Whilst doing research for a recent piece on a blog about the biggest sporting upsets I stumbled upon the name Alan Evans, a Welsh Darts player who was a biggish name in the late 1970's. As I'm always one to get side tracked (far too easily) I decided to read up a little bit on Alan Evans and discovered something very, very interesting.
In 1977 Muhammad Ali the then Heavyweight Champion of the World came over to Britain and spent some time in the North East. Whilst there Ali took part in an exhibition game of darts with the aforementioned Mr Evans at the Gypsy's Green stadium in South Shields. Evan's only allowed to score on the trebles was subsequently beaten by Ali who checked out on the bulls eye before crowing himself the Darts Champion of the World.
Sadly despite becoming the self proclaimed Darts Champion of the World Ali doesn't seem to have ever defended his title and the inaugural BDO World Darts Championship was held the following year in Ali's absence with Leighton Rees winning the title against John Lowe in the final.
As a bit of self advertising, to read the Sporting Upset article please read here.
Wow. Ali wa really an amazing guy :D and that's why he is called 'the Greatest'.
ReplyDeleteMaybe he should face Wilt Chamberlain on the ring and after a win - on a basketball field...
But he will probably win over Wilt as a boxer and surely lose as a basketball player...