Leighton Rees

Leighton Rees (born January 17, 1940 in Ynysybwl , Wales ; † June 8, 2003 there ) was the first world champion in darts .

Leighton Rees attended the local Mill Street School in Pontypridd , where one of his teachers noted on Rees' testimony that he would only be good at reading the sports pages of the South Wales Echo of the South Wales Echo "). After leaving school at the age of 15, he first found work in an engine spare parts store; He pursued this work for over 20 years until he finally got into the business as a professional dart player in 1976.

Rees found darts during this time until it gradually gained attention in Wales in 1972. Sid Waddell , former commentator for Sky Sports , was at that time producer of the TV show Indoor League Pub Games Show the transmitter Yorkshire Television ; his researchers told him that in the south of the Welsh valleys - which quickly became the cradle of talented dart players - a trio of outstanding dart players had been found. They were Rony Ridler from Newport , Alan Evans from Rhondda, and especially Leighton Rees from Ynysybwl.

Waddell quickly gave all three a chance to appear on Welsh television: They didn't disappoint, Ridler and Evans both earning some highs of 180 points. But Leighton Rees stole the show from them: Over a lager and a cigar , he told presenter Fred Trueman, with his soon-to-be-known dry humor, stories about how he and Alan Evans were able to achieve success against the English.

In the following Rees took part in the News of the World Championship, which was very similar to the World Championship tournaments at the time; Although he went into the tournament as the favorite, his famous lazy arm litter was too firm that day. He was eliminated early in the tournament, much to the displeasure of the many fans who had traveled. He made amends when he was part of the Welsh team that won the first ever World Darts Federation World Cup in 1977 .

His greatest hour came in 1978 when he won the first Embassy World Professional Darts Championship in Nottingham . Seeded number three, he was able to record a 6-0 win against Australian Barry Atkinson in round one. In the following round he met his good friend Alan Evans, who at that time, seeded as number 5, was his partner in the Welsh team. The game went down in history. Both players threw an average of 90 points with three darts, which was unique at the time. Evans was able to take an early lead through several 180s until Rees threw the first ten dart finish of the tournament to date . Rees was finally able to triumph with a 6-3 win over Evans. The BBC's then production manager Nick Hunter said that this encounter made darts live up to all of their expectations. He established it as a big name on national television in the years that followed.

In the semifinals he played against the determined American Nick Virachkul . Rees finally fought for an 8-7, but exhibited completely new fighting qualities, so that he could face the great John Lowe in the final . He again reached an average of over 90 points, so that he could finally achieve an 11-7 victory - the only world championship title of his career.

1979 Rees reached the final again. Again he had defeated Evans on his way there. This time, however, he lost 0-5 to John Lowe. Then he was only able to reach a quarter-finals again in 1980, in 1981 he came under the last 16. 1982, 1983, 1985 and 1990 he was even eliminated in the first round. Nonetheless, his appearances almost always led to sold-out halls, and he remained one of the most popular darts players because, alongside John Lowe, Eric Bristow , Jocky Wilson , Cliff Lazarenko and now Phil Taylor and Raymond van Barneveld, he has made a significant contribution to making darts a comparatively popular one Has become sport.

In 1980, Leighton Rees married the Californian Debbie in Las Vegas while he was participating in a tournament there. They returned to Ynysybw together. Rees died on June 8, 2003. In Ynysybwl a street was named after him, the Leighton Rees Close.

Web links

• Player profile at dartn.de