BOOK REVIEWS
Autobiography
Bobby Dazzler: My Story
Bobby George
We Rate:
BOOK SYNOPSIS
From rags to bling, from the world of Essex pubs in the 1970s to behind the scenes with the BBC at Frimley Green; from films and videos to Celebrity Fit Club, Bobby Dazzler: My Story is the vividly entertaining tale of one of the country's best loved and charismatic showman.
Bobby George burst on to the darts scene just as the popularity of the game went through the roof and it began its golden era. Slimmer and better looking than most darts players, Bobby, with his glittery shirts and flashy jewellery, brought showbiz to darts. Here he relives the gripping tension of the News of the World and Embassy finals. He looks back over the ups and downs of life with characters such as Eric Bristow, Jocky Wilson, John 'Stoneface' Lowe and Keith Deller; and also the agony of the 1994 Embassy final, which he played in a steel corset after breaking his back.
OUR REVIEW
A fascinating account from the ultimate entertainer in Darts and arguably the greatest player never to win the World Championship despite coming so close on a number of occasions. The rags to riches story is a brilliant tale of how natural talent enabled George's longevity within the game before taking his talent to the screen and becoming a staple of BDO Darts.
From a remarkable early life and his close bond with his father in particular, working hard and grafting the different jobs he undertook from working the doors to working on the London Underground, all from a man who struggled with school but had a heart of gold that would eventually see him become a household name in sport.
Darts came late but when it came, it came thick and fast and the natural talent saw a whirlwind rise to become one of England's greatest ever darts players. Triumphing at the renowned News of the World Championship twice, in what was then considered the hardest tournament to win, set the scene for darts golden era.
Despite narrowly failing to win the coveted big one, the Embassy World Finals, his 1994 run to the final with a broken back is one of sports most glorious tragedies but there was so much more to his darts career with many a triumph and many a battle against darts greatest characters. With his career slowing down, George was one of the few players to stick to the BDO during the infamous split and it arguably it was a decision that prolonged his career, firstly through a second win on the oche before taking his charismatic style to the screen and becoming the face of BDO Darts on the TV.
Outside of darts, there are more fascinating anecdotes with tales about his loving family, becoming the first full-time exhibition player and the amazing feat of building his own house, the fantastically named George Hall. Darts is a massive favourite in my household and I thoroughly enjoyed this read and entertainer off the TV, has managed to entertain off it, with a funny book that is full of behind the scenes tales and the drama of many tournaments, mixed in with anecdotes from his personal life outside of darts.
A dazzler on the screen and a dazzler in print, grab this book and get reading Bobby George's story!
