in and out due to work or other commitments. George (Doddie) the accountant and Ian (Sonic) the purveyor of artistic magazines (with sticky pages) joined  the team on a regular basis.
 
Success also had its downside.  We have been banned or handicapped at various times in Jane's Bar, Orwell Lodge, Hunters Tryst, Spylaw Tavern etc. so we have had to be flexible in our outlook.  Regular haunts at the moment are the Colly, Cameo Bar and Stevie's own quiz at Gray's Mill.
 
Although Andy has gone into semi-retirement in the quiz world, the team, the name and the legend lives on.

The Origin of a Species