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1997 WDC World Darts Championship
The 1997 Red Band World Darts Championship was held between 29 December 1996 and 5 January 1997 at the Circus Tavern in Purfleet, Essex. It was the fourth World Championship organised by the World Darts Council, which had acrimoniously split from the British Darts Organisation in 1992–93. As a result of an ongoing legal battle, this would be the last time that the WDC name would be used – an out-of-court settlement (Tomlin Order) in June 1997 meant that the organisation had to change its name to the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC). Paul Lim, who famously hit a nine dart finish at the 1990 Embassy Championship appeared at his first WDC World Championship – he had only managed to qualify once for the Embassy since the split, losing a second round match to John Part in 1994. The Championship saw two tight semi-finals, the most memorable of which was the clash between mentor and protégé – Eric Bristow and Phil Taylor. Taylor emerged victorious 5–4 in sets to rea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Circus Tavern
The Circus Tavern is an entertainment venue in Purfleet, Essex, England which hosts functions, cabaret acts and is also a nightclub venue. First opened in 1974, it is most famous as having been a long-time venue of the PDC World Darts Championship. Its capacity is 1100 seated. Darts Championships The Circus Tavern was the venue of the PDC World Darts Championships from its inauguration event in 1994, up until 2007, and broadcast on Sky Sports. Phil Taylor (darts player), Phil Taylor reached the final in all 14 of the PDC World Darts Championship tournaments that were held at the Circus Tavern, winning 11 of those 14 finals. The last World Championship match held at the Circus Tavern was the 2007 PDC World Darts Championship final, where Raymond van Barneveld came from 0–3 down in sets to defeat Phil Taylor (darts player), Phil Taylor, 7–6 in sets, after a sudden death leg. Many people consider this match to be the greatest in the history of darts. At the time of the match, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jamie Harvey
Jamie Harvey (born 15 August 1955) is a Scottish former professional darts player who played in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) and British Darts Organisation (BDO) tournaments. He used the nickname Bravedart for his matches – a play on the lead character from the film ''Braveheart''. As darts began to introduce entrance tunes for its players during the 1990s, Harvey used to come to stage whilst the tune "The Bonnie Banks o' Loch Lomond" was played. Career Having made his World Championship debut in 1992, Harvey was one of the players who started the Professional Darts Corporation (then known as the World Darts Council, WDC) in 1993 and played at every PDC World Championship between 1994 and 2006. His best performance came in 1996 at the Circus Tavern, when he reached the World Championship semi-finals but lost 1–5 to Dennis Priestley. Later that year he also reached the semi-finals of the World Matchplay – losing 9–13 to eventual champion Peter Evison. He never ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dennis Smith (darts Player)
Dennis Smith (born 2 August 1969) is an English professional darts player who plays in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events.Darts Database Profile Retrieved 27 December 2010 He is a stalwart on the PDC circuit, having played there since 1994, but has yet to capture a major title to add to his collection of Open wins. Smith has a very unusual throwing action, turning the dart into a 'flight first' position before returning it to a 'point first' position, rolling his eyes and then throwing. He has a unique, measured action learning his trade under the tutelage of Bob Anderson. PDC career Smith's first major event came in th ...[...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Larry Butler (darts Player)
Larry Thomas Butler (born July 21, 1957), nicknamed The Bald Eagle, is an American professional darts player who was the winner of the 1994 PDC World Matchplay Darts Championship. This success made him the first and so far only American player to have won a major darts tournament in Europe. Butler also had some success in his home country, winning the 1993, 1994, 1995 New York Open, the 1994 Darts America Championship, the 1991, 1992, 1993 World Bullshooter Championship, and the 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995 Cincinnati Spring Fling Open. BDO Butler made his World Championship debut in 1992, losing to Dennis Priestley in the first round. PDC During 1993–94 to organise their own tournaments and their own World Championships (see split in darts). Several North American players were invited to join them in tournaments and Butler appeared at the first WDC (now Professional Darts Corporation, PDC) World Championship in 1994. He failed to qualify from the group stages, but produced a nota ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Graeme Stoddart
Graeme Stoddart (born 30 July 1959 in Newcastle upon Tyne) is a former English–Dutch professional darts player who played in Professional Darts Corporation events. His nickname was Shark. Career Stoddart represented Holland in the 1984 European Cup. He came to prominence after being invited from the WDC rankings for the inaugural WDC World Darts Championship in 1994. He was drawn in Group 8, where he defeated Jocky Wilson, before being knocked out in the final group match by the eventual champion, Dennis Priestley. He entered many majors in the early years of the WDC/PDC, eventually reaching the quarter-finals of the 1998 World Grand Prix, beating Paul Lim, and where he lost to Rod Harrington. He hit a 9-dart finish in the Swiss Open in 2000 (with a set of borrowed darts after leaving his set at home), which was the 2nd recorded in the PDC, after Ronnie Baxter had hit the first in the 1999 Antwerp Open. In 2001, history was created: it was the first year a lady, Gayl Kin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alan Warriner-Little
Alan Warriner-Little (born Warriner; 24 March 1962) is an English former professional darts player. Nicknamed The Iceman, he is a former World Grand Prix champion and a former runner-up at the World Professional Darts Championship. Darts career Before coming to prominence as a darts professional, Warriner-Little appeared as a contestant in a 1987 edition of the ITV gameshow Bullseye whilst working as a State Enrolled Nurse on Ward 13 Upper at Lancaster Moor Hospital. He scored 257 the following year when he was invited back to throw for charity. He made his World Championship debut in 1989, losing a second-round match to Jocky Wilson in a sudden death leg, after missing 8 match darts, with Wilson going on to win the tournament for his second World Championship. Warriner reached the quarter-finals in 1991 and 1992, before reaching his first World Final in 1993 – but he lost 3–6 to John Lowe. This form took him to the top of the world rankings. He joined the top players ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gary Mawson
Gary Mawson (born May 17, 1963) is a Canadian-born American professional darts player. He currently resides in Fort Myers, Florida, United States. Mawson played darts for the USA in 2004 and the years immediately following, having previously played darts for Canada up to 2001. Mawson used the nickname The Mauler for his matches. Mawson's parents were born in Britain, and he also lived in Bolton, England for 4 years between the ages of 3–7 before moving back to Canada. As a result, Mawson holds dual Canadian and British citizenship. After living in the United States for many years, Mawson is now a US citizen. In more recent times, Mawson has been representing Canada again, such as at the televised 2019 US Darts Masters. Mawson's biggest career achievement in darts was in reaching the final of the 2008 UK Open in Bolton, after upsetting the odds and defeating the 2-time defending UK Open champion, Raymond van Barneveld, 10–8 in the semi finals. Van Barneveld had never previo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dave Kelly (darts Player)
David Francis Kelly (May 11, 1956 – June 1, 2020) was an American professional darts player who played in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events. Career Kelly played in the 1993 BDO World Darts Championship, losing in the first round to Martin Phillips of Wales. He was brought in to make up the numbers in the inaugural 1994 WDC World Darts Championship, and lost both his matches to Bob Anderson and Gerald Verrier. He also competed in the 1997 WDC World Darts Championship, losing in the preliminary round to Ritchie Gardner. Kelly left the PDC in 2008. He died on June 1, 2020. World Championship performances BDO * 1993: Last 32 (lost to Martin Phillips 1–3) (sets) PDC * 1994: Last 24 group (lost to Bob Anderson 0–3) and (lost to Gerald Verrier 0–3) * 1997: Preliminary round (lost to Ritchie Gardner Richard Gardner is an English former professional darts player who had some success during the 1980s, and was one of the 16 top players who formed a breakawa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chris Mason (darts Player)
Chris Mason (born 17 December 1969) is an English former professional darts player. He used the nickname Mace the Ace. BDO and first PDC spell Mason began his career in the British Darts Organisation, making his World Championship debut at the 1996 BDO World Championship. He lost 0–3 to Andy Fordham. After joining the World Darts Council in 1996, Mason competed in the 1996 World Matchplay, losing to Alan Warriner. In October 1996, Mason reached the final of the Sky Sports World Pairs partnered by Steve Raw, where they were narrowly beaten by Phil Taylor and Bob Anderson. Mason then competed in the 1997 WDC World Championship, where he lost 1–3 to Gerald Verrier and 0–3 to Taylor in the group stage. Shortly after the BDO and PDC agreed the Tomlin Order in June 1997, some BDO players participated in the World Matchplay event between 1997 and 2001, and in the World Grand Prix event between 1998 and 2001. Mason went back to playing in the BDO World Championship afte ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ritchie Gardner
Richard Gardner is an English former professional darts player who had some success during the 1980s, and was one of the 16 top players who formed a breakaway organisation during an acrimonious split in the game during 1992–94. Career Gardner showed some promise during early days of televised darts - although the only title he won was the Belgium Open in 1984, which was a non-televised event. He reached the last 16 of the Winmau World Masters in 1985 and then qualified for the World Professional Darts Championship for the first time in 1986 where he lost in the first round to Terry O'Dea. It was the first year the tournament was staged at the Lakeside Country Club. He failed to progress beyond the second round in his visits to Lakeside, but did come up against some legends of the game including Eric Bristow, Jocky Wilson and Mike Gregory. He managed to reach the quarter finals of the World Masters in 1990 - but by this time, that tournament was no longer televised. Only ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Peter Manley
Peter David Manley (born 7 March 1962) is an English former professional darts player who played in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events from July 1996 until 2017. He won one major title, the Las Vegas Desert Classic, in 2003, and twice held the number one ranking. He also reached the World Championship final in 1999, 2002 and 2006, losing to Phil Taylor on each occasion. Declining form led to him losing his place on the PDC tour in 2011. Manley was nicknamed "One Dart" by commentator Tony Green after hitting the winning double on numerous occasions with his first dart during his first televised appearance at the 1995 Unipart European Masters, where he eventually lost in the final to Mike Gregory. Manley was also known for his walk on and personality. Described as someone whom "darts crowds love to hate", his antics sometimes led to run-ins with fellow players. Darting career Manley made his debut in 1996 PDC World Matchplay Last 40 to Paul Cook, 5–2, in Last 3 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tom Kirby (darts Player)
Thomas Kirby (21 January 1947 – 1 December 2008) was an Irish professional darts player who competed in the Professional Darts Corporation members in the 1990s and 2000s. His nickname was The Kidney Breather. Career Kirby was the first Irishman man to join the Professional Darts Corporation (then known as the World Darts Council) and entered its inaugural World Championship in 1994, where he won Group 7 by set difference ahead of John Lowe to reach the quarter finals, losing to eventual winner Dennis Priestley. Kirby also reached the quarter finals of the 1994 WDC UK Matchplay, beating Cliff Lazarenko in the first round before losing to Jamie Harvey. Kirby made two more appearances at the World Championship in 1995 and 1996 but lost out in the group stages. He also played in three World Matchplays, losing in the first round in 1994 and 1996 to Phil Taylor. Kirby won his first round match in 1995 against Sean Downs before losing in the second round to John Lowe. Kirby the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
