Wednesday, January 8, 2025
Column HR475
IT’S LUKE’s WORLD!
The newspaper headline blared: “Littler’s Legend takes flight.” Then came the sub head: “At 17, becomes youngest world champion in dart history”. Really no surprise there, except that headline isn’t from London papers like the Star, the Sun, the Mirror or the Express, to name a few. No, that headline appeared in none of those.
The headline above appeared in The Las Vegas Review Journal. The Old Dart Coach was gobsmacked as he remembered the days when via a friendly sports writer he begged for some darts coverage – usually coming up with what the little boy shot at. Nadda.
The PDC World Championship is a long-drawn-out affair with stories of triumph, glory and the “agony of defeat” playing out every day and sometimes twice a day. The 2024-2025 event had plenty of drama – but ultimately all was overshadowed by the stunning dismantling of Michael van Gerwen by Luke Littler in the finals 7-3. All know van Gerwen as a three-time world champion (2014, 2017 and 2019) but also (before now) the youngest to win at 24 years of age.
Last year, Littler was the bridesmaid losing in the final to Luke Humphries 7-4. Littler came out of that match a superstar by being a teenager playing successfully against the best in the world. His 2024 wins included the Premier League.
Prior to the start of play, presenter Emma Paton, dressed in striking red outfit, said of van Gerwen and Littler: “They are both showmen.” At the time, the ODC questioned those remarks as neither player dances on stage nor wears a fancy costume. But Ms. Paton was absolutely correct…Littler put on a show with his darts doing the talking – telling van Gerwen “This is fun” while also doing a little ‘in your face old man.”
The ODC’s tired old eyes told him it wasn’t as much what Littler did but how he did it.
It would be incorrect not to mention that Michael van Gerwen also had a hand in his demise. In the opening leg of the first set van Gerwen, with the darts, busted from 25 – then on the next trip missed two more finishes, giving that first leg to Littler in 17 darts. Often the first leg of any match, especially with the long format of best 15 sets, means little. This time it was a harbinger of things to come. Littler took the set 3-1 and followed that up with a 3-nil pounding where van Gerwen missed doubles to reverse the outcome. The third set also went to Littler.
James Wade has been known as the king of the double 10. Step aside Wadie – make room for Luke Littler, the new King. The unofficial count of finishes with the double 10 for Littler is 15 of 24. Left with 25 after missing a Bull, Littler used 5 to set up the d10 5 times, ignoring the old out chart that says hit the 9 to leave 16. Littler sent a message that he would be doing things “My Way,” a particular fav of the ODC when sung by Frank Sinatra.
Michael van Gerwen was a gentleman in defeat. Many who don’t listen to van Gerwen speak often miss jewels of wisdom (not in the traditional Aristotle sense but in darting sense, which is a horse of a different color). In a post-match press conference, van Gerwen said: “Every 17 years a star gets born and he is one of those.” van Gerwen left out the part about being born in a manger which was discovered by following a bright star in the sky.
The final moments of the Littler triumph were a little tense as he tried to display an exhibition finish. With 132 left he landed a pair of Big Bulls, leaving 32, as a suddenly hushed crowd waited in anticipation for a final dart at d16. But alas, he missed. Then he missed again – but finally found the d16 to close the show. The double brought tears to the 17-year old’s eyes as he shouted “Wow. Wow. Wow.”
No “over the moon” for Littler.
Lost in the Littler victory was the fact that the defending champion Luke Humphries was knocked out of the championship by one Peter Wright (4-1). Wright, who had what could politely be called a horrific year, beat the then defending world champion like a red-headed step child, which is said to be a bad thing by some. Wright and Paul Lim were the darters that had Ponce de León smiling “ear to ear” – proving there is a Fountain of Youth (Lim was runner-up in the sorta WDF “World Championships.” The big difference is that Wright pocketed £50,000 while Lim took home £16,000.
Though none need a reminder, the Las Vegas Open is fast approaching in mid-January. As last year, a contingent of ladies from across the pond will attempt to extract revenge for the Boston Tea Party and that loudmouth Paul Revere. In 2024, a lady named Fallon Sherrock (you may have heard of her) won all the ladies’ single events which included a pair of WDF 501s and cricket. For North America, Sandy Hudson finished runner-up in the cricket while Maria Carli, Paula Murphy, Shea Cole and Lisa Yee gathered top fours in the two singles.
On Friday, January 17th, the second Stacy Bromberg Senior Open & Reunion will be held at CD’s Sport’s Lounge in Las Vegas. The Bromberg Senior Open is the only dart tournament in the world where 100% of all entry fees and darts auction proceeds go directly to the Make-A-Wish charity. Make-A-Wish provides wishes to terminally ill youngsters. The prize money for the three events comes from the sponsorship of Gail Heard-Hill (men’s singles), Lisa Farrell and Terry Parmeter (ladies singles) and Sally Kelly (mixed doubles). The Golden Era Dart Player event organizers are sincerely grateful for their support.
There’s a rumor going around that for your health January should be a dry month – as in no alcohol. It’s been said that alcohol may lead to cancer…
The ODC opines that 100% of people that have cancer have eaten a carrot. SO, stop eating carrots.
Stay thirsty, my friends.
