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Very sadly, my avatar (see left) – the great Jocky Wilson – has died, despite being a walking advert for a healthy Scottish lifestyle.
Jocky came from an era when men were proper men and sport was gleefully infused with fags ‘n’ booze.
In this Olympic year, we need to ask ourselves whether Sir Chris Hoy could belt round the velodrome after ten Embassy and six pints of heavy? I think not. Will Jessica Ennis score higher following a decent fried breakfat and several glugs of Buckie? I have my doubts.
Yet despite such handicaps, Jocky was the epitome of an Olympian citius, altius, fortius as he reached the zenith of his sport, leading him to be described as ‘one of the world’s great athletes’ (albeit by Sid Waddell).
Never again will we see an athlete so pished he manages to fall off stage (1986 World Chapionship quarter-final v Dave Whitcombe) and I think the world, and sport itself, is the poorer for it.
We now face a sporting future forever condemned to a Lewis Hamilton-type anodyne state of meaningless soundbites and tiresome huffs. Annoy Jocky and he’d have just fetched you one – the truly poetic statement of the real sportsman.
God, I miss him already.
Mike
Hear hear, consistency personified at the highest level.
Darts being a true man’s sport however, will probably not bother with a minutes silence next Thursday evening, leaving fans to just toast his passing with a half dozen pints and a pack of Rothmans, just what he would have wanted.
A truly moving eulogy Mikelarge; you are the Neville Cardus of darts obituaristsTommy Cox, Wilson’s manager from 1988-1996, said:
"In the 1980s there wasn’t a person in the country who didn’t know who Jocky Wilson was. Jocky transcended the whole spectrum of life in the UK. It’s a very sad day because Jocky was loved by so many people for the great character he was."
Crikey! Did Churchill get better? And will Alex Salmond?
The memories of Jocky will linger: foremost the nicotine-creosoted fingers, so admirably displayed in close-up when drawing the darts from the board
And of course, he will always be known for Top Of The Pops’s truly unbelievable blooper…cue Dexy’s and ‘Jackie Wilson Said’ (the uninitiated should keep an eye on the background):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvDlx4yvyaI&feature=fvst
Mike
R.I.P Jocky
Always remember had tickets to see him play an exhibition in East Kilbride many years ago. In the week leading up to this the Daily Record ran a story on how Jocky was off the booze! He was literally carried out the exhibition after drinking half pints of vodka and coke!!
Jocky was a big star in the heyday of TV darts coverage when he played some classics with the likes of household names such as John Lowe, Leighton Rees, Bobby George and the "Crafty Cockney" himself, Eric Bristow.
His toothless grin and Scottish grit will live on in the memory.
Sid Waddell used to call him the "Fife Flyer", as well as occasionally calling him "John Thomas Wilson". Don’t know whether Waddell (or "WiDELL" as we had to pronounce it) was deliberately having a snigger about the "John Thomas" bit.
Mick Fitzgerald and Ted Walsh insist on saying "John Thomas McNamara" instead of JT but I don’t think they realise.
Still can’t believe that Top of the Pops cock-up, with the picture of Jocky on show when it should have been Jackie Wilson.I’m not sure that was a cock-up Crusty, think it might have been a consciously staged prank by the TOTP team.
Have admit that I was always more of a Geno Washington man, but in any case RIP Jocky.
Drink got the better of Jocky Wilson. After the darts limelight dimmed, he became something of a recluse. He hit upon hard times and was rarely seen in public.
Sid Waddell was one of the few men Jocky allowed to interview him. When he met up with him ten years ago, he was shocked and saddened by Wilson’s appearance and living conditions.
Waddell re-counted a funny story about Wilson.
Jocky wasn’t renowned for looking after his gnashers and frankly, he didn’t give a hoot about his dental appearence. Wilson told Sid that he was travelling in a car to a darts match one day when he was offered him some water.
Jocky declined, saying that his granny had warned him that the English used to poison their water, adding that this was the reason why he brushed his teeth with Fanta !
RIP wee man.
Gambling Only Pays When You're Winning
I know this is a racing forum, but a truly sad day for the sporting world. Only a young 62 R.I.P Jockey Wilson.
Jocky came from an era when men were proper men and sport was gleefully infused with fags ‘n’ booze.
In this Olympic year, we need to ask ourselves whether Sir Chris Hoy could belt round the velodrome after ten Embassy and six pints of heavy? I think not. Will Jessica Ennis score higher following a decent fried breakfat and several glugs of Buckie? I have my doubts.
Not quite in that league but I do have a vague memory that the ‘warming down’ technique employed by David Hemery (the 400m hurdles winner at the ’68 Olympics) revolved around a pipeful of St. Bruno
Good man
A truly moving eulogy Mikelarge; you are the Neville Cardus of darts obituarists
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