Tommy O'Regan: Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 14:46, 9 February 2021
| Tommy O'Regan | |
|---|---|
| Personal information | |
| Nickname | Bullseye Kid[1]/The Great Regan[2] |
| Born | 28 February 1939[3] Bruree, Limerick, Republic of Ireland[4] |
| Died | October 8, 2000 (aged 60–61) Kilmallock, Ireland |
| Darts information | |
| Playing darts since | 1969 |
| Darts | 28 Gram |
| Laterality | Right-handed |
| Organisation (see split in darts) | |
| BDO | 1973–1976 |
| Current world ranking | N/A |
| WDF major events – best performances | |
| World Masters | Quarter Finals: 1976 |
| Other tournament wins | |
| Tournament | Years |
| NDAGB England and Wales National Champion Indoor League Walthamstow Individuals Klondyke Open Palm Springs Open (USA) | 1970, 1971, 1972 1973 1974 1976 1976 |
Tommy O'Regan (28 February 1939 - 8 October 2000) was an professional Irish darts player who captained both the Ireland and England darts teams. From Limerick in the south west of Ireland, he was one of the pioneers of the modern era of darts.
He was the first captain of an England team in the Home International tournament series. He mixed with the greats of the game in the early years of the modern era - Eric Bristow, John Lowe, Bobby George - and while his career came to an end before televised darts became the norm, many of the first superstars cite him as an influence.
Darts career
A former jockey,[5] he played much of his darts in England, noted by Darts World magazine in 1972 as "a genial milk roundsman", playing in the Walthamstow and District Darts League. In his book, Bobby George cites Tommy's local pub was "the Swan". He played for Southgate, Hornsey and Beech Hill Park in the London Superleague. He represented London in the British Inter Counties Championship, including as its captain in the inaugural season under the newly formed BDO, winning 14 of 28 games (11 wins out of 22 for London A and 4 wins out of 5 for London B).[6] Prior to the formation of the BDO, he had played for the Greater London Darts Team, playing 12 games and winning 10. He won the 1968 London Superleague pairs with Jim McNally[7] and singles in 1970.[8] He won London Superleague titles with Southgate (1971-1972 and 1972-1973) and Hornsey (1974-1975). His intercounty career came to an end in 1978 with a game against Cambridgeshire.
O'Regan won the National Darts Association of Great Britain national championships in 3 successive years, from 1970-1972,[9] a tournament played in 801 format. He was awarded a replica of the tournament's trophy to recognise the extraordinary feat.
He won the Indoor League in 1973, beating Alan Evans in the televised final and winning £150. Evans was the hot favourite after an electrifying semi-final win over Welsh countryman Tony Ridler. O'Regan's winning legs in the final at the Leeds Irish Club[5] were 18 and 21 darts for an average of 79.11, which would have been higher but for some missed doubles in the final leg. Having left 61 after 12 darts, he ended up finished on double 2 from a seemingly impossible angle.[10] He was one of three players brought from London by Olly Croft to challenge the predominantly Yorkshire based champions. In his book "Bellies and Bullseyes", Sid Waddell recounts that before the tournament, Croft confidently declared that O'Regan would win the tournament.[5] In the 1974 edition he was beaten in the semi final by Alan Evans.
He won the 1976 Klondike Open beating Canada's Jack Irvine.[11]
He also reached the quarter final of the World Masters in 1976, beaten by eventual winner John Lowe of England,[12] by a score of 3-2. Third place at the 1979 British Open Pairs was his last recorded darts honour, playing with Gary Laurence.
One of the first players to use tungsten darts, he was one of the first to have sets of darts marketed using his name.[13] He has been noted as one of the founders of the darts exhibition circuit, travelling around the UK and North America playing the best local players and demonstrating trickshots.[14][15]
He died in 2000 and is buried in Bruree in his native Limerick.[4]
International caps
O'Regan had the distinction of captaining both the Republic of Ireland and England darts teams, a feat never repeated.
His official record on England caps is 3 wins out of 3 appearances.[16] Though this does not include more informal international events held in the mid 1970s. Bobby George notes in his autobiography that O'Regan was chosen to captain the first ever English team in a recognised international game in 1973.[2] He also captained the victorious England team in the 1973 Home Internationals. In the following year, with the foundation of the BDO and the Inter County system, O'Regan returned to playing for his country of birth. In 1976 he captained a "Rest of Great Britain" team against Wales in a friendly international.[17] In the 1976 Home Internationals he represented Ireland in Dundee, playing in the games against Scotland and Wales, scoring one of 10 180s on the day.
References
- ^ "The Chummy Game of Darts Is a Multi-Million Dollar Toss". The Miami Herald. Miami, Florida. 24 November 1973. p. 137. Retrieved 8 August 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b George, Bobby (18 September 2008). Bobby Dazzler: My Story. Orion. ISBN 9781409105626 – via Google Books.
- ^ https://matthewjagercomicsclassics.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/guinness-book-6.pdf
- ^ a b "Thomas O'Regan (1939-2000) - Find A Grave..." FindAGrave.com.
- ^ a b c Waddell, Sid (10 November 2009). "1.'Skills at the Arrows of Outrageous Proportions'". Bellies and Bullseyes: The Outrageous True Story of Darts. Random House. ISBN 9781407030449 – via Google Books.
- ^ Mens' Overall Appearances-17 (PDF). www.londondarts.org (Report). Retrieved 20 July 2020.
- ^ Mens Superleague Pairs Winners 1967 to 2018 (PDF). www.londondarts.org (Report). Retrieved 20 July 2020.
- ^ Mens Superleague Singles Winners 1967 to 2018 (PDF). www.londondarts.org (Report). 2018. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
- ^ Staff, DW Editorial (1 July 2020). "1972 - Issue 1: Hattrick for O Regan & 3 Million Watch TV Darts. • Darts World Magazine".
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnXOW3IlMac
- ^ "Klondike Open Men, Played Finals". Mastercaller.com. Master Caller. Archived from the original on 8 August 2020. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
- ^ "World Masters". Winmau. 2018. Archived from the original on 14 February 2020. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
- ^ Lowe, John (8 June 2009). Old Stoneface - My Autobiography. Kings Road Publishing. ISBN 9781782195719 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Dart Exhibition Sunday 4PM". Standard-Speaker. Hazleton, Pennsylvania. 23 July 1976. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Prize-Winning Dartmen at Williamstown". Pottsville Republican. Pottsville, Pennsylvania. 24 July 1976. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Apearances". www.englanddarts.co.uk.
- ^ "Single Post". threeinthebed.