Olly Croft was one of the most influential protagonists in darts for almost four decades, having set up and run the BDO from its inception in 1973 until he was voted off the board in August 2011.
12 Facts About Olly Croft
1.
2.
Olly Croft began playing darts himself in 1961 for the Harringay Arms in Crouch Hill and was playing seven nights per week.
3.
Olly Croft was born on 17 November 1929 to the North London tiler Oliver Olly Croft and his wife May Gladys, who later died while giving birth to his younger brother.
4.
Olly Croft's father remarried and his son was rebellious towards his stepmother.
5.
Olly Croft beat Croft and locked him in the home cupboard under the stairs in response.
6.
Olly Croft affiliated the British Darts Organisation as a founder member of the World Darts Federation which set up the World Cup and Europe Cup.
7.
Some top players became frustrated at lack of opportunities, and Olly Croft would become a central character in a devastating split in the game.
8.
Olly Croft - who was a salaried BDO official and lived rent-free in a BDO-owned property - was quoted as saying, "I don't owe any dart players a kidney stone".
9.
Olly Croft asserted that his British Darts Organisation set-up is for the good of all players and not just a select few.
10.
Olly Croft pioneered a system of county darts which still produces top players and in many respects built the game's foundation in the 1970s and 1980s.
11.
On 7 August 2011, Olly Croft was voted off the BDO board at their AGM ending 38 years as the main figurehead of the Organisation.
12.
Olly Croft died on 23 November 2019, shortly after his 90th birthday.