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Today they call him Bazooka Joe. Tomorrow it could be Million Dollar Baby.
April 2, 2006
After finishing in the top sixteen in Windsor Locks on March 18 and top eight yesterday in Marlborough, Connecticut’s Joe Efter battled nerves and many of the top darters in American, past and present, to eventually see off Brad Wethington in a four to three finals victory to emerge the victor in the eleventh World Series of Darts (WSOD) qualifier today in Ronkonkoma, New York.
 As for Efter, this was the third and final shot (except for Friday Night Madness) at a WSOD stage birth for Wethington. Both darters, along with many others including Darin Young, Davis Snider, Steve Hertzfeld, Chris Helms, Jerry Van Loan, Monty Broadway, Mike Davidson, Dave Marienthal, Mike Brewer and Dan Moore, struggled with doubles in this their final shot at qualifying within the three qualifier WSOD rules limit.
Of the 116 registrants, also present and still trying to resurrect the old stroke were Conrad Daniels, Larry Butler and Bill Nicoll, Jr. but none of the three managed to survive to the top sixteen.
Following Efter and Wethington in the top four were Davis Snider and Darin Young. Timothy O’Gorman, Antonio Roman, George Timpone and Richard Espinoza rounded out the top eight. The top sixteen included Corey Charles Jewett, Bill Cross, Jr., Mike Brewer, Dave Marienthal, Rob Petelin, Dave Lambert, Russ Jasinski and Jim Newman.
Along the way before an average final, made exciting only by both darter’s struggle for doubles in a nerve-wracking battle for the eleventh WSOD stage position, were several moments worth recalling.
Efter himself was involved in a thrilling second round match that nearly saw an end to his day. The number three seed, Jerry Van Loan, was up three to nil before Efter battled back to move on in the qualifier.
In another incredible second round match worthy of being a final itself, Darin Young faced off against New Jersey’s Buddy Lessig in a blistering battle. Lessig opened the match with a maximum and Young matched it with one of his own in his first trip to the line, and then commented to Lessig, "Let's keep this close." Lessig took the first leg, leaving Young looking at forty after just twelve darts. Young then fired back with 140, 134, 98 and 128 for a brilliant twelve darter to even the match. Young then took the next three games in succession in sixteen, seventeen and fifteen darts – but Lessig was right there every leg.
In quarter final play, the number two seed, Davis Snider, faced elimination to Antonio (Tony) Roman, who had him down three to nil. But putting the nail in the coffin proved to be the stumbling block for Roman. Roman missed three match darts in leg five, six match darts in leg six and three more in the last leg, allowing Snider to steal the victory with the greatest four leg straight come back in any qualifier to date.
Also in quarter finals, Tim O'Gorman had Brad Wethington down three legs to one, only to see Wethington level the match and then hold his throw in the tiebreaker to earn his spot in the semi-finals.
In the semi-finals Efter faced Snider and Young took on Wethington.
Efter set the pace against Snider with a fifteen darter in the first leg, leaving Snider on 162. Snider returned fire though in leg two to even the match. The match followed the darts again in the next two legs (with Snider closing a crowd pleasing 145 in leg four). Not to be outdone, Efter responded with a scorching twelve darter in leg five but struggled in the next leg, letting Snider tie the match and take it into the tiebreaker. In the final leg, Efter started with 140 but then began to struggle again. The thing is, Snider struggled worse. Indeed, the man from Arlington, Texas let saw NINE shots at the double miss the mark and essentially handed Efter his trip to the finals on a platter.
Darin Young got the nod and had the first shot at the out in leg one missing tops from eighty-three. Wethington made him pay, drawing first blood with a seventeen darter. Young returned the favor in leg two with a seventeen darter of his own when Wethington missed a shot at the bull to go up two to nil. With the match level at one all, Young lost his focus on his end game missing five darts from forty, giving the lead to Wethington. Wethington saw his opportunity to forge ahead with the start and took the fourth leg in fourteen darts. He then put the pressure on Young who opened the fifth leg with 100, 43, 123 and 140 to leave ninety-five after twelve darts. Wethington’s answer was 140, 140, 125, and 60 to leave thirty-six after twelve darts. Young knew he had to finish the ninety-five to keep the match alive, but left twenty-five, just missing the center bull for the win. Wethington missed his match shots leaving eight and giving new life to Young. It was not to be Young's day however, as his aim was errant on the double twelve, missing two outside. Wethington cleaned up the remaining eight and secured his spot in the final.
Wethington jumped ahead in the final two to nil but Efter stayed close. Wethington then narrowly missed a ninety-six close that would have given him a twelve darter and a three leg lead. Indeed, Wethington continued to struggle with the double and eventually Efter worked the score down to take the leg and pull within one. Then Wethington seemed to completely lose focus, missing double in three trips to the line in the fourth leg before finally finding the mark to go ahead three to one. Somehow, Wethington was just a leg away from claiming his spot at the Mohegan.
But then, Efter fired back, taking the fifth leg and breaking Wethington’s throw in the sixth leg, closing one hundred and leaving Wethington one dart short, looking at tops. With the match suddenly level at three legs each, Efter could feel the momentum swing his way. He reached the double first in the tiebreaker and after three excruciating turns, found double five to emerge the victor on the day and take his place among America’s darting elite on the stage at the Mohegan.
Wethington pretty much summed things up after the match. "I shouldn't have missed my doubles. He played good and he took advantage of my mistakes. I relaxed and let him back in. When I missed the double eight for the match, I let it play in my mind. I know better than that, but I let it happen. So, I guess I'm going to Friday Night Madness in Connecticut. I think I can manage to hit a twelve darter to get into the knockout. Then, we'll see about getting to the stage."
Efter saw it this way: "It was definitely exciting, nerve racking to be sure. This is the first win for me over Brad. He had his chances to win the match at three to one, but when he missed his double, I just took what was given to me. I have a lot of respect for Brad and for all the other competitors who have come out and competed in each of these qualifiers. It takes an awful lot to maintain your focus and will to win for such a long day."
"I've been looking forward to taking on the PDC top guns since I first heard of the World Series of Darts. I'm thrilled to have the chance to come up against the world's best. Just to be part of something this big is something I've dreamed about since the first I heard of it. I'm glad to be part of it. If I can stay focused, I think I have a good chance to do well. If I don't get caught up in all the hoopla of the event, I'll be okay."
So there you have it dart people! The eleventh WSOD qualifier is now history and we have a twenty day break before the March to the Mohegan wends it way back to Tom Sammarco country for the final qualifier in Boston on April 22. As the last chance before Friday Night Madness, it is certain to be a barn burner.
Very special thanks are due today to Mike Harris from Bull’s Eye News who supplied much of the play-by-play noted above. Aware that I am just hours from catching a plane for a few weeks in Thailand and Cambodia, Mike was kind enough to let me lift many of his words and observations for this report. So as always, THANKS Mike!
And thanks to all you other moles out there too!
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America’s Stunned! Dartoid Wins Marlborough Qualifier!
April 1, 2006
Okay, the title’s a lie. April Fools!
It was a stellar field that made the trek to the tenth World Series of Darts (WSOD) qualifier today. Brad Wethington was there. Davis Snider. Tom Curtin. Gerome Verdaro. Chris Helms. Mike Brewer. Carolyn Mars. Tom Sawyer. Huckleberry Finn. Bill Nicoll, Jr. Pete Morrison. Dave Kelly.
Even the one and only Larry Butler, perhaps the only American darter whose name is truly recognizable to the serious British darts connoisseur, dusted off his darts for a chance to add the deposit of a lifetime to his bank account.
Of course, good old Huck wasn’t really there but 250 darters were, representing probably the strongest WSOD qualifier field yet to step to the line under one roof. Organizers Tom Sammarco, Don Garnet, Nicole Watson and their crew from the Minuteman Dart League (MMDL), the largest league in the world, deserve credit for running one of the smoothest qualifiers to date. Somehow they managed to wind up the entire affair by 8:30 p.m.
 At the end of the day it was the strongest of the strong (and pretty much as expected) who rose to the challenge. Never really threatened, an on-fire Ray Carver left no doubt why he entered the day as Bull’s Eye News number one seed and why Unicorn tapped him for their stable (along with Phil Taylor, John Lowe, Bob Anderson and John Part).
In top thirty-two round play, Carver faced off against Bill Nicoll Jr. and produced the sort of darts that are sure to get the attention of the PDC professionals. The man from Nashua, New Hampshire never let Nicoll in the match, wiring double sixteen to just miss a ten darter (which he closed in twelve) en route to a whitewash.
In top sixteen round play, Carver continued in form with another whitewashing, this time of Gerome Verdaro. Carver recorded another twelve-darter in leg three of this match, opening with back-to-back maximum, sixty-five, seventy-six (closing with single twenty, single sixteen, tops).
It was Kevin Horan who faced the carving knife in quarter final play. Carver quickly dispatched Horan four to one.
In the semi-finals, Carver closed the curtain on Tom Curtin with another blistering performance. Carver took the first two legs in fourteen and fifteen darts and although Curtin pulled back in the third leg with a fifteen darter of his own against Carver’s throw, Carver stormed right back to break Curtin’s throw in leg four and finish the match up in leg five.
The finals saw an almost unconscious Carver step to the line against Dover’s Jeff Russell, who earned his way to the stage by seeing off a tired Larry Butler in the other semi-final.
But Carver, perhaps, is the Larry Butler of 2006...
Carver opened the first leg with sixty, followed by two maximums, and finished in thirteen darts to break Russell’s throw straight away. Carver hit another 180 in the second leg and then again in the third leg, finishing in fourteen and fifteen darts respectively, to go ahead three to nil in the match. To his credit, Russell fought back, closing 118 in the fourth leg (with Carver looking at ninety-one), but Carver cleaned things up in the fifth leg to end Russell’s dream and book his place at the Mohegan in May.
"Today was one of those days,” said Carver after the final. “I was in the zone. The triple twenty looked like a big pie. I felt I could hit the triple twenty anytime I wanted. Even the doubles seemed huge. I don't like double twenty and I try to work around it whenever I can, but today I was dead on even with the double twenty. I just felt I couldn't miss."
Russell was gracious in defeat and gave Carver his due. "In 501, it's always about hitting your double. I struggled with hitting my doubles today in some of my earlier matches, but so did my opponents and I was able to take advantage. In the final, Ray was phenomenal. He let me look at only one double from 118 and I hit it for a fifteen darter. Ray was in control from the start hitting four 180s and taking the first three games in thirteen, fourteen and fifteen. I can't complain about losing. Ray shot fantastic!"
Rounding out the field and finishing in the top four were Thomas Curtin and Larry Butler. Making up the top eight were Kevin Horan, Roy Chad (my old friend from Cape Cod), Joe Efter and Bob Adamson. Closing out the top sixteen were Mike Brewer (form Omaha, Nebraska), Derek Banner, Pete Morrison, Adam Leger, Gerome Vardaro, Dan Paul, Chris Helms and Tom Sawyer.
Next up, tomorrow, from Dartoid’s World: qualifier eleven from the town in New York that nobody can spell or pronounce: Ronkonkoma!
So stay tuned! The March to the Mohegan (with only Boston remaining on April 22) has nearly run its course. Ten Americans and their families are now dreaming about how a million dollars might change their lives. Tomorrow it will be eleven.
Soon it will be twelve and the March to the Mohegan will roll into Connecticut for Friday Night Madness, increasing that number to the final sixteen.
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FINALLY, Sly from Paradise books his spot!
March 19, 2006
They say that the "third time's the charm" and there ain't no arguin' that with the man called Sly from Paradise . In his third attempt and after coming so close - falling to Dave DePriest in the finals of the Chicago qualifier just two weeks ago - Winterpark, Florida's Joe Slyvan closed double fifteen at the ninth World Series of Darts (WSOD) qualifier in Houston today to book his spot on stage as the March to the Mohegan edges closer and closer to its final stop before the Big Event in May.
 Only three qualifiers remain - two in Massachusetts and the other in New York - plus Friday Night Madness. For some, like Gary "Catfish" Davis and Donny Joe the limit has been reached on the number of qualifiers they can enter and Friday Night Madness is their last remaining hope to grab one of the coveted sixteen spots on the Mohegan stage. For others, many among the top-ranked darters in America - most notably Ray Carver and Darin Young - the clock is winding down. With the likes of Dave Marienthal, Conrad Daniels, Tony Payne, John Kramer, Peter Morrison (and even Dave Kelly, according to the rumor mill) dusting off their old darts and Brad Wethington , Scott Wallaston, Sean Downs, Tom Curtin, Tom Stewart, Mike Naulty, Chris Helms, Buddy Lessig, Chris Yates, Bill Davis , Davis Snider, Jerry Van Loan, Dayton Strawbridge, Jeffrey Steinberg, Mike Winthers and SO MANY MORE still in the hunt, booking the next three spots ain't gonna be no easy task, not for nobody.
In Houston today, ninety-four darters anted up the free entry fee to lay it on the line. Among the tough contingent were Davis Snider, George Walls, Chris Helms, Daryl Montgomery, Pat Cook, Danny Baggish, soft-tip star Donnie Ramcharan and Donnie Joe. But in the end, it was Slyvan and Chris Yates from Midland , Texas who squared off for the ESPN cameras in the final match.
Finishing in the top four were Davis Snider and Monty Broadway. Following them in the top eight were Frank Wolfe, Maximo Mena, George Walls and Chris Helms. Bruce Mills, Nathan Brock, Pat Cook, Donnie Ramcharan, Darryl Gabriel, Ron Howard, Paul Reese and William Burt rounded out the top sixteen.
Although Slyvan won the day he nearly didn't make it to the final oche. Slyvan raced to a two to nil lead over Davis Snider in semi-final play, but Snider fought back with brilliant darts to take the momentum back and move ahead three to two. In the sixth leg, Snider was looking at ninety-one for the match, with Slyvan sitting on fifty-four, but Snider couldn't close and Slyvan did with a fourteen and tops to take the match into the tiebreaker. Determined not to be sent packing as he was in Chicago , Slyvan wrapped the match up with a fifteen darter.
In the final against Chris Yates, Slyvan was even more determined. The thing is: there ain't no amount of determination that can counter repeated subtraction errors. For Slyvan, a faulty mental calculator nearly cost him in his final bid to make the Mohegan stage.
Slyvan took the first leg with the throw, closing tops with Yates looking at seventy. Yates then announced his intentions with a blistering twelve darter to even up the score - and then broke Slyvan's throw in leg three to go ahead in the match. But the man from Paradise was undaunted. Slyvan broke right back with a sixteen darter and then took his throw, closing thirty in the fifth leg to edge ahead in the match. Slyvan was just a leg away from the Mohegan stage...
However, as they're known to say down Texas-way, Slyvan almost "screwed the pooch."
In the sixth leg, Yates missed leveling the match, missing from eighty-eight, leaving fourteen. Sly then turned out to not be quite so sly, making a crucial error from seventy-one. Going for triple thirteen, Slyvan hit the single. Then with fifty-eight left - but thinking he was looking at sixty-four - Slyvan stuck the fourteen. Then "incredibly," in the words of Jay Tomlinson from Bull's Eye News, "with forty-four left but thinking he had fifty-four, he hit another fourteen to leave thirty!"
Unfortunately for Yates, the double seven was elusive. Thankful for an unexpected free trip back to the line, Slyvan took no prisoners closing the double fifteen with his first stroke, to finish up the job.
"As Mike Tyson would say, I'm ecstatic!" commented Slyvan after his victory. "I know how Chris feels, coming [myself] from the other side in Chicago . I felt I could make the final [in Chicago ] and was proud to make it that far. I really had every bit of confidence to win and I had the shots, but just missed the doubles and he [ Dave DePriest ] didn't. Dave threw great in the final in Chicago . I don't want to take anything away from his accomplishment. Yes, Chicago was a let down. and I thought it was going to be another second place here when Chris went up two games to one with that twelve darter. But I came back strong winning two straight and then cleaned it up. I'm pretty psyched."
Looking forward to the Mohegan, Slyvan said, "You're talking about playing guys who do this day in and day out on stage for a living. On the same note, we have several players who are experienced in that kind of venue, like Roger Carter , Jim Widmayer , Jim Watkins and Johnny Kuczynski. I'm excited to be there to compete against the top guys in the world. I've played against Part, Manley, Scholten, Lloyd and Baxter before, so I know what to expect. I'm absolutely looking forward to it."
So the ninth WSOD qualifier is now history. Kudos to organizer Dennis Aitken for putting on another great show. The March to the Mohegan now takes a well deserved break until April 1 and 2, when the competition recommences in Marlborough , Massachusetts and Ronkonkoma , New York - before finishing up in Boston on April 22.
Yours truly will continue to report on the action, although not from the comfort of my couch, as I have up until now. I depart for Thailand 'round about the time " GAME ON !" is called for the Marlborough event, so I am counting on all my moles out there to continue to keep me up-to-date! THANKS to all of you. Until then.
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Things, they be rampin' up, baby!
March 18, 2006
In a finals match worthy of any on the Professional Darts Corporation's (PDC) circuit, eighteen darts was the most it took either of the remaining combatants today at the PACKED Double Tree Hotel in Windsor Locks, Connecticut. Trading legs of thirteen and fourteen darts, New York's Tim Grossman and New Jersey's Dave "New Wave" Marienthal matched power and precision before a wild crowd in what, to date, must stand as the premier finals match of the World Series of Darts (WSOD) qualifying competitions. In the end, in the seventh tie-breaking leg, literally as the clock struck midnight after a long, long day, Grossman closed the double fifteen for the win, leaving Marienthal on thirty-two to regroup and come back another day.
 To get to the final oche Grossman and Marienthal (for more on Marienthal, the number one ranked darter in the country in 1998, and second ranked in 1999 and 2000, click here: http://www.dartoidsworld.com/articlesR.asp?ArtID=217 ; for more on Grossman, stay tuned to Dartoid's World - his profile should appear this coming week) had to battle their way through a HUGE field of 259 - exactly 200 darters more than registered last weekend in Las Vegas.
Among the crowd and finishing in the top four at today's eighth WSOD qualifier were Jeffrey Russell and Peter "The Terminator" Morrison. Finishing in the top eight were Thomas Curtin, Jeffery Steinberg, Peter Howell and Robert Adamson. Closing out the top sixteen were Burton VanWie, Corey Jewett, Cornelius McLaughlin, Joseph Efter, Charles "Tom" Sawyer, William Anderson, Thomas Cocker and Donald Scism, Jr.
Other key names in attendance included Ray Carver (missed doubles cost him his fourth round match against Steinberg), Jerry Van Loan (doubles were also the culprit for this runner-up in the New Jersey qualifier, who saw Peter Morrison sneak back into their fifth round match and grab victory from the jaws of defeat), Conrad Daniels (WATCH OUT for this man!), Marilyn Popp (out in the first round), Carolyn Mars (out in the second round), Bill Ford, Charlie Macunas, Ed Konstanty, James Spinosa, Jeff Russell, Sean Moran, Mathew Malone, Tracy Feiertag, Karen Clancy, Gail Payne, Bruce Robbins and Joseph Beecroft.
Grossman struck quickly, taking the first leg in seventeen darts. But Marienthal evened it up with a seventeen darter of his own. And then things began to cook.
Let Mike Harris of Bull's Eye News take you to the scene.
"Ramping up the adrenaline, and finding their pace in the bright lights of center stage, the duo then exchanged back-to-back fourteen darters in games three and four. Grossman hit a crowd-pleasing 177 set-up shot in his forth pass, and closed double ten on the second dart of his next turn. Not to be outdone, Marienthal drew applause from the crowd as he raced down the board in game four (140, 140, 140, 41) and closed double twenty on the second dart of his next pass, tying the match all square at two each.
"Marienthal broke the pattern in game five though with a stunning thirteen dart game, including a 180 set shot in his forth turn at the line, cleanly nailing a double eighteen finish first pop on the next pass (140, 100, 45, 180, D18). Grossman, however, would not be denied his chance, pulling ahead in game six and setting a forty-six finish (S14, S16, D8), while Marienthal struggled. At eighteen darts this was the weakest game of a truly outstanding match!
"Facing off in the tie-breaking seventh, Grossman fired both barrels right out of the gate, opening with a 140. Marienthal answered with a 140 and two small tons of his own setting up a thirty-two. But this all came too late in the game to match Grossman's pace, who ended the battle and captured his ticket to the Mohegan with a double fifteen first dart finish, cleaning up the thirty remaining from his previous turn, where he had drawn a collective gasp from the fans as he wired the double twenty for the potential win one dart earlier. The final, tie-breaking game was completed in sixteen darts."
After the match - after nine matches actually, the number of wins required to make his way through the massive 259 man field - Grossman was understandably pleased. "I definitely came in thinking I was going to win. Not to sound cocky, but I did come here today feeling very good; very confident. I haven't played much in the past couple of years, but once they announced the World Series of Darts, I started practicing again about 2 hours a day or every other day - more on the weekends."
And Grossman is ready for the next step of the journey. "I'm already anxious to get [to the Mohegan], but I'll probably take a week or two off now just to catch my breath, then I'll really get focused. I'll definitely be putting in a lot of time after that getting ready, I'm sure. Will I win? I don't know. I'll just take it one step - one match - at a time."
Some will say that the venue was inappropriate for the size of the crowd - that darters were packed into the premises, subject to a late start and long delays. Others will say (and they are the ones who are right) that event coordinator Steve Wehrle and his crew from the South Eastern Connecticut Dart League did a superb job of promoting the event, motivating the stunning turnout and managing the chart-topping qualifier attendance.
This said, Dennis Aitken has plans of his own tomorrow (including a good old fashioned Texas barbeque) down Houston way as the WSOD March to the Mohegan continues. Others with special plans include Pat Cook, Chris Helms, Daryl Montgomery, Donnie Joe, and Donnie Ramcharan. Yep baby, things they definitely be a rampin' up!
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Heeere's Johnny!!!
March 12, 2006
It was a sparse contingent of just 59 darters that gathered today in Las Vegas to do battle for the seventh spot on stage at the World Series of Darts (WSOD) at Connecticut 's Mohegan Sun Casio in May. But they didn't disappoint. Around about the same time back east that Darin Young tucked himself in for the night, possibly to dream about missed doubles and a potential million dollar pay day that may slipped at yesterday's Washington, D.C. qualifier, his friend Johnny Kuczynski was nailing his en route to a 4-1 finals victory over Colton, California's Sean Downs to stake his claim on the Professional Darts Corporation's (PDC) Pot of Pounds.
Kuczynski, who was knocked out early in the only other qualifier he's entered - New Jersey on February 11 - was downright pleased to finally get the monkey off his back. "There is a lot of pressure on the top five American players, because they are expected to win, and when they don't win, there are a lot of questions about why they didn't. I'm really glad to have won this one because the pressure is now off. Now I'm in, and I don't have to worry about it anymore."
Not that it was a cakewalk. In quarter final play Kuczynski found himself down two to nill to Aurora , Colorado 's Danny Moore but stormed back in typical "K Man" style to notch up four straight legs for the win, including a spectacular tide-turning 146 close in the third leg and fourteen and fifteen dart finishes in legs five and six.
In the semi finals, America 's number one ranked American Darts Organization (ADO) shooter in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 -- and current National Cricket Champion, faced off against St. Petersburg , Florida 's Michael Winthers who raised eyebrows by reaching the top eight at the second qualifier in Atlanta on February 5. Young Winthers, who is certain to be a force to be reckoned with in the future, gave Kuczynski a match, going up 2-1 before being rendered powerless as the National Champion swept the remaining three legs.
Meanwhile, Sean Downs was walking his way to the finals, pretty much crushing everyone in his path. In semi final play, Downs stormed past Thornton , Colorado 's Ruben Blea with an easy 4-1 win.
In the final, with the first three legs going with the darts, Kuczynski sat on a two to nill lead compliments of a maximum and a fifteen darter in leg three. Downs had chances to make it tight but bad luck and nerves seemed to rule as he watched a winning bull shot to even the match bounce out in leg four and couldn't find tops a little later. In the end, all Kuczynzki needed was double ten - the exact same finish that Darin Young found so elusive twenty-four hours earlier.
Looking forward, Kuczynski contemplated his chances. "It's going to be tough - the top sixteen in the world are great players. But, there are a lot of great players here in the U.S. that are coming through. At the Mohegan Sun, the first round could be dangerous for the top players. There are a lot of unknowns there in the first round. Take Phil Taylor in the first round of the Ladbrokes World Championship. He wasn't on his top game and I feel if I had drawn him in the first round and I was on my game, I could have beaten him. After the first round, nobody could have beaten Taylor with the way he threw. It will be the same at the Mohegan Sun, especially with the home town crowd cheering us on."
Following Kuczynski and Downs , finishing in the top four were Ruben Blea and Michael Winthers. Rick Jenks, Nick Rivera (who bested Las Vegas ' Stacy Bromberg in an exciting match the went the full seven legs), Troy Pople and Danny Moore. Rounding out the top sixteen were Bromberg, Charlotte Francis, Ron Colvard, Troy Beatty, David Hoag, Thomas Dooling, Aaron Christian and Vic Sanchez.
As rumored, PDC Chairman Barry Hearn was in attendance and welcomed the players with a "rousing, impromptu" address during the opening introductions. As Mike Harris from Bull's Eye News described it, "Hearn challenged the players to 'step up' and prepare for the coming wave of growth in our sport and, of course, the introduction of major television coverage here in North America . He spoke passionately about the global darts boom that is now underway - particularly in Asia, as well as the fast-changing face of fan demographics in Europe and what introducing the sport to the masses on TV here stateside will mean."
So there you have it. WSOD qualifier number seven is history and one of America 's Big Dogs has earned his birth to the Big Dance. For Johnny "K" the pressure is off - at least for a little while. And the British who are following the qualifiers finally have a name and a face they are familiar with to start worrying about.
And worry they should!
Next up - next weekend: the March to the Mohegan continues with qualifiers eight and nine in Windsor Locks, Connecticut and Houston , Texas . I don't know about you but I can hardly wait!
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The Boy from Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee
March 11, 2006
Soddy-Daisy , Tennessee is IN THE HOUSE, baby!
Yes siree, Bob!
In the sixth World Series of Darts (WSOD) qualifier today, from among a STRONG field of 147, it was a virtual unknown darter from a town few have ever heard of that emerged victorious, booking his name along side Isen Veljic, Roger Carter, Jim Widmayer, James Watkins and Dave DePriest as the newest member of the potential Million Dollar Man Club, as the March the Mohegan continues to wend its way across America.
Again, Johnny Kuczynski and Ray Carver did not register. But Darin Young was there! Last week's Chicago semi finalist Joe Slyvan was there. So were Scott Ingrum, Tom Waterman, David Thibault, Dayton Strawbridge, Chris Linkous, Mike Naulty, Bruce Cottrell and Doug Watkins.
But it was a virtually unknown darter from a town that even I had to look up on the Internet (Soddy-Daisy is somewhere near Chattanooga ) who dispatched Waterman and Strawbridge en route to the final showdown of the day. There he faced nationally top-ranked Darin Young and shocked some hair right onto Big Daddy's head.
Joseph Carter Chaney picked up his first set of darts in 2000, threw league for less than a year, and left the game. 'Bout three years ago, he picked 'em up again - don't nobody know why exactly. And they weren't none of them there fancy name brand darts neither. Nope. Chaney competes with a "no name" set that he picked up somewhere. Don't nobody really know where neither. But they work just fine. Today them there "no names" flew as purty as a Christmas tree.
And they had to.
That's because Darin Young came to WIN. And win he nearly did. No doubt he'll be back soon and no doubt he will be a major force to contend with once the Professional Darts Corporation' (PDC) professionals roll into Connecticut .
After sailing through the first three rounds, Young drew Slyvan. Quickly, Young (with a fifteen darter in his second game) popped into a two to nill lead. But Slyvan fought back to tie the match at two. Young then fired back, taking the fifth leg - but Slyvan dominated the sixth leg to tie the match again. In the tiebreaker, Big Daddy took no prisoners, closing 118 for another fifteen darter and dashing Slyvan's million dollar dream for the second time in two weeks.
In the final, Young and the boy from Soddy-Daisy faced off in a good old fashioned barnburner. Yes siree, Bob, I do say again. In fairness to Matthew Thompson, the darter Chaney dispatched to get to the finals, just as Young only just made it past Slyvan Chaney's path to the final oche was just as tough. Thompson was looking at forty-two for the win when Cheney closed out the match.
Chaney jumped in front of Young quickly, leaving Young looking at forty-seven and fifty respectively in the first two legs. Down two to nill, Young struck back with a fifteen darter and then stole leg four when Chaney missed three darts at the double four. It was tied at two all. Young then SLAMMED in a twelve darter to grab the momentum - BUT Chaney slammed back with a fifteen darter of his own to even the match again at three apiece.
In the dramatic seventh-leg tiebreaker - and almost a throw back to the Atlanta Carter-Wallaston final - it seemed as though neither darter could find the double. Young had the first shot - sitting on seventy, he threw triple ten, caught a fat twenty, and then wired the double ten. Cheney was looking at seventy-four. He stuck the triple twenty but then wired the double seven in his bid to end the match then and there.
Then, almost unbelievably for a darter of Young's caliber and experience under pressure, the man from Freeland , Pennsylvania wired three CONSECUTIVE attempts to close the double ten. Chaney had new life and took advantage of it, nailing the double seven on his second dart to book his place at the Mohegan.
Understandably, Chaney was as pleased as Young was disappointed.
"I really haven't been throwing very long at all," said Cheney after the final. "At home I'm really good at reading the competition. It was tougher here today. I played in the Atlanta Qualifier, too, but got beat by Brad Wethington. I remember looking around the room that day though and thinking. Hey I've beaten most of these guys before. So, I came in pretty confident that I could do well today.
My buddies at home thought I was nuts for making the trip up here today. They all warned me that Darin and maybe Johnny "K" would both be here, so why bother? I told them. Hey, if I can't get by Darin and Johnny, how could I ever expect to beat Phil Taylor! So here I am."
Others finishing strong today included Mathew Thompson and Scott Ingrum (top four), Dayton Strawbridge, Chris Linkous, Brian Massey and Gordon Dixon (top eight), and Danny Shawyer, Daniel Oleyar, Steve Spilman, Doug Watkins, Jim Newman, Karl Sweet, Brian Long and Joe Slyvan (top sixteen).
As expected, Daren "Bull Puppy" Parzow, the only man in the venue with less hair than Big Daddy Young, ran a hell of a tournament. And also as expected (and appreciated), Mike Harris of Bull's Eye News did a great job of keeping yours truly informed of the action. It is from his notes (and the input of secret moles whose names I cannot divulge) that I am able to file these reports from my couch in sunny Florida after each qualifier.
That said, the moles they are accumulatin' so you can expect more and more "inside" information as Dartoid's World continues to follow the AMAZING WSOD Million Dollar March to the Mohegan.
Next up LAS VEGAS !!!
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WSOD Player Profile - James Watkins
March 10, 2006
If I win the million dollars I will still be myself. I really don't want to think about it. However, my wife surely is! We would take care of our family, take our 25th wedding anniversary trip to Hawaii and just enjoy life more.
-- James Watkins
Nickname : Jim or Jimmy
Date of Birth : September 25, 1954
Place of Birth : Philadelphia , Pennsylvania
Hometown : Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania
Hobbies : Golf
Movie : Any James Bond movie
Television Show : I watch the Sci-Fi channel.
Favorite Night on the Town : My wife and I enjoy going out to dinner. Besides that we enjoy just staying home.
Meal : Chicken Parmesan with spaghetti. Or a cheese steak. Yuengling beer.
Sports Team : Philadelphia Eagles and Phillies
Music : Phil Collins
Pet Peeve : I'm a pretty easy going person. I try not to let things bother me.
What most people don't know about me : Hmmm.
Weapon of Choice : 21-gram Jim Watkins Signature Darts, by Voks
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My claim to fame prior to taking the World Series of Darts (WSOD) Philadelphia qualifier, was winning back-to-back National 501 Singles titles in 1993 and 1994. I stopped playing in 1996 for five years and returned to the game in 2002. I started playing seriously again last year.
I did not pick up a dart until I was twenty-one. I was sitting at a bar, it was American dart league night, they needed another player and somehow I got talked into it. From that night on I was hooked. I suppose I could have taken up something different, but dart is an individual sport . Sure you play doubles, but this a sport where you are recognized for your individual accomplishments. It is mentally and, at times, physically challenging.
I credit my friend and dart legend Jerry Umberger with my progress in the English dart sport. Jerry is the one who got me involved with the English dart. I had been playing American darts (Woody or Baseball, as some know it as) for years, when Jerry invited me to go along to an English tournament. The rest is history.
I traveled to tournaments with Lou Yeager. My mixed partner was Frannie Frederick. Through the years I have had the opportunity to shoot with many players and friends. Unfortunately, my work obligations limit me from playing in as many tournaments I would like.
I have been trying to arrange to play in tournaments that are close to home - but right now my goal in darts is to win the WSOD. We as dart players need to take the opportunity that is being presented by the PDC and ESPN to show the American public how great a sport this is. I believe I can beat anyone if my darts are on. Of course, I can also lose to anyone if my darts are off!
I don't currently have a sponsor. And I really don't have a practice routine. I work for Shalmet Corporation as a maintenance technician so I like to throw darts in the morning after work to unwind.
I am married to my wife Colleen and we have a son, Jimmy.
We also have a Golden Retriever named Bailey and a Boxer named Steeda Radar.
I can see myself on stage celebrating my WSOD win - but I want to be remembered as a good husband and father.
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