GM worker makes it big on darts scene
Jim Long is living the dream. The darts dream.
The 50-year-old GM worker from London, Ont., already has one win under his belt at the William Hill World Darts Championship. He goes for two Friday when he takes on Benito van de Pas, a 25-year-old from the Netherlands who is seeded 30th.
Long doesn’t have a world ranking. When he upset Northern Ireland’s Mickey (The Clonoe Cyclone) Mansell in the first round Saturday, they showed a dash in the space for world ranking on the big screen instead of a number.
The Canadian wasn’t fazed. He’s still pinching himself that he is in the 96-player field at Alexandra Palace in London, England.
“It was a real surprise ... I never, never would have thought I could be here,” he said.
The bookies were surprised, too, listing him at 2,500-1 to win it all.
Long, who had never been to Britain before, has his head on a swivel as he walks through the streets of London.
“It’s a shocker. I’m just absorbing it. A great time.”
He doesn’t know too much about his Dutch opponent other than he watched him on TV from his home the last two years at the tournament.
Long took part in a couple of events on the Championship Darts Corporation circuit in North America last year and decided to do more this year. There was plenty at stake with the top American and Canadian guaranteed a spot at the worlds.
“I had no hopes and aspirations to get here,” he said. “Usually they take one player from North America. And there’s a lot of us there.”
It went down to the last event in late August with Long finally booking his place. Long had already won the Canadian singles and doubles title. The world championship features competitors from 28 countries and a record purse of $4.2 million. It runs through Jan. 1 with the winner collecting $842,250. By making the second round, Long has already earned $25,540.