Eric Bristow: The Villain Darts Needed
The dart won't leave his hand. Eric Bristow — world champion, showman, the face of televised darts — stands at the oche fighting his own fingers, hit by the strangest affliction the sport has.
Who Was Eric Bristow?
Bristow, "The Crafty Cockney," was an English professional and five-time world champion. Born in London, he lifted the nickname from a California pub and wore it on his shirt like a badge.
He owned the 1980s. His BDO World Championship wins came in 1980, 1981, 1984, 1985, and 1986, and for most of that decade he was the face of televised darts.
The Showman Who Sold Darts to Britain
Bristow arrived just as darts hit British television, and he was built for it. Cocky, quick-witted, and genuinely brilliant, he turned matches into shows and made millions of casual viewers care about a pub game.
- Solid brass barrels give a full, balanced feel at the throw line
- Knurled and grooved grip sections help keep your release consistent
- A dependable steel tip set for bristle boards at home, the office, or the bar
The raised little finger on his throw became the most recognizable image in the sport. It was a quirk of his grip, but it read as pure theatre — a dare to every crowd that wanted to boo him.
Between world titles he collected World Masters wins and just about every other trophy of the era. Five world championships stood as the sport's benchmark until his own protégé blew past it.
Dartitis and the Fight Back
At the height of his powers, Bristow was struck by dartitis — a psychological condition where a player struggles to release the dart. Watching the world's best suddenly unable to let go was one of the sport's strangest, saddest sights.
He clawed his way back to the world number one ranking anyway. The effortless dominance of the early 1980s never fully returned, but the comeback showed how far above the field he'd been.
The Taylor Investment
His sharpest move might've happened off the oche. He spotted a Stoke-on-Trent pub player named Phil Taylor, believed in him, and bankrolled his early career.
Taylor repaid the loan by beating him in the 1990 world final — then went on to win 16 world titles. Bristow had personally funded the man who'd eclipse him, and he carried a gruff pride about it.
Founder of the Modern Game
In the early 1990s, Bristow was one of the group of top players who split from the BDO to form what became the PDC. That breakaway created the professional circuit and world championship that dominate the sport today.
He was awarded an MBE for services to darts and later worked as a TV pundit. When he died in 2018, tributes poured in from every era of the game.
How many world titles did Eric Bristow win?
Five BDO World Championships, all in the 1980s: 1980, 1981, 1984, 1985, and 1986.
What was Eric Bristow famous for besides winning?
The raised-pinky throw, the "Crafty Cockney" persona, and mentoring Phil Taylor. He also co-founded the breakaway that became the PDC.
Your grip quirks are allowed — Bristow raised a pinky at the whole world and won five titles doing it.