Originally Posted by
Cyclops
To put it into context, my Dad was an excellent darts player, winning the darts championship of Portsmouth when he was 60, and his eyes were not what they were.
It was a big thing when players scored 180 in a competitive match decades ago, and I saw Dad throw it in a match when he was representing Portsmouth. What was odd was that he even went for it because I knew that his favourite treble was 19.
He used darts which had a brass body (the tip was soldered in), a shaft whittled down from cane (light) and thick brown paper flights which were shaped, folded and had a disgusting-tasting gum on one side.The shaft was split at the end and the flights inserted and held in place by a metal ring.
But Dad could throw anything - even the doctored darts at funfair stalls - one guy told him to go away when he had won so many prizes.
The darts of today are a world apart and Dad learnt darts playing in a pub with lanterns for light.
Not only do champion dart players have wonderful eye/hand co-ordination, but they need a temperment to handle being on a big stage watched by hundreds of people. Dad had that in spades. To show what he could do to a watching crowd was a buzz for him and he was never phased by it.
Also, when playing you've got to know your finish combinations and quickly work out what you need if your first dart misses its target. Dad had that too - never asked for a check.
So Littler has it all.
I've gotta say I haven't always been impressed by his behaviour at the oche and I haven't seen much of his play. But he'll probably mature with good advice.
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