Bobby George facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bobby George |
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George in April 2014
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Full name | Robert Francis George | ||||||||||||
| Nickname | King of Bling Bobby Dazzler Mr Glitter |
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| Born | 16 December 1945 Manor Park, London, England |
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| Home town | London, England | ||||||||||||
| Darts information | |||||||||||||
| Playing darts since | 1976 | ||||||||||||
| Darts | Winmau 23g Bobby George | ||||||||||||
| Laterality | Right-handed | ||||||||||||
| Walk-on music | "We Are the Champions" by Queen | ||||||||||||
| Organisation (see split in darts) | |||||||||||||
| BDO | 1977–2009 | ||||||||||||
| BDO majors – best performances | |||||||||||||
| World Ch'ship | Runner Up: 1980, 1994 | ||||||||||||
| World Masters | Semi Final: 1979 | ||||||||||||
| World Darts Trophy | Last 32: 2002 | ||||||||||||
| Int. Darts League | Last 32 Group: 2005 | ||||||||||||
| Other tournament wins | |||||||||||||
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Robert Francis George (born 16 December 1945), better known as Bobby George, is an English TV star and a former professional darts player. He is famous for being one of the sport's most colorful characters. Fans know him as the "King of Bling" because of his showy entrances. He would walk to the stage wearing lots of jewelry, a crown, and a cloak, while holding a candelabra. The Queen song "We Are the Champions" always played during his walk-on.
George was a top player who won major tournaments. He was also the first darts player to make a full-time job out of playing in exhibition matches. Since 1998, he has worked for the BBC as a co-presenter for their darts tournament coverage.
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Darts Career
Bobby George didn't start playing darts until he was 30 years old. He was a natural talent and won the very first tournament he ever entered. In less than a year, he was already competing in the World Masters, a major event.
He won many big competitions, including the North American Open in 1978 and the News of the World Darts Championship in 1979 and 1986. When he won in 1979, he did it without losing a single leg of any match, which no other player has ever done.
World Championship Finals
George reached the final of the BDO World Darts Championship twice. His first time was in 1980, where he faced the famous player Eric Bristow. It was a very close match. At a key moment, George needed 66 points to have a chance to win. He miscounted and hit the wrong number, which made his next shot much harder. He ended up losing the match 5–3.
His second world final was in 1994. During a quarter-final match, he hurt his back while celebrating a winning set. Even though he was in a lot of pain, he won that match and his semi-final match to get to the final. He had to wear a steel corset to support his back during the final match against John Part. The injury was too painful, and he lost 0–6. Doctors later found he had broken his back and needed surgery to help him stand up straight.
Life Outside of Darts
Before becoming a darts star, George had several jobs. He worked as a builder and even helped dig the Victoria line for the London Underground.
Since 1998, George has been a popular co-presenter for the BBC's darts coverage. He has also appeared on many other TV shows. He was in the comedy series 15 Storeys High and the TV show Celebrity Fit Club. He also traveled to India for the BBC series The Real Marigold Hotel, which followed a group of older celebrities exploring the country.
George lives in a house called George Hall with his wife, Marie. The house is famous because its rooms are laid out to look like a dartboard. He is also a big fan of fishing and has fishing lakes on his property. His son, Richie, also became a professional darts player.
George has also used his fame to help kids. He has toured schools to show children how playing darts can help them improve their math and counting skills.
Major Wins
- North American Open: 1978
- News of the World Darts Championship: 1979, 1986
- Butlins Grand Masters: 1979, 1980
- WDF Europe Cup Singles: 1982
- WDF Europe Cup Team: 1982
World Championship Results
BDO
- 1980: Runner Up (lost to Eric Bristow 3–5)
- 1981: Quarter-finals (lost to Cliff Lazarenko 0–4)
- 1982: Semi-finals (lost to John Lowe 1–4)
- 1983: First round (lost to Tony Brown 0–2)
- 1984: First round (lost to Malcolm Davies 1–2)
- 1985: Second round (lost to Fred McMullan 1–3)
- 1986: First round (lost to Bob Anderson 0–3)
- 1987: First round (lost to John Lowe 0–3)
- 1993: Semi-finals (lost to John Lowe 3–5)
- 1994: Runner Up (lost to John Part 0–6)
- 1995: First round (lost to Ronnie Sharp 0–3)
- 1997: Second round (lost to Roland Scholten 0–3)
- 1998: Second round (lost to Sean Palfrey 2–3)
- 2000: Second round (lost to Ronnie Baxter 2–3)
- 2002: First round (lost to Raymond van Barneveld 1–3)
