Oliver Croft | |
|---|---|
| Born | Oliver Albert Croft 17 November 1929 |
| Died | 23 November 2019 (aged 90) |
| Years active | 1973–2011 |
| Spouse | Lorna Croft (deceased) |
Oliver Albert Croft, OBE[1] (17 November 1929 – 23 November 2019) was a British darts administrator and the founder of the British Darts Organisation (BDO). He was one of the most influential protagonists in darts for almost four decades, having set up and run the BDO from its inception in 1973 until he was voted off the board in August 2011.[2]
Prior to the formation of the BDO, the major organisation for county darts had been the National Darts Association of Great Britain (the NDAGB, commonly referred to as NDA) which had been formed in London on 25 September 1954. Croft began playing darts himself in 1961 for the Harringay Arms in Crouch Hill and was soon playing seven nights per week.