‘This is disrespectful’ – Seething darts world champion launched live TV rant over PDC snub
Its fair to say that the PDC World Darts Championship has seen some huge personalities triumph in its 30-year history. From the legendary Phil Taylor to popular Dutchman Raymond van Barneveld and the fiery Gerwyn Price, the annual British showpiece has delivered winners who will live long in the memory of fans. GettyPhil Taylor has won an astonishing 14 World Championship titles[/caption] And if there is one figure who has certainly left their mark on the competition over the years, it’s three-time world champion John Part. A two-time victor on British soil, the Canadian was the first non-Brit to become world champion when he ended Taylor‘s run of eight consecutive world title victories in 2003. Part tasted glory again in 2008, winning the first championship held at its now famous Alexandra Palace venue. Despite his impressive achievements however, the 58-year-old’s most memorable moment arguably came away from the oche. Back in December 2012, Part, nicknamed ‘Darth Maple’, famously launched into a furious live rant after he was left out of the portraits of former champions at Ally Pally. Despite also tasting victory at the 1994 BDO World Darts Championship, Part was denied a mural on the wall, with Taylor, van Barneveld and Adrian Lewis instead being honoured. And its fair to say that the star was far from pleased with this, as he went on to blast the decision in an interview with Sky Sports after his first-round win at that year’s tournament. Speaking to Dave Clark, Part said: “I love it here. It’s a great stage. “It’s great to look around the auditorium, except when you don’t see your mural up.” After Clark commented that the Canadian was a notable exemption from the mural, Part then called for fans to challenge the decision. Credit: YouTube: @FrankWestOffTheRecord John Part was furious after being snubbed in the gallery of champions ahead of the 2013 PDC World Darts Championships[/caption] Credit: YouTube: @FrankWestOffTheRecord Sky Sports’ Jim Clark was visibly amused by Part’s live rant[/caption] Referring to himself, Lewis and Taylor, he said: “Listen, there’s three guys [here] that have won a PDC World Championship twice. “And there’s three murals up and I’m not one of them. Let’s all write in and complain, OK?” A furious Part then turned his attention to Clark, asking: “This is not right. Was I lucky to win twice?” After the presenter replied: “No”, the darts champion fired back: “Well maybe I was, because I’m not up there!” Despite Clark appearing amused by his ongoing rant, Part remained totally serious as he revealed his disappointment at being left out at the expense of 2007 champion van Barneveld. He went on: “I looked around and I saw that. I said: ‘What? You’ve got to be kidding me’. Really, I did. Raymond van Barneveld was given a portrait at Ally Pally ahead of Part, despite only winning the PDC World Championship onceGetty “This is disrespectful. OK, Barney, great player, sure. But he’s only won this one once. And it was a great win. Fantastic win. Maybe the best win ever. “Still, where does that put me?” A seething Part then vowed that the snub would only motivate him to continue winning, as he laughed: “Listen, as long as I keep seeing stuff like that, I’ll win. I don’t like it!” Ultimately however, he was unable to back up his fighting talk as he was then beaten by Terry Jenkins in the next round and eliminated from the tournament. Part never managed to add to his two titles, with his final Ally Pally appearance coming in 2015, and now features at the tournament in a punditry capacity working for Sky Sports.
Its fair to say that the PDC World Darts Championship has seen some huge personalities triumph in its 30-year history.
From the legendary Phil Taylor to popular Dutchman Raymond van Barneveld and the fiery Gerwyn Price, the annual British showpiece has delivered winners who will live long in the memory of fans.
And if there is one figure who has certainly left their mark on the competition over the years, it’s three-time world champion John Part.
A two-time victor on British soil, the Canadian was the first non-Brit to become world champion when he ended Taylor‘s run of eight consecutive world title victories in 2003.
Part tasted glory again in 2008, winning the first championship held at its now famous Alexandra Palace venue.
Despite his impressive achievements however, the 58-year-old’s most memorable moment arguably came away from the oche.
Back in December 2012, Part, nicknamed ‘Darth Maple’, famously launched into a furious live rant after he was left out of the portraits of former champions at Ally Pally.
Despite also tasting victory at the 1994 BDO World Darts Championship, Part was denied a mural on the wall, with Taylor, van Barneveld and Adrian Lewis instead being honoured.
And its fair to say that the star was far from pleased with this, as he went on to blast the decision in an interview with Sky Sports after his first-round win at that year’s tournament.
Speaking to Dave Clark, Part said: “I love it here. It’s a great stage.
“It’s great to look around the auditorium, except when you don’t see your mural up.”
After Clark commented that the Canadian was a notable exemption from the mural, Part then called for fans to challenge the decision.
Referring to himself, Lewis and Taylor, he said: “Listen, there’s three guys [here] that have won a PDC World Championship twice.
“And there’s three murals up and I’m not one of them. Let’s all write in and complain, OK?”
A furious Part then turned his attention to Clark, asking: “This is not right. Was I lucky to win twice?”
After the presenter replied: “No”, the darts champion fired back: “Well maybe I was, because I’m not up there!”
Despite Clark appearing amused by his ongoing rant, Part remained totally serious as he revealed his disappointment at being left out at the expense of 2007 champion van Barneveld.
He went on: “I looked around and I saw that. I said: ‘What? You’ve got to be kidding me’. Really, I did.
“This is disrespectful. OK, Barney, great player, sure. But he’s only won this one once. And it was a great win. Fantastic win. Maybe the best win ever.
“Still, where does that put me?”
A seething Part then vowed that the snub would only motivate him to continue winning, as he laughed: “Listen, as long as I keep seeing stuff like that, I’ll win. I don’t like it!”
Ultimately however, he was unable to back up his fighting talk as he was then beaten by Terry Jenkins in the next round and eliminated from the tournament.
Part never managed to add to his two titles, with his final Ally Pally appearance coming in 2015, and now features at the tournament in a punditry capacity working for Sky Sports.
