Eric John Bristow (25 April 1957 – 5 April 2018) was an English professional darts player from Hackney in East London. Nicknamed "the Crafty Cockney", Bristow was one of the most iconic and successful players of the 1980s and is credited with helping to boost the sport's popularity during that era. He continues to be regarded as one of the best darts players of all time.
Bristow was a five-time BDO World Darts Champion, a five-time World Masters Champion, a four-time WDF World Cup singles champion and a double winner of the prestigious News of the World Darts Championship (one of only seven people to do so). He was ranked world number one on multiple occasions. He regularly featured on the ITV darts-themed game show Bullseye.
In late 1986, Bristow began experiencing dartitis, which affected his career thereafter. In 1993, he became involved in the split in darts as one of the 16 players who left the British Darts Organisation (BDO) to form the World Darts Council, which later became the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC). His last major achievement as a player was reaching the semi-finals of the 1997 WDC World Darts Championship, losing narrowly to his former protégé Phil Taylor.
Bristow was awarded an MBE in 1989 for his services to sport. After retiring from competitive play in 2007, he worked as a commentator and pundit on Sky Sports darts coverage. In April 2018, he suffered a heart attack while attending a Premier League Darts event in Liverpool and died at the age of 60.
Early life
Bristow was born in the London Borough of Hackney in 1957, the only child of George Bristow, a plasterer, and his wife Pamela, a telephone operator. He grew up at 97 Milton Grove, Stoke Newington, attending Newington Green JM School before passing his eleven-plus exam and leaving for Hackney Downs Grammar School in 1968. There, he displayed an aptitude for mathematics but lacked discipline, receiving the cane on only his third day at the school (informing The Daily Mirror years later that this was "probably a record") before being expelled at the age of 14 for carrying a claw hammer. As a youth, he was involved in burglaries and car theft as a member of a local gang named the Hoxton Boys, before taking a job as a proofreader at an advertising agency.
Dartitis
During the Swedish Open in November 1986, Bristow found himself unable to let go of his darts properly – a psychological condition known as dartitis, similar to the yips in golf. He was never quite the same player again, but did regain the number-one ranking briefly in late 1989 and early 1990 before losing his form again. He reached the semi-finals of the 1997 WDC World Darts Championship at the Circus Tavern, where he narrowly lost to Phil Taylor 4–5 in sets. then a raw young darts talent in Stoke-on-Trent, and he sponsored him with about £10,000 to fund his development in the game, until November 2016, when he was dismissed, he worked mainly as a spotter, a pundit and an occasional commentator for Sky Sports Lowe talked about Bristow (in Lowe's autobiography) "I've been friends with him, I've fallen out with him and I've celebrated on more than one occasion with him. Indeed, my own darting career wouldn't have been the same without him. Eric Bristow, MBE, is simply one of the greats". Lowe also admitted he would have won a lot more world titles if Bristow hadn't come along.
Jocky Wilson
Bristow's rivalry with Jocky Wilson was sometimes volatile. Just before walking onto the stage for a World Cup match in Edinburgh in 1983, Wilson kicked Bristow, as Bristow recalled in his autobiography. "We were both standing at the back of the stage waiting to go on, the TV cameras were running and everything was set. Then the announcer said 'representing England we have Eric Bristow'. Just as I was about to go on stage and give the booing crowd some gyp Jocky took a run at me and kicked me as hard as he could in the shin. He took about two inches of skin off". Bristow responded saying "I grabbed him by the throat and I was going to kill him, but five officials managed to prise me off".
Personal life
Bristow in 2009|thumb
From 1978 to 1987, Bristow was in a relationship with former darts player Maureen Flowers, moving from London to live with her in Staffordshire. He was voted out on 29 November 2012, finishing fourth out of 12 celebrities.
Bristow was awarded the MBE in 1989 for his services to sport.
In 2005, Bristow was accused of assaulting his wife. North Staffordshire magistrates ordered him to stay away from the family home in Milltown Way, Leek, Staffordshire and he was remanded on conditional bail. Bristow was alleged to have punched her in the face during a drunken row in their bedroom on 29 April 2005. He was subsequently cleared of the charges.
On 29 November 2016, Bristow was sacked by Sky Sports following a series of tweets in which he responded to the United Kingdom football sexual abuse scandal centred around the football coach and convicted child sex offender, Barry Bennell. Bristow suggested the victims should have "sorted out" the perpetrators when they were older. According to him, "Dart players tough guys footballers wimps". Bristow was condemned by some social media users, including alleged victims of Bennell, for his comments. Bristow apologised for his comments the following day. In a statement, he compared himself to a "bull in a China shop" and "appreciated my wording was wrong and offended many people". On learning of Bristow's death, PDC chairman Barry Hearn said "We often talk about the absence of characters in sport but Eric Bristow was a character with a capital 'c'. He was very much a man of the people. He understood what crowds wanted to see - he was controversial, he was a maverick, he spoke his mind and upset a few people from time to time, but the man in the street warmed to him because he was very much one of theirs".
World Championship results
BDO
Bristow's World Championship results are as follows:
|- style="background:#9cf;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 1.
| 1977
| British Matchplay <small>(1)</small>
| Rab Smith
| 2–3 (s)
|- style="background:#dfe2e9;"
| style="background:#98FB98;"|Winner
| 1.
| 1977
| Winmau World Masters <small>(1)</small>
| Paul Reynolds
| 3–1 (s)
|- style="background:thistle"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 2.
| 1977
| Butlins Grand Masters<small>(1)</small>
| John Lowe
| 4–5 (l)
|- style="background:#dfe2e9;"
| style="background:#98FB98;"|Winner
| 2.
| 1979
| Winmau World Masters <small>(1)</small>
| Allan Hogg
| 2–0 (s)
|- style="background:#e5d1cb;"
| style="background:#98FB98;"|Winner
| 3.
| 1980
| World Darts Championship <small>(1)</small>
| Bobby George
| 5–3 (s)
|- style="background:#e5d1cb;"
| style="background:#98FB98;"|Winner
| 4.
| 1981
| World Darts Championship <small>(2)</small>
| John Lowe
| 5–3 (s)
|- style="background:thistle"
| style="background:#98FB98;"|Winner
| 5.
| 1981
| Butlins Grand Masters <small>(1)</small>
| John Lowe
| Unknown
|- style="background:#dfe2e9;"
| style="background:#98FB98;"|Winner
| 6.
| 1981
| Winmau World Masters <small>(3)</small>
| John Lowe
| 2–1 (s)
|- style="background:#9cf;"
| style="background:#98FB98;"|Winner
| 7.
| 1982
| British Matchplay <small>(1)</small>
| Dave Whitcombe
| 2–0 (s)
|- style="background:thistle"
| style="background:#98FB98;"|Winner
| 8.
| 1982
| Butlins Grand Masters <small>(2)</small>
| Cliff Lazarenko
| 4–3 (l)
|- style="background:#ffc;"
| style="background:#98FB98;"|Winner
| 9.
| 1982
| British Professional Championship <small>(1)</small>
| John Lowe
| 7–3 (s)
|- style="background:#e5d1cb;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 3.
| 1983
| World Darts Championship <small>(1)</small>
| Keith Deller
| 5–6 (s)
|- style="background:#9cf;"
| style="background:#98FB98;"|Winner
| 10.
| 1983
| British Matchplay <small>(2)</small>
| Keith Deller
| 3–2 (s)
|- style="background:thistle"
| style="background:#98FB98;"|Winner
| 11.
| 1983
|Butlins Grand Masters <small>(3)</small>
| Jocky Wilson
| 5–1 (l)
|- style="background:#dfe2e9;"
| style="background:#98FB98;"|Winner
| 12.
| 1983
| Winmau World Masters <small>(4)</small>
| Mike Gregory
| 2–1 (s)
|- style="background:#e5d1cb;"
| style="background:#98FB98;"|Winner
| 13.
| 1984
| World Darts Championship <small>(3)</small>
| Dave Whitcombe
| 7–1 (s)
|- style="background:#dfe2e9;"
| style="background:#98FB98;"|Winner
| 14.
| 1984
| Winmau World Masters <small>(5)</small>
| Keith Deller
| 3–1 (s)
|- style="background:#e5d1cb;"
| style="background:#98FB98;"|Winner
| 15.
| 1985
| World Darts Championship <small>(4)</small>
| John Lowe
| 6–2 (s)
|- style="background:thistle"
| style="background:#98FB98;"|Winner
| 16.
| 1985
| Butlins Grand Masters <small>(4)</small>
| Terry O'Dea
| 5–3 (l)
|- style="background:#d0f0c0;"
| style="background:#98FB98;"|Winner
| 17.
| 1985
| MFI World Matchplay <small>(1)</small>
| Bob Anderson
| 5–4 (s)
|- style="background:#ffc;"
| style="background:#98FB98;"|Winner
| 18.
| 1985
| British Professional Championship <small>(2)</small>
| John Lowe
| 7–4 (s)
|- style="background:#e5d1cb;"
| style="background:#98FB98;"|Winner
| 19.
| 1986
| World Darts Championship <small>(5)</small>
| Dave Whitcombe
| 6–0 (s)
|- style="background:#9cf;"
| style="background:#98FB98;"|Winner
| 20.
| 1986
| British Matchplay <small>(3)</small>
| Dave Whitcombe
| 3–1 (s)
|- style="background:thistle"
| style="background:#98FB98;"|Winner
| 21.
| 1986
| Butlins Grand Masters <small>(5)</small>
| Bob Sinnaeve
| 5–3 (l)
|- style="background:#e5d1cb;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 4.
| 1987
| World Darts Championship <small>(2)</small>
| John Lowe
| 4–6 (s)
|- style="background:#9cf;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 5.
| 1987
| British Matchplay <small>(2)</small>
| Dave Whitcombe
| 0–3 (s)
|- style="background:#d0f0c0;"
| style="background:#98FB98;"|Winner
| 22.
| 1988
| MFI World Matchplay <small>(2)</small>
| Bob Sinnaeve
| 5–1 (s)
|- style="background:#e5d1cb;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 6.
| 1989
| World Darts Championship <small>(3)</small>
| Jocky Wilson
| 4–6 (s)
|- style="background:#dfe2e9;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 7.
| 1989
| Winmau World Masters <small>(1)</small>
| Peter Evison
| 2–3 (s)
|- style="background:#e5d1cb;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 8.
| 1990
| World Darts Championship <small>(4)</small>
| Phil Taylor
| 1–6 (s)
|- style="background:#e5d1cb;"
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 9.
| 1991
| World Darts Championship <small>(5)</small>
| Dennis Priestley
| 0–6 (s)
|}
WDF
Bristow appeared in WDF major finals 6 times with 4 titles and 2 runners-up.
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;" |SF
| style="text-align:center; background:lime;" |W
| style="text-align:center; background:lime;" |W
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;" |SF
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;" |SF
| style="text-align:center; background:lime;" |W
| style="text-align:center; background:thistle;" |F
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;" |SF
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;" |QF
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;" |QF
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;" |QF
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;" |DNP
|-
| style="background:#efefef;" |
| colspan="4" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;" |Not held
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;" |2R
| style="text-align:center; background:lime;" | W
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;" |SF
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;" |SF
| style="text-align:center; background:lime;" | W
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;" |2R
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;" |1R
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;" |1R
| colspan="5" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;" |Not held
|-
| style="background:#efefef;" | Butlins Grand Masters
| style="text-align:center; background:thistle;" |F
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;" |QF
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;" |1R
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;" |1R
| style="text-align:center; background:lime;" |W
| style="text-align:center; background:lime;" |W
| style="text-align:center; background:lime;" |W
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;" |SF
| style="text-align:center; background:lime;" |W
| style="text-align:center; background:lime;" |W
| colspan="7" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;" |Not held
|-
| style="background:#efefef;" | MFI World Matchplay
| colspan="7" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;" |Not held
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;" |1R
| style="text-align:center; background:lime;" |W
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;" |1R
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;" |QF
| style="text-align:center; background:lime;" |W
| colspan="5" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;" |Not held
|-
| style="background:#efefef;" |
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;" |???
| style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;" |DF
| style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;" |???
| style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;" |CF
| style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;" |???
| style="text-align:center; background:lime;" |W
| style="text-align:center; background:lime;" |W
| style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;" |CF
| style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;" |???
| style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;" |DF
| style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;" |???
| style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;" |CH
| style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;" |CF
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;" |Not held
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|+ WDF majors performances
! Tournament !! Event !! World Cup 1977 !! Euro Cup 1978 !! World Cup 1979 !! Euro Cup 1980 !! World Cup 1981 !! Euro Cup 1982 !! World Cup 1983 !! Euro Cup 1984 !! World Cup 1985 !! Euro Cup 1986 !! World Cup 1987 !! Euro Cup 1988 !! World Cup 1989 !! Euro Cup 1990 !! World Cup 1991
|-
| rowspan=4 style="background:#efefef;" | WDF World Cup & WDF Europe Cup
| style="background:#efefef;" | Singles
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| style="background:#efefef;" | Pairs
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| style="background:#efefef;" | Team
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| style="background:#efefef;" | Overall
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|}
PDC
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Tournament !! 1994 !! 1995 !! 1996 !! 1997 !! 1998 !! 1999 !! 2000
|-
| style="background:#efefef;" | PDC World Championship
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;" |RR
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;" |RR
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;" |RR
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;" |SF
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;" |RR
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;" |1R
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;" |1R
|-
| style="background:#efefef;" | World Matchplay
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;" |1R
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;" |1R
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;" |1R
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;" |1R
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;" |1R
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;" |1R
| style="text-align:center; color:#ccc;" |DNP
|-
|}
High averages
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Eric Bristow televised high averages
! Average
! Date
! Opponent
! Tournament
! Stage
! Score
! Ref.
|-
| 105.30
| 17 September 1983
| Alan Glazier
| British Professional Championship
| Last 32
| 3–0 (S)
|
|-
| 103.24
| 22 October 1983
| Jocky Wilson
| World Cup
| Final
| 4–2 (L)
|
|-
| 101.16
| 8 December 1984
| Keith Deller
| Winmau World Masters
| Final
| 3–1 (S)
|
|-
| 99.66
| 11 January 1985
| Dave Whitcombe
| World Darts Championship
| Semi-finals
| 5–2 (S)
|
|}
References
External links
- Eric Bristow's profile and stats on Darts Database
- Arrows – A John Samson documentary about Eric Bristow (1979)
- Eric Bristow at the British Film Institute