RIP Darts Legend Jocky Wilson

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/darts/17503460
THE Professional Darts Corporation were saddened to hear of the death of former World Champion Jocky Wilson aged 62 on Saturday.

The legendary Scottish darts star - who had turned 62 last Thursday - won World Championships in 1982 and 1989 before being a founder member of the PDC, with whom he played until his retirement in 1996.

He had returned to live in his home town of Kirkcaldy, Scotland, and had recently been suffering from the lung disorder chronic pulmonary obstructive disease.

The Scot had become one of the sport's most popular players after emerging at the end of the 1970s, and alongside his two World Championship titles also won four British Professional titles, three Scottish Masters and was twice the runner-up in the World Masters.

Wilson's class was also shown with his record of reaching at least the quarter-finals in 13 successive World Championships from his debut in 1979 through to 1991 in a run which included the two defining moments of his career as he lifted the trophy in 1982 and 1989.

He was also a quarter-finalist in the PDC's inaugural World Matchplay in 1994, losing to the eventual winner Larry Butler, and made his final televised appearance at the same event the following year in an 8-5 defeat to Nigel Justice.

His popularity also went beyond the sporting arena, notably when Wilson famously saw his picture displayed on 'Top of the Pops' in 1982 during a performance by Dexy's Midnight Runners of their single "Jackie Wilson Said".

The PDC paid their tribute to his career by staging the Jocky Wilson Cup in December 2009 in Glasgow, which saw Scotland's top two players, Gary Anderson and Robert Thornton, play English pair Phil Taylor and James Wade.

Whilst Taylor and Wade took victory in that event for England, the tournament's success saw it become the forerunner to the highly successful World Cup of Darts pairs event which has been played twice since involving 24 countries.

PDC Tournament Director Tommy Cox had managed Jocky Wilson from 1988-1996, and said: "It's a very sad day because Jocky was loved by so many people for the great character he was.

"Jocky transcended the whole spectrum of life in the UK - in the 1980s there wasn't a person in the country who didn't know who Jocky Wilson was and, even though he hasn't thrown a dart since 1996, it's probably almost still the same now.

"I once refereed a game in Qatar between Jocky and Sir Geoffrey Howe, who was the Foreign Minister at the time, when he had been invited to a Trade Exhibition. We were with the Bootleg Beatles, Alan Ball and Tommy Gemmell, which was some company to be keeping!

"He will be fondly remembered."

Ahead of the Jocky Wilson Cup in 2009, Jocky recorded a special audio message for the crowd at the Braehead Arena in Glasgow, which proved to be the last time he was heard in public.

He said: "Hi, this is Jocky. Sorry I can't be with you tonight, hope you all have a great evening, please give all the players the respect they deserve - Come On Scotland!"

Many of the sport's big names paid their own tributes to Jocky Wilson in special interviews with Sky Sports ahead of the Jocky Wilson Cup in 2009 - here's what some of them said:
15-time World Champion Phil Taylor: "Jocky was one of my favourites. Jocky was a character. We do miss Jocky...he's a great man, misunderstood a little bit I think but he was a character, a very simple man who didn't want a lot out of life.

"He wasn't money-orientated...he just wanted to live his life and enjoy himself, and that's what Jock did."

Three-time World Champion John Lowe: "Jocky is without doubt a legend. He's a legend to people who've never seen him but know his name - everybody knows Jocky Wilson."

1988 World Champion Bob Anderson: "He's a wonderful character. You could sit and talk to Jocky away from darts and he was tremendous fun to talk to."

Five-time World Champion Eric Bristow: "He was a brilliant player to play against, unpredictable. I think the game misses him, he was a good character and we need characters."

Two-time World Champion Dennis Priestley: "A great character and a flair player who could hit the big scores and take the big finishes. He won two World Championships and many other titles."