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 Almost a decade has passed since the first time I saw a Master dart shooter at work. In November, 1994, I
went to the Witch City Open in Burlington, MA, to start the field research for my book To The Point: The Story of Darts in America (Rocheport: Pebble Publishing,
2001). The night before the tournament began, Eric Bristow and Keith Deller were booked to do an exhibition for the local youth darts league. I was able
to get an invitation to the event through the courtesy of Emmet Halpin, a well known Boston area youth darts promoter.
I had spent the spring of that year following the fortunes of a South Boston
dart team in the “E” Division play of the Minuteman Dart League. The “E” Division of the MMDL was, at that time, a middle bracket. A place for some
pretty good shooters, but well removed from the heights of the “A” and “Super A” Divisions and certainly far from the skill level of darts professionals. I had
spent that summer doing library research on the subject of darts and had an on-paper familiarity with most of the professional dart shooters of the time.
But even so, I was not prepared for the kind of skill that I would see at the Bristow-Deller exhibition and, in the following three days, at the Witch City
Tournament, which that year drew just about every top darts pro from Britain and America in attendance. (That was the year that Larry Butler took the
World Matchplay title in Blackpool, England and the “World War of Darts” had not yet blighted tournament participation).
To say that I was astonished at the level of skill that I saw that Thursday
night and throughout that weekend, would be a considerable understatement. Darts sailed mysteriously from hand to target, magically striking exactly
where they were needed. I noted the intensity of concentration, the lack of hesitation, the absolute confidence of the gathered dart Masters and had one
certain thought: I’ll never be that good. This is a thought that many dart shooters will recognize as a classic self-fulfilling prophecy.
Ten years later, George Silberzahn has some news for all of us who have had
that thought: You’re wrong, you can be that good, if you can take direction and find the necessary dedication. In his new book How to Master the Sport
of Darts (Columbia: Totem Pointe Books, 2004 - $14.95, ISBN 0974646202), Silberzahn sets forth a step by step plan that addresses the elements of all
level of darts play. This is a book of great value to any dart shooter, whether a beginner, a journeyman or a Master of the sport. I cannot imagine any
serious dart shooter today and in the future, who would not own and frequently consult this book.
How to Master the Sport of Darts should not be confused with either of the booklets that Silberzahn put out in the 1980’s (Beginning the Game of Darts
and Mastering the Sport of Darts). Although much of the material in this book draws from these previous manuals, the new instruction is much more
complete and comprehensive. For example, the “Practice Ranges” in How to Master the Sport of Darts leave no calculations up to the reader, as the
previous publications did.
In addition to providing the student of the British style of the sport with the
tools to deal with the intricate mathematics that are the foundation of that game, Silberzahn holds forth on winning strategies and tactics, attitude and
confidence building exercises. As a Master of both the British and American styles of darts, Silberzahn brings a unique perspective to the lessons he
teaches and it becomes clear that these lessons apply to all styles of darts, British, American and Soft-tip. As the student progresses through the
exercises and practices outlined in the 140 printed pages of the book, the underlying message sinks in – darts is not a mystery, darts is a challenging
sport, but one which can be mastered.
Then, having completed his lesson plan, Silberzahn completes the book with
lengthy interviews with nine of America’s top dart pro’s. Because they are speaking to Silberzahn as a respected peer and long-time friend, the
interviews are strikingly candid. The opportunity to hear the advice, commentary and personal experiences of these Master dart shooters in their
own words is alone worth the price of the book. Even the most casual of dart shooters will feel the thrill of coming this close to a conversation of equals
about darts with true Masters of the sport.
To hear Joe Baltadonis, Conrad Daniels, Frank Ennis, Ray Fischer, Julie
Nicoll-Jennings, Helen Scheerbaum, Bob Theide, Jerry Umberger and Danny Valletto talk about their dart careers, concerns and secrets of success, in
their own voices is something that simply would not be possible for most of us. George Silberzahn has gotten about as close to that experience as we
can get and I, for one, want to thank him for doing so. From a historian’s point of view, this material is invaluable.
I should note that I was honored to write the brief introduction in George’s book and that How to Master the Sport of Darts is currently available only at
the Bull’s-Eye News web site, www.bullseyenews.com and at amazon.com. It is expected to be in general distribution by late spring. For those of you
who would like to meet George and get your copy of his book autographed, I have it on good authority that he will be at The Virginia Beach Classic (March
26-28) to promote the book and, quite possibly, to shoot some darts.
How to Master the Sport of Darts is available from Bull’s-Eye News, PO Box
321, Pickerington, OH 43147 or online at www.bullseyenews.com  for
$14.95 plus $5.95 for shipping and handling (up to 4 different or same books). For faster service you can call 1.800.688.3278 and use your Mastercard or
Visa to order your copy.
To The Point: The Story of Darts in America is also available from Bull’s-Eye
News, PO Box 321, Pickerington, OH 43147 or online at www.bullseyenews.com for $19.95 plus $5.95 for shipping and handling (up to 4 different
or same books). For faster service you can call 1.800.688.3278 and use your Mastercard or Visa to order your copy.
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