Darts champ’s death felt locally
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WITH a dart in one hand and a fag in the other, a wee grumpy man from Fife won the hearts of a nation as he became known as one of Scotland’s most-loved sportsmen.
Arguably one of the greatest players ever to grace the oche, Jocky Wilson died on Saturday night at the age of 62 at his home in Kirkcaldy.
Across the country, fans of the two-time world champion have mourned his death – he had endured a two-year fight with chronic pulmonary disease.
His passing was equally felt in the Far North where he made several visits during his distinguished career.
Founding member of the Wick and District Darts League Willie Mackay said Wilson was an unforgettable figure and his local appearances made a huge contribution to promoting the game.
"Jocky Wilson will long be remembered in Caithness as he was a very popular and likable character," he said.
"He was a fantastic natural thrower who attracted big crowds at venues across the country and on television, encouraging them to watch and take part in the game.
"What I liked about him best was that he was an entertainer who on stage could jest to the spectators to raise the enthusiasm and atmosphere but at the same time turn to the board and from the oche bang in some huge scores of 180, 140s and clever checkouts."
During his career, Wilson visited Caithness on four occasions when he wowed crowds at special exhibitions.
He made his first appearance in 1979 at the Wick Dounreay Club in Breadalbane Terrace when 80 spectators turned up to watch him play games of 1001 against local talent.
He returned to Caithness two years later as Scotland’s first-ever British professional darts champion when he performed in front of 300 people at Wick Dounreay Club.
After winning his first world championship in 1982, Wilson took on the Crafty Cockney Eric Bristow in a best-of-15-games match at the Assembly Rooms in Wick in front of 600 people.
In a tense affair, Wilson won the match by eight games to seven going out on a fantastic 141 game shot to raise the roof at the venue.
He made one further appearance in Caithness in 1992 at the Royal British Legion Clubrooms in Thurso where he challenged a team of players from the Thurso and District Darts League before retiring from the game in December 1995.
Wilson worked as a coal delivery man as well as a miner at the Seafield Colliery in Fife and first learned to play darts at the Lister Bar in Kirkcaldy.
He turned professional in 1980 and won the world title in 1982 and in 1989.
One of the game’s great characters, he was known for his heavy drinking and smoking on stage and for his rants against his opponents.
