BOOK REVIEWS
Autobiography
Old Stoneface: My Autobiography
John Lowe
We Rate:
BOOK SYNOPSIS
John Lowe is one of Britain's greatest ever darts champions. Unruffled on the oche, even in the face of the greatest challenges, 'Old Stoneface', as John is known became an indomitable force in the darts world. With every major darts accolade under his belt, his name has gone down in the history of the game.
It was fate that kick-started John's career in the sport when, one evening he was asked to take someone's place during a match. Had it not been for this, John would have followed his father down the mine and led quite a different life.
In this fascinating book, John speaks candidly of his two marriages, the glamour and the strain bought about by jetting around the world to play tournaments, as well as tales from all the major matches and what he really thinks about his big-name opponents. A must read for any sports fan.
OUR REVIEW
Today, the modern era of darts is filled with the relentless drive of professional players but in the days of 'Old Stoneface' it was the epitome of the pub pastime we all loved and John's career was something special and played a huge part in why the public loves the game today.
The East-Midlander was a Champion from the off, always destined to be one of the big boys of the game. He wasn't the flashy character that flooded the game in the 70s and 80s, he let his darts do the talking on the oche and he became one of the leading stars in the game, but without the need for anything over-dramatic.
A three-time Champion of the World, he fought some legendary battles with the likes of Jocky Wilson, Eric Bristow and Bobby George, all of whom were the characters we all loved to see in the game. But we always had the respect of 'Old Stoneface' the players did too. He was perhaps more alike to today's professionals, calm and composed and a will to win.
As. founding member of the PDC, he also helped to grow the modern game and some of the BDO/PDC story is a brilliant read from someone right at the forefront of the dispute. His longevity in the game is a testament to this too, playing his first Worlds in 1978 and last featuring in 2005 and four decades of darting quality.
If you love this great pastime, want to know about the forefathers of the modern game we see today and look back on the great rivalries we saw, then this book is for you!
