'I learned why Eric Bristow was called crafty – he helped me hustle hundreds from pool game'

Eric Bristow was known arsenic the Crafty Cockney astatine the tallness of his legendary darts vocation - and Russ Bray tells his caller book, 'All About Darts - The Ultimate Guide to the World's Greatest Sport' that helium lived up to his name

Russ Bray has seen it each successful darts. From on-stage bust-ups to magical nine-darters, his unmistakable raspy code has been the accompaniment to the sport's astir iconic moments since the PDC's enactment and the sport's TV boom.

Throughout his legendary career, Russ grew adjacent to the game's biggest names and 1 of his closest friends became the precocious Eric Bristow. And successful his caller publication 'All About Darts - The Ultimate Guide to the World's Greatest Sport', Russ reveals however Bristow's Crafty Cockney surname was not conscionable a gimmick.

I loved Eric, and I got truly adjacent to him. First of all, though, aforesaid arsenic everybody else, I was overawed by him.

Shortly aft I met him successful Big Cliff Lazarenko’s edifice country successful Denmark successful 1990, I bumped into him again erstwhile we were some playing astatine the Canadian Open.

I was sharing a country with a bully Scottish thrower called Jamie Harvey, who went arsenic ‘Bravedart’, and Eric was successful the adjacent country with Mike Gregory. They had a load of beers stacked up successful their room, truthful we were going backmost and distant to assistance them portion them (we were bully similar that).

It was the archetypal clip I’d talked to Eric properly. And helium asked maine a question. ‘Do you play pool?’

‘A small bit,’ I told him. ‘I’m not the best.’

‘Come on, let’s spell and person a game,’ helium said. ‘Just maine and you.’ Well, similar I say, I was successful awe. Bloody hell. Eric Bristow wants to play excavation … with me?

We headed disconnected down the thoroughfare and recovered a excavation hall. I tin retrieve the tables were blue, not green: it was the archetypal clip I’d ever seen that. Eric went consecutive implicit to 2 section guys who were having a game. They looked beauteous good. ‘Hello, lads,’ Eric said. ‘Want to play?’

‘Yeah,’ 1 of them answered. ‘Twenty-five dollars a corner.'

‘Great,’ said Eric, slapping down a bill. And I thought: Gulp. I was not flush successful those days. I was inactive a scaffolder and operator who could hardly spend to participate tournaments.

In fact, my mum and dada had bought my formation to Canada, and I’d paid the introduction fee. I hardly had $25 connected me. ‘I’m not definite astir this,’ I said to Eric. He grinned. ‘No worries, Russ. I’ve got it covered.’

We played the crippled and lost. Eric didn’t look overmuch cop. Uh-oh. The Canadians wanted to spell again. I didn’t. But Eric banged his wealth down … and past helium got going.

Boom. Boom. Boom. Balls were flying into each pocket. Christ, could helium play pool. He was a full hustler. Losing the archetypal crippled had been a scam. I walked – well, floated – retired of that excavation hallway $400 up. It invigorated me.

I threw immoderate bully darts successful the Canadian Open. I adjacent got to the past 8 and led the world fig two, Peter Evison, 2–0 earlier losing 3–2. I’d gone to Canada with $100 and flew backmost with $2,000. Fantastic. And connected the level home, Eric dropped different bombshell.

‘Are you doing the Norwegian Open adjacent week, Russ?’ helium asked me. ‘No, I’m not.’

‘You are now. Come out, and I’ll play pairs with you.’

Well, it was different of those Wow moments. Playing pairs with Eric Bristow. We went retired to Norway, roomed unneurotic (credit wherever it’s due: Eric was a precise cleanable and tidy roommate) and we won the Open pairs.

As I’ve said, I ne'er had immoderate illusions I was 1 of the top, apical players, but that was a existent vocation item for me.

All About Darts: The Ultimate Guide to the World’s Greatest Sport by Russ Bray (Ebury Spotlight, £16.99) is retired now.