Dennis Priestley 1991 & 1994 

Imagine winning the now legendary World Professional Darts Championship Trophy (BDO) at the first attempt. Only three years later you add the inaugural holding of a brand new association’s (PDC) World Championship in an event featuring every living and active World Champion.

“It felt fantastic,” said The Menace of his first title in 1991.

“To beat the three best players in the world, at that time, in my first attempt and to whitewash Eric in the final….”

As was customary Dennis celebrated with the Lakeside after event meal before returning to Mexborough.

“I celebrated back at home with my own people, we carried on into the early hours of the morning in a local pub, the Red Lion, it was fantastic”.

It would be difficult to begrudge the Mexborough man a hearty celebration. In claiming that title he brought the era of the four musketeers ( Lowe, Bistow, Wilson and Anderson) to a close and emphasised the changing of the guard started by Taylor the year before.

Drubbing Bristow in the final concluded a threesome of superb performances. The semifinal had seen him outgun Bob Anderson but it was his quarter-final clash with Taylor that took the breath away.

“ That was my hardest world championship match. He was 3-1 up in sets and I had to take out some very big finishes to stay in it.”

Both men averaged over 95 in a thrilling match that lives long in the memory. Dennis slips in that another game was tougher but not in the World Championship. That’s a story for another day.

As you may expect from this straight speaking Yorkshireman Dennis found being a World Champion to be “an absolute pleasure” although he does note that as the years past there was pressure to maintain his World Champion standard.

Unusually The Menace selects, the first professional World champion, Welshman Leighton Rees as his favourite:

“A superb champion and an absolute gentleman who set things up for those who came later, He would have won more titles had they not changed the throwing distance”

1994 saw Dennis demolish another dominant figure to ensure his place in darting history. Although not quite a whitewash his 6-1 defeat of Phil Taylor ensured his name was first on the honour role of the new code.

Recently retired from public darts Mexborouh’s Menace is in many ways the link between the first two era’s of modern darts. A champion rooted in the amateur traditions of county and BDO darts who also formed part of the bridgehead toward the truly professional age of the WDC/PDC.

——ENDS——

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While Evison could have been excused for celebrating such an eye-catching performance, and result, his then manager Dick Allix would ensure his preparation was perfect for the quarter-finals. “Normally I would probably celebrate, but Dick Allix, my manager at the time, said ‘you’ve got another round to play next. Get yourself to bed and I’ll see you tomorrow. I went back to the hotel and had an early night. Fair play to him for telling me to go to bed.”

Allix’s advice would pay off as Evison would progress through the next two nights to make the final, where he would play Dennis Priestley, the second seed, and a runner-up in Blackpool in 1994 and 1995. After seeing his 14-11 lead disappear, as Priestley ran off three straight legs to level at 14-14, Evison got over the winning line with two world-class legs. The Fen Tiger held throw in 13 darts and then checked out 96 for a 12 darter against throw to win 16-14, enough to finish the final with his second 100+ average of the week.

“I just knew I had to pull out something special if I wanted to win,” Evison recalls. “You’ve got to dig deep and it came down to who wanted it the most. Thankfully the 96 finish went in. It’s a bit of a shock really that it’s been 25 years now, but they’re memories that I’ll never forget.”

——-ENDS——-

Words: Alex Moss, Image: Darts World Magazine

Listen to the full interview on the Weekly Dartscast’s Darts Legends series.

Available at weeklydartscast.com and all good podcast providers.

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