Sad day for darts.

Rest in peace Sid

Just seen this on the BBC breaking news - such sad sad news - RIP Sid, you will be sorely missed

OMG. That is so sad. The voice of darts has finally been silenced.

RIP Sid.

RIP

sad day indeed R.I.P

Such a great loss of a True Legend, RIP Sid

R.i.p Sid, a true legend of the game.

RIP Sid. You will be greatly missed.

Just woke up and saw that on Facebook. Very sad day for darts indeed.

Darts commentary will never be the same again. Sid was one of a kind. R.I.P.

OMG......that sucks...commentary will never be the same for darts!!! R.I.P Sid!!!!!!

From the BDO site:

RIP SID WADDELL

Sid Waddell has passed away at the age of 72 after a long and brave battle with bowel cancer. He lost his battle on Saturday, August 11th when he passed away peacefully.

Sid, known as 'the voice of darts' was the commenator on the very first Embassy World Professional Darts Championship in 1978 and stayed with the BBC until 1994, during which time he developed his unique and quirky commentary style.

He was an iconic figure who will be sadly missed by all in the darts fraternity.

The BDO sends sincere conmdolences to his family and friends. Darts will be all the poorer without his presence.

From the PDC site:

Sid Waddell Passes Away

DARTS commentator Sid Waddell has died after a long battle with illness.

Waddell passed away peacefully just a day after his 72nd birthday following an 11 month fight with bowel cancer.

A statement from his manager Dick Allix was released at midday on Sunday reading: "With great sadness, we announce that following a long illness, broadcaster and author Sid Waddell died peacefully with all his family around him late last night, Saturday August 11 2012."

Known as the 'voice of darts', Waddell had commentated and written on the sport for over 40 years and was well known for his flamboyant style which epitomised the modern sport of darts.

Many of his phrases have been immortalised in broadcasting folklore, including "There's only one word for it - magic darts" and famously, when describing five-time World Champion Eric Bristow, "When Alexander of Macedonia was 33, he cried salt tears because there were no more worlds to conquer...Bristow's only 27."

Waddell, born in Northumberland and a passionate Newcastle United supporter, also commentated on 9-ball pool and wrote popular children's TV programmes Jossy's Giants and Sloggers, as well as having 11 books published.

He had worked for Sky Sports since 1994 and was a regular fixture at all PDC events until becoming ill during 2011. Despite undergoing treatment for cancer, he managed to return to the commentary box for one-off appearances at the World Championship and Premier League earlier this year.

All at the PDC send their deepest condolences to Sid's family at this sad time. Darts will miss him.

Also from the PDC site:

"He Was Our Top Dog"

TRIBUTES have poured in for Sid Waddell, who died on Saturday evening aged 72.

The legendary darts commentator lost his battle with cancer almost a year after first being diagnosed, and leading figures from the darts world have been remembering the man known as the 'Voice of Darts'.

Barry Hearn, PDC Chairman
It's terrible news and our thoughts go out to Irene and his family. Sid was the Voice of Darts and we wouldn't be where we are today without him.
He was such a major part of darts, a really nice fellow who no-one had a bad word about.
He was wonderful to listen to, with his university education he was tremendously intelligent and whether it was Greek mythology or Marxism he always found a way of pulling a quote out relating to a darts match.
He's up there with the legendary commentators in sport and he kept his passion for darts with him every time he went in to the commentary box.
He was totally unique and brought that excitement in to people's living rooms to add to the entertainment that the players created.
He had so much respect for the players and hated that snobbishness that some people looked down on darts with - he brought the game in to the 21st century.
He was fun to be around, you never saw him down and he looked forward to every match as it was the most important thing in his life. He loved life and whether it was writing or broadcasting he lived it 100 percent and gave it 100 percent.
We will mark Sid's memory appropriately to ensure he lives on in darts long in to the future.

Eric Bristow, five time World Champion
Sid was part of our history, he's been there since the beginning in 1973. He was fun and crazy and people loved listening to him.
There will never be another Sid, he was a one-off - so excitable and hyperactive, when you were commentating with him you'd have to turn your microphone off he'd make you laugh so much.
Every sport has a great commentator and he was ours, he was our top dog and we will all miss him so much.

Barney Francis, Managing Director, Sky Sports
We will all remember Sid's wonderful words, his great sense of humour and his passion for the sport he loved.
Sid was a friend to all of us at Sky Sports, at the heart of our darts coverage since the early 1990s. He was a wonderful man and we will all miss him deeply.
Our thoughts are with him and his family at this sad time.

Dave Clark, Presenter, Sky Sports
Everybody used to fight to get in to the commentary box with Sid. There was a memorable moment when he was commentating with Stephen Fry at the Premier League Final and he asked Stephen Fry if he was enjoying it - he turned to him and said: "Sid, I'm like a pig in Chardonnay."
Sid was loved by us all, he was a one-off, a genius and so much fun to be around. He made the world a brighter place and it's heartbreaking that he's gone.

Meanwhile, players and fans alike have been tweeting their sympathies and favourite Sid memories.

Wayne Rooney, Piers Morgan and John Prescott are amongst the thousands of people sending messages of condolence.

You can read them all on the @officialPDC twitter page and leave your own messages there or on our Facebook page.

Didn't know he wrote Jossy's Giants that was great kids tv that.

Only a day after his birthday too, sad.

R.I.P. Sid

"Jocky Wilson what an athlete"

RIP Sid Waddell.

R.I.P. Sid Waddell

A few weeks behind there mate.

chrisbamb wrote:

A few weeks behind there mate.

I think its Sids funeral today, maybe that`s why Rab posted.

correct Big, topics merged