Wild-eyed blokes take over Tropicana for U.S. Darts Masters
x
The best American darts players squared off against those from England and Europe at the Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, on July 14 2017. (Ron Kantowski/ Las Vegas Review Journal)
July 14, 2017 - 7:00 pm
Updated July 14, 2017 - 7:00 pm
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/8890999_web1_spt-kantowski-jul15-17_ml-8.jpg)
A spectatord dresses for the occasion at the PDC's World Series of Darts Festival at Tropicana hotel-casino on Friday, July 14, 2017, in Las Vegas. Morgan Lieberman Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/8890999_web1_spt-kantowski-jul15-17_ml-15.jpg)
Peter Wright in the third leg of the match at the PDC's World Series of Darts Festival at Tropicana hotel-casino on Friday, July 14, 2017, in Las Vegas. Morgan Lieberman Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/8890999_web1_spt-kantowski-jul15-17_ml-26.jpg)
Minnesota resident Jon Ulness shows his support for the last few minutes of the match at the PDC's World Series of Darts Festival at Tropicana hotel-casino on Friday, July 14, 2017, in Las Vegas. Morgan Lieberman Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/8890999_web1_spt-kantowski-jul15-17_ml-9.jpg)
Dawson Murschell shows excitement for his winning score in the fourth leg of the match at the PDC's World Series of Darts Festival at Tropicana hotel-casino on Friday, July 14, 2017, in Las Vegas. Morgan Lieberman Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/8890999_web1_spt-kantowski-jul15-17_ml-37.jpg)
James Wade throws a dart in the first leg of the match at the PDC's World Series of Darts Festival at Tropicana hotel-casino on Friday, July 14, 2017, in Las Vegas. Morgan Lieberman Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/8890999_web1_spt-kantowski-jul15-17_ml-19.jpg)
Spectators show their support at the PDC's World Series of Darts Festival at Tropicana hotel-casino on Friday, July 14, 2017, in Las Vegas. Morgan Lieberman Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/8890999_web1_spt-kantowski-jul15-17_ml-29.jpg)
Minnesota resident Jon Ulness shows his support for the last few minutes of the match at the PDC's World Series of Darts Festival at Tropicana hotel-casino on Friday, July 14, 2017, in Las Vegas. Morgan Lieberman Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/8890999_web1_spt-kantowski-jul15-17_ml-37.jpg)
James Wade throws a dart in the first leg of the match at the PDC's World Series of Darts Festival at Tropicana hotel-casino on Friday, July 14, 2017, in Las Vegas. Morgan Lieberman Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/8890999_web1_spt-kantowski-jul15-17_ml-4.jpg)
Spectators show their support at the PDC's World Series of Darts Festival at Tropicana hotel-casino on Friday, July 14, 2017, in Las Vegas. Morgan Lieberman Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/8890999_web1_spt-kantowski-jul15-17_ml-5.jpg)
Spectators wait for a positive turn of events during the match at the PDC's World Series of Darts Festival at Tropicana hotel-casino on Friday, July 14, 2017, in Las Vegas. Morgan Lieberman Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/8890999_web1_spt-kantowski-jul15-17_ml-6.jpg)
A spectator takes a snooze during the PDC's World Series of Darts Festival at Tropicana hotel-casino on Friday, July 14, 2017, in Las Vegas. Morgan Lieberman Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/8890999_web1_spt-kantowski-jul15-17_ml-7.jpg)
An official observes the dart board at the PDC's World Series of Darts Festival at Tropicana hotel-casino on Friday, July 14, 2017, in Las Vegas. Morgan Lieberman Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/8890999_web1_spt-kantowski-jul15-17_ml-10.jpg)
Dawson Murschell in the final leg of the match at the PDC's World Series of Darts Festival at Tropicana hotel-casino on Friday, July 14, 2017, in Las Vegas. Morgan Lieberman Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/8890999_web1_spt-kantowski-jul15-17_ml-11.jpg)
Peter Wright blows a kiss to the crowd at the PDC's World Series of Darts Festival at Tropicana hotel-casino on Friday, July 14, 2017, in Las Vegas. Morgan Lieberman Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/8890999_web1_spt-kantowski-jul15-17_ml-12.jpg)
Peter Wright and Shawn Brenneman shake hands before the match at the PDC's World Series of Darts Festival at Tropicana hotel-casino on Friday, July 14, 2017, in Las Vegas. Morgan Lieberman Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/8890999_web1_spt-kantowski-jul15-17_ml-13.jpg)
Shawn Brenneman competes in the second leg at the PDC's World Series of Darts Festival at Tropicana hotel-casino on Friday, July 14, 2017, in Las Vegas. Morgan Lieberman Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/8890999_web1_spt-kantowski-jul15-17_ml-14.jpg)
Peter Wright with a nervous reaction to his previous series of throws at the PDC's World Series of Darts Festival at Tropicana hotel-casino on Friday, July 14, 2017, in Las Vegas. Morgan Lieberman Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/8890999_web1_spt-kantowski-jul15-17_ml-16.jpg)
Peter Wright takes a moment to reflect at the PDC's World Series of Darts Festival at Tropicana hotel-casino on Friday, July 14, 2017, in Las Vegas. Morgan Lieberman Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/8890999_web1_spt-kantowski-jul15-17_ml-17.jpg)
Shawn Brenneman with a throw at the PDC's World Series of Darts Festival at Tropicana hotel-casino on Friday, July 14, 2017, in Las Vegas. Morgan Lieberman Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/8890999_web1_spt-kantowski-jul15-17_ml-18.jpg)
Peter Wright in the third leg of the match at the PDC's World Series of Darts Festival at Tropicana hotel-casino on Friday, July 14, 2017, in Las Vegas. Morgan Lieberman Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/8890999_web1_spt-kantowski-jul15-17_ml-19.jpg)
Spectators show their support at the PDC's World Series of Darts Festival at Tropicana hotel-casino on Friday, July 14, 2017, in Las Vegas. Morgan Lieberman Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/8890999_web1_spt-kantowski-jul15-17_ml-20.jpg)
Spectators show their support at the PDC's World Series of Darts Festival at Tropicana hotel-casino on Friday, July 14, 2017, in Las Vegas. Morgan Lieberman Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/8890999_web1_spt-kantowski-jul15-17_ml-22.jpg)
Peter Wright in the third leg of the match at the PDC's World Series of Darts Festival at Tropicana hotel-casino on Friday, July 14, 2017, in Las Vegas. Morgan Lieberman Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/8890999_web1_spt-kantowski-jul15-17_ml-23.jpg)
Peter Wright in the third leg of the match at the PDC's World Series of Darts Festival at Tropicana hotel-casino on Friday, July 14, 2017, in Las Vegas. Morgan Lieberman Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/8890999_web1_spt-kantowski-jul15-17_ml-24.jpg)
Peter Wright taking out his darts at the PDC's World Series of Darts Festival at Tropicana hotel-casino on Friday, July 14, 2017, in Las Vegas. Morgan Lieberman Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/8890999_web1_spt-kantowski-jul15-17_ml-25.jpg)
Peter Wright and Shawn Brenneman show support towards each other at the PDC's World Series of Darts Festival at Tropicana hotel-casino on Friday, July 14, 2017, in Las Vegas. Morgan Lieberman Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/8890999_web1_spt-kantowski-jul15-17_ml-27.jpg)
Spectators show their support at the PDC's World Series of Darts Festival at Tropicana hotel-casino on Friday, July 14, 2017, in Las Vegas. Morgan Lieberman Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/8890999_web1_spt-kantowski-jul15-17_ml-28.jpg)
Minnesota resident Jon Ulness shows his support for the last few minutes of the match at the PDC's World Series of Darts Festival at Tropicana hotel-casino on Friday, July 14, 2017, in Las Vegas. Morgan Lieberman Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/8890999_web1_spt-kantowski-jul15-17_ml-29.jpg)
Minnesota resident Jon Ulness shows his support for the last few minutes of the match at the PDC's World Series of Darts Festival at Tropicana hotel-casino on Friday, July 14, 2017, in Las Vegas. Morgan Lieberman Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/8890999_web1_spt-kantowski-jul15-17_ml-30.jpg)
Minnesota resident Jon Ulness shows his support for the last few minutes of the match at the PDC's World Series of Darts Festival at Tropicana hotel-casino on Friday, July 14, 2017, in Las Vegas. Morgan Lieberman Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/8890999_web1_spt-kantowski-jul15-17_ml-31.jpg)
Fans document the victory walk of Peter Wright at the PDC's World Series of Darts Festival at Tropicana hotel-casino on Friday, July 14, 2017, in Las Vegas. Morgan Lieberman Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/8890999_web1_spt-kantowski-jul15-17_ml-32.jpg)
Peter Wright in the last leg of the match at the PDC's World Series of Darts Festival at Tropicana hotel-casino on Friday, July 14, 2017, in Las Vegas. Morgan Lieberman Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/8890999_web1_spt-kantowski-jul15-17_ml-33.jpg)
The winning prize at the PDC's World Series of Darts Festival at Tropicana hotel-casino on Friday, July 14, 2017, in Las Vegas. Morgan Lieberman Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/8890999_web1_spt-kantowski-jul15-17_ml-34.jpg)
The winning prize at the PDC's World Series of Darts Festival at Tropicana hotel-casino on Friday, July 14, 2017, in Las Vegas. Morgan Lieberman Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/8890999_web1_spt-kantowski-jul15-17_ml-35.jpg)
Peter Wright post-match in an interview at the PDC's World Series of Darts Festival at Tropicana hotel-casino on Friday, July 14, 2017, in Las Vegas. Morgan Lieberman Las Vegas Review-Journal
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/8890999_web1_spt-kantowski-jul15-17_ml-36.jpg)
Peter Wright post-match in an interview at the PDC's World Series of Darts Festival at Tropicana hotel-casino on Friday, July 14, 2017, in Las Vegas. Morgan Lieberman Las Vegas Review-Journal
It was big-time darts, USA vs. England, and countries close to England, on Friday at Tropicana Las Vegas. It was the second darts match I witnessed this week.
This is what happens during the All-Star respite.
The appetizer was on dramatized TV. It was F. Scott Fitzgerald, writer of fine American novels and short stories, vs. his father-in-law on “Z: The Beginning of Everything.”
It was a grudge match set in the 1920s, which shows how long darts has been a sport, or at least a cool thing to do while one is quaffing beer with one’s mates. It has been only recently since darts has exploded out of public houses on the other side of the pond and into ballrooms and convention areas and onto TV, on Fox Sports 1, on this side.
Chris Myers was in the house Friday, and so were close to 1,000 people flashing “180” placards and wearing these “180” headband antenna things, 180 being the highest three-dart score. Some wore dartboard hats, or dressed as one.
“In Europe, they’re betting on it now — all the big tournaments are sponsored by betting companies — and the television ratings have gone through the roof,” said Houston Hartwell Reed, a local enthusiast who sometimes answers to “Ol’ Darts Coach” and authors a newsletter called “Toeing the Oche,” an expression for stepping up to the throwing line.
“Not necessarily just England. Ireland, Germany, France, Netherlands. It’s been tremendous. And with television coverage and ratings comes money, and there’s more money than there’s ever been.”
Throwing treble 20s
The format for the U.S. Masters was the best American amateurs against the best British touring pros, minus Phil “The Power” Taylor. Taylor, 56, from lyrical Burlslem, Stoke-on-Trent, England, used to make toilets before darts came spilling out of the public houses, and with all respect due Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt in the movies, that’s as good as it gets.
Taylor is considered the Babe Ruth of darts. He’s the guy you’d least like to meet in a darkened public house if you were from this side of the pond and considered yourself a fine thrower, because The Power could hustle you like Van McCoy. You’d be halfway to Cheddleton, counting from 501 backward, before you knew what hit your wallet.
Alas, there was no Power to be felt at the Trop. Phil Taylor pulled out with an unspecified illness. Bummer.
The Trop’s temporary darts hall is in a distant upstairs corner known as Trinidad Pavilion. To get there, you followed the wild-eyed blokes who were singing “Oh, Gary, Gary — Gary, Gary, Gary, Gary Ander-son” — a paean to Gary Anderson, “The Flying Scotsman,” who makes his home in Burnham-on-Sea, England, enters the darts hall to “Jump Around” by House of Pain and is ranked No. 2 in the world.
WINNER! Gary Anderson whitewashes Jayson Barlow to book his spot in the Quarter-Finals. #VegasDarts pic.twitter.com/myw8bcADKm
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) July 14, 2017
That’s so good
By the time the beefy Yank DJ Sayre toed the oche with Daryl “Superchin” Gurney of Ireland, the ballroom looked eerily similar to those grainy newsreels from the Prohibition Era, where G-Men took axes to kegs of beer and sent it spilling down the street.
Pffft! Pffft! Pffft! went the darts as they pierced the board around the treble-20.
“One-hun-dred-ayyyyyyy-tee,” roared the British public address announcer, sounding like bad weather rolling in from the North Sea.
Clank! clank! clank! went beer bottles into yawning trash cans just as soon as the round was over.
Beefy Yank DJ Sayre won the first leg, but Daryl Gurney of Ireland won six of the next seven. The Fratellis’ “Chelsea Dagger” — aka the Chicago Blackhawks’ hockey anthem — was played as the darts throwers embraced. “That’s so good!” the British announcer roared, a reference to Gurney’s walk-up music, Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline.”
The prelude and denouement to big-time darts is raucous — if you’re a boxing fan and remember what the MGM sounded like just before Ricky Hatton fought Floyd Mayweather Jr. or Manny Pacquiao, that pretty much describes the scene.
En route to the press room to inquire of the whereabouts of Phil “The Power” Taylor, I heard the now familiar sound of Pfffft! Pffft! Pffft! from an adjoining cubicle. It was Gary Anderson. “The Flying Scotsman” was deftly flicking practice 180s in near solitude, just down the causeway from where rivers of beer were being spilled and wild-eyed blokes were singing his praises.
WINNER! Gary Anderson whitewashes Jayson Barlow to book his spot in the Quarter-Finals. #VegasDarts pic.twitter.com/myw8bcADKm
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) July 14, 2017
Contact Ron Kantowski at rkantowski@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0352. Follow @ronkantowski on Twitter.
U.S. Darts Masters
What: USA vs. England and other European darts-throwing countries
Where: Trinidad Pavilion, Tropicana Las Vegas convention area
When: Noon Saturday
TV: Fox Sports 1 (9 p.m., delayed)
Tickets: troplv.com