“Laaaay-deez and gentlemen, welcome to the stage the 13-times World Champion Phil 'The Crafty Potter' Taylor.”
What do you mean there’s been a mistake? Aaah yes, Taylor’s nickname is of course ‘The Power’ but it wasn’t always thus.
When the Professional Darts Corporation took sway in the early to mid-90s, the organisation’s bosses encouraged all its players to follow in the footsteps of the legendary Eric 'The Crafty Cockney' Bristow by getting themselves a soubriquet.
That way, they reasoned, darts fans could identify better with the next generation of stars who would take over from household names such as Bristow, John Lowe and Jocky Wilson.
It was under this diktat that venerated TV commentator Sid Waddell took it upon himself to christen Taylor. But, in a departure from his usual brilliance, the best Waddell could come up with was 'The Crafty Potter', a reference to Taylor’s Stoke roots and the fact that Bristow was his mentor.
That predictably failed to catch on, but one tournament Taylor found himself walking out to Snap’s Electro hit “I’ve Got The Power” and, as luck would have it, the name stuck…
The origins of darts nicknames come about through a variety of ways. Londoner Bristow picked up his nom de guerre after drinking in the Crafty Cockney pub on a trip stateside. His famous playing shirt, which was emblazoned with his legend on the back, came from the same watering hole.
Some nicknames are handed out in reverence. For example, the dashingly handsome Steve Beaton was one of those people who hit the rollover jackpot in the genetic lottery. Men wanted to be him, women wanted him and so it was no surprise that he was christened 'The Bronzed Adonis'.
And Beaton’s modern day successor in the pin-up stakes, Dutch Cristiano Ronaldo hunkalike Jelle Klaasen is also known as 'The Love Machine'.
Klaasen’s countryman Niels de Ruiter is also obviously at ease with his personality, handing himself the name 'Excellent Dude'.
Others are not so lucky. For instance, Adrian Lewis goes by the name of 'Jackpot'.
Sadly for him, the pet name is a reminder of an episode at the 2005 Las Vegas Desert Classic when he won £40,000 on a slot machine as a 20-year-old – but couldn’t claim the prize as US law says you have to be 21 to gamble!
As the only player to step up to the oche wearing a shirt, tie and waistcoat, Rod Harrington's sartorial standards earned him his 'Prince of Style' moniker.
'Hawaii 501' Wayne Mardle is Essex born and bred but gets his handle thanks to the eye-wateringly loud Hawaiian shirts he favours plus the starting score in darts.
One of the all-time greats of the sport Bob Anderson is known as 'The Limestone Cowboy' due to the fact he used to live near limestone hills and enjoys country and western music. Anderson once lived up to his nickname in spectacular style by arriving on the stage on the back of a stallion.
Fellow Hall of Famer John Lowe fares somewhat worse, carrying the soubriquet 'Old Stone Face', although the balance is redressed somewhat with the suitably reverential 'the Legend'.
There is also a big movie influence. Proud Scotsman Jamie Harvey revels in the epithet 'Bravedart' and has even filmed TV commercials while wearing a kilt with his face painted blue in the manner of Mel Gibson’s Hollywood epic.
And imposing Canadian John Part ensures people are aware of his nationality and fondness for sci-fi hokum Star Wars with his sinister 'Darth Maple' nomenclature.
Ted 'The Count' Hankey also famously gets into character, even going so far as to arrive on stage wearing a cape and false fangs in homage to Transylvania’s most famous blood-drinking castle dweller, Dracula.
And we could go on and on… at the 2005 UK Open there were 142 competitors – and 120 had nicknames.
Proof, if it were needed, that the tradition of darts nicknames will never die out.
