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 Bob Murdock. A good friend of mine and a good friend of darts, was sadly taken away from us
on March 28, 2004.
I first met Bob on the Queen Mary at Long Beach, California
in 1977. Over the next 27 years, we became good friends. When the North American Open Dart Tournament moved to Las Vegas, Bob’s pub, The Happy
Valley Inn at Nellis, became our practice home. Darters from all over the world would head out to The Happy Valley Inn, and Bob
and his wife Marcki would organize knockouts and great parties.
After each NAODT, a gang of us, mainly Cliff Lazarenko, Barry Twomlow,
David Brook, and Dick Allix would go to Bob's home for a farewell barbecue.
Bob did the best ribs in the world. Mind you, I used to tease him by telling him we had been to Tony Roma's for their great ribs. He would just look at
me, shake his head and say, “Now don't upset me John Lowe.”
Barry Twomlow and I would take on Bob and Marcki for our yearly match of
cribbage. Bob kept a five dollar note with both our signatures on from the first time they beat us. This note would come out every year to remind us who
the champs were. We used to get riles when Marcki dealt. It always looked shady. The cards were shuffled and on the table before we knew what was
going on. She had learned her trade well.
We would sit outside after dinner, Cliff, David, Barry and I, listening to Bob’s
wonderful stories about his times in Chicago and the many gangsters he knew. When the bottle of Reme was finished, it was time to go back to our hotel.
I managed to get Bob to come to Chicago for the Windy City shoot, he drove
all the way from Vegas. He had arranged to take Cliff and I to meet Pnook,
the last of the Capone era. I remember when he picked us up that Thursday morning. His head was shaking in that meaningful way only Murdock did.
“Something’s wrong,” I said to Cliff. It was. “Sorry guys, Pnook died on
Sunday,” Bob said. He didn’t die in vein, though. Off we went to a downtown bar and drank Absolute, neat, with a twist of lime, Bob’s favorite tipple.
After the 1995 NAODT, Bob drove the now famous four, Two Ton Cliff, Too
Tall David, Too Late Lowe and Too Nice Murdock (not sure who gave us those names) down to San Diego, were we golfed, sailed and partied with Mike and
Michelle Enright. The following year, 1996 Bob fixed up a week long trip to Utah, again fishing and golf was on the menu, this time we were joined by
Jay Tomlinson, the publisher of Bull’s-Eye News. This was the trip where I met up with Mohammed Ali for the second time.
In 1999, Bob and Marcki were best man and matron of honor to Karen and I
at our wedding at Mandaley Bay in Las Vegas. I remember well the lady minister pronouncing us man and wife, accompanied by Murdock sniffling,
while wiping a few tears from his eyes.
I remember Charlie Sheen once said, “Who’s that guy with Bob Murdock?”
Well, that’s what Mike Enright told me when we met the famous movie star at brunch.
Happy times? You bet! All good memories. Bob Murdock was one of life’s
good people. Kind to others, but suffered fools lightly. I was very proud to
have known Bob. He was more than a friend. I laughed with him. I joked
with him. I listened a lot to him. I ate and drank with him. I will miss him.
Many people around the darting community will be saddened by the news.
We have truly lost a great man, but the memories he gave us will live on forever.
God bless Marcki and Bob’s family.
Good bye great friend.
—John Lowe
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