Eric Bristow

Eric Bristow
MBE
Bristow in 1985
Personal information
Full nameEric John Bristow
Nickname"The Crafty Cockney"
Born(1957-04-25)25 April 1957
Hackney, London, England
Died5 April 2018(2018-04-05) (aged 60)
Liverpool, England
Darts information
Playing darts since1968
Darts22g Harrows Eric Bristow
LateralityRight-handed
Walk-on music"Rabbit" by Chas & Dave
Organisation (see split in darts)
BDO1976–1993
PDC1993–2007 (Founding Member)
WDF major events – best performances
World Ch'shipWinner (5): 1980, 1981, 1984, 1985, 1986
World MastersWinner (5): 1977, 1979, 1981, 1983, 1984
PDC premier events – best performances
World Ch'shipSemi-final: 1997
World MatchplayLast 32: 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999
Other tournament wins
Belgium Open 1978, 1980, 1981
British Gold Cup 1980
British Open 1978, 1981, 1983, 1986
British Pentathlon 1981, 1989
Denmark Open1980, 1984, 1989
Dry Blackthorn Cider Masters1984, 1985, 1987
Flowers Dartsathlon1984
French Open 1985
Golden Darts Championship1979, 1980
Golden Gate Classic1980
Isle Of Man Challenge1983
Japan Open1991
Las Vegas Open1990
Los Angeles Open1985
MFI World Pairs1987
North American Open1979, 1983, 1984, 1986
Pacific Masters1981, 1986
PDC World Pairs1995
Santa Monica Open1979
Swedish Open1979, 1981, 1982
Tokyo World Darts Grand Prix1988
WDF World Cup Singles1983, 1985, 1987, 1989
WDF World Cup Pairs – (Team event)1977, 1979, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989
WDF World Cup Team – (Team event)1979, 1981, 1983, 1987, 1991
WDF Europe Cup Pairs1978, 1986
World Champion Super Challenge1984
Best Old Major Results
News of the World1983, 1984
Butlins Grand Masters1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986
MFI World Matchplay1985, 1988
British Professional1982, 1985
British Matchplay1982, 1983, 1986
Other achievements
1989 Appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire MBE[1]
Updated on 14 May 2024.

Eric John Bristow MBE (25 April 1957 – 5 April 2018), nicknamed "The Crafty Cockney", was an English professional darts player and one of the most recognisable and successful players of the 1980s. He was ranked World No. 1 by the World Darts Federation a record five times, in 1980, 1981 and 1983–1985. He was a five-time World Champion, a five-time World Masters Champion a four-time World Cup singles champion and twice winner of the News of the World Darts Championship. He won 22 WDF and BDO Major titles, 65 individual career titles and 15 titles in team events, a total of 80 overall.

In 1993, Bristow was one of sixteen top players who broke away from the British Darts Organisation (BDO) to form their own organisation, which became the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC).

He retired from competitive darts in 2007 and subsequently worked as a commentator and pundit on Sky Sports darts coverage.

  1. ^ "Do you remember when...Eric Bristow ruled darts? – Sport – The Observer".