Ronnie Baxter facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ronnie Baxter
Baxter in 2009
Personal information
Nickname	"The Rocket"
Born	(1961-02-05) 5 February 1961 (age 64) Blackpool, Lancashire, England
Home town	Blackpool, Lancashire, England
Darts information
Playing darts since	1980s
Darts	23 Gram Tommy's Darts
Laterality	Right-handed
Walk-on music	"Don't Stop Me Now" by Queen
Organisation (see split in darts)
BDO	1987–2001
PDC	2001–2018
BDO majors – best performances
World Ch'ship	Runner Up: 1999, 2000
World Masters	Runner Up: 1997
World Darts Trophy	Semi Final: 2006
Int. Darts League	Last 16 Group: 2006
Finder Masters	Semi Final: 2001
PDC premier events – best performances
World Ch'ship	Quarter Final: 2002, 2010
World Matchplay	Runner Up: 1998
World Grand Prix	Semi Final: 2004
Grand Slam	Last 16: 2010
Premier League	5th: 2006, 2010
Ch'ship League	Winners Group – 6th: 2012
Desert Classic	Runner Up: 2002
European Ch'ship	Quarter Final: 2008, 2010
UK Open	Semi Final: 2009
US Open/WSoD	Semi Final: 2006
Players Ch'ship Finals	Semi Final: 2009
Other tournament wins
British Matchplay 1992, 1998 British Pentathlon 1997 Denmark Open 1996 Eastbourne Pro 2005, 2006 England GP of Darts Blackpool 2012 Finnish Open 1998 German Open 1995 Hampshire Open 2001 Irish Masters 2003 Isle of Man Open 1996, 1997, 2000 Jersey Festival of Darts 1989 Shoalhaven Classic 2008, 2008 Swiss Open 1997 Syracuse Open 1987 Vauxhall Autumn Open 2001 Welsh Open 1991, 1993 Windy City Open 2007 Winmau Darts Dazzler Batley 2009 Players Championships Players Championship (BAR) 2010 Players Championship (BIR) 2012 Players Championship (CAN) 2011 Players Championship (GER) 2011 Players Championship (NED) 2004 Players Championship (IOW) 2005 Players Championship (VEG) 2009 Players Championship (WAL) 2008 UK Open Regionals/Qualifiers Regional Final (IRL) 2003

Ronnie Baxter, born on February 5, 1961, is a former professional darts player from England. He was known as "The Rocket" because of his super-fast way of throwing darts. Ronnie lives in his hometown of Blackpool. Many people think he is one of the best players who never won a big TV darts championship. He still plays darts in special exhibition games.

Ronnie Baxter's Early Darts Career

Ronnie Baxter started playing darts professionally in the 1980s. He played in North America for a while. When he joined the British Darts Organisation (BDO), he often reached the final stages of their big tournaments.

He won several important events, including:

• The Isle of Man Open three times
• The Welsh Open twice
• The Syracuse Open
• The German Open
• The Denmark Open
• The Swiss Open
• The Finnish Open
• The Welsh Classic

Playing in the BDO World Championship

Ronnie first played in the BDO World Championship in 1991. He won his first match but lost in the second round. In 1992, he played well but lost early again.

After missing the 1993 event, he was a top player in the 1994 championship. However, he lost in the first round to the player who eventually won the tournament.

In 1996, Ronnie reached the quarter-finals for the first time. He made it to his first major final at the 1997 Winmau World Masters, but he didn't win.

Reaching the BDO World Finals

In 1999, Ronnie finally showed his amazing skill. He reached the BDO World Final for the first time. He beat many strong players but lost a very close match in the final.

He made it to the final again in 2000. This time, he lost quickly in what was the fastest final in the tournament's history. Ronnie's last appearance at the BDO World Championship was in 2001, where he reached the quarter-finals.

Ronnie's Success with England

Ronnie Baxter was also a great player for the England national team. He helped England win the WDF World Cup five times and the WDF Europe Cup five times. He also played in ten British Internationals, winning all of them!

Ronnie Baxter in the PDC

In 2001, Ronnie Baxter moved to the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC). He quickly showed his talent, reaching the quarter-finals in his first PDC World Championship in 2002. This remains his best performance in that tournament.

Big Matches and Near Wins

Even before joining the PDC, Ronnie reached the final of the 1998 World Matchplay. He surprised everyone by beating the defending champion, Phil Taylor. Ronnie made it to the final but lost a very close match.

He also reached the final of the 2002 Las Vegas Desert Classic, but again, he lost to Phil Taylor. Ronnie's high ranking meant he played in the Premier League Darts in 2006, finishing fifth.

Ronnie has won other smaller tournaments, but he has not yet won a major televised championship.

Nine-Dart Finishes

Ronnie Baxter has achieved four "nine-dart finishes" in his career. A nine-dart finish is when a player completes a game of 501 points in the fewest possible throws (nine darts). None of these amazing moments were shown on TV.

Key Matches and Tournaments

• 2009 PDC World Championship: Ronnie played a thrilling match against Raymond van Barneveld. He had a chance to win but missed a couple of darts and lost in the very last leg.
• 2009 World Matchplay: As a local player from Blackpool, Ronnie had huge support. He reached the semi-finals but was defeated by Terry Jenkins.
• 2010 PDC World Championship: Ronnie had a strong run, reaching the quarter-finals. This performance helped him become the sixth-ranked player in the world.
• 2010 Premier League: He played surprisingly well and was close to reaching the semi-finals, finishing fifth.

Later Career in the PDC

In June 2012, Ronnie won a Players Championship event, beating the world champion Adrian Lewis. He continued to play well, reaching another final shortly after. These results helped him qualify for the World Matchplay.

At the 2012 World Matchplay, he reached the semi-finals in his hometown. He lost to Phil Taylor but showed great fighting spirit. Ronnie also did well in the Championship League, finishing sixth in the Winners Group.

In the 2013 World Championship, Ronnie had a tough match, losing in the second round after being very close to winning. He continued to play in major events like the UK Open and World Matchplay.

Challenges and Tour Card Loss

In 2014, Ronnie lost in the first round of the World Championship. He reached the semi-finals of the German Darts Championship but couldn't win. He also reached the quarter-finals in several Players Championship events.

In 2015, Ronnie won his first TV match since 2013 at the World Championship. However, he lost in the next round. He also missed the World Matchplay for the first time in 17 years. Ronnie's ranking dropped, and he did not qualify for the 2016 World Championship. This was the first time since 1995 that he wasn't in a World Championship.

Ronnie also missed the UK Open in 2016. He did reach a semi-final in a Players Championship, which helped him qualify for the Players Championship Finals. After the 2017 World Championship, Ronnie's ranking was lower. He tried to win back his "Tour Card," which allows players to compete in all professional events. He succeeded in getting a two-year Tour Card.

However, Ronnie struggled in 2017 and 2018. He played fewer events and eventually lost his Tour Card at the end of 2018. After taking a break in 2019, Ronnie announced he wanted to make a comeback in 2020.

World Championship Appearances

BDO World Championship Results

• 1991: Second round
• 1992: First round
• 1994: First round
• 1996: Quarter-finals
• 1997: Second round
• 1998: First round
• 1999: Runner-up (lost to Raymond van Barneveld 5–6)
• 2000: Runner-up (lost to Ted Hankey 0–6)
• 2001: Quarter-finals

PDC World Championship Results

• 2002: Quarter-finals
• 2003: Third round
• 2004: Fourth round
• 2005: Fourth round
• 2006: First round
• 2007: First round
• 2008: Second round
• 2009: Third round
• 2010: Quarter-finals
• 2011: Second round
• 2012: First round
• 2013: Second round
• 2014: First round
• 2015: Second round

World Seniors Darts Championship Results

• 2023: First round (lost to Kevin Painter 0–3)

Major Finals Played by Ronnie Baxter

BDO Major Finals: 3 (3 Runner-up)

Outcome	No.	Year	Championship	Opponent in the final	Score
Runner-up	1.	1997	Winmau World Masters	Graham Hunt	2–3 (s)
Runner-up	2.	1999	World Championship	Raymond van Barneveld	5–6 (s)
Runner-up	3.	2000	World Championship	Ted Hankey	0–6 (s)

PDC Major Finals: 2 (2 Runner-up)

Outcome	No.	Year	Championship	Opponent in the final	Score
Runner-up	1.	1998	World Matchplay	Rod Harrington	17–19 (l)
Runner-up	2.	2002	Las Vegas Desert Classic	Phil Taylor	0–3 (s)