Kevin Spiolek
Encyclopedia
Kevin Spiolek is an English darts player who played during the 1980s and 1990s. He made a brief return to form in 2006 when qualifying to play in the PDC World Darts Championship
.
His best form came in the late 1980s where he reached the semi finals of the 1987 Winmau World Masters
losing to Bob Anderson
. In 1988, Spiolek reached the final of the prestigious News of the World Darts Championship
, losing to Mike Gregory.
Spiolek is one of the only players to have beaten Phil Taylor at the World Championship - having knocked him out in the second round at Lakeside in the 1993 World Championship
- the last time that there was a unified World Championship. Spiolek was eliminated in the next round - to date, two quarter-finals are the best results he has achieved in World Championships.
He joined the other top 16 players in 1992 who created their own organisation (the World Darts Council which later became the Professional Darts Corporation
). In 1994 he reached the final of the Greene King Masters - losing to Taylor. Spiolek played in the first seven PDC World Championships after the split in the game
with his best performance being another quarter-final in 1995.
He reached the final of the North American Cup in 1996 and the quarter finals of the World Matchplay in 1997 but then gradually faded from the scene. His performance in qualifying for the 2006 PDC World Championship
(where he lost in the first round to Peter Manley
) kept him in the top 100 of the PDC world rankings
until January 2008.
He had continued to play in the domestic Pro Tour events on the PDC circuit during 2005 and 2006 - playing in more than 10 events on the PDC Pro Tour
but he has remained inactive on the circuit since the Players Championship in Gibraltar
in January 2007. Due to this two-year inactivity, he is now unranked.
He now works as an Area Sales Rep for a stainless steel stockholder.
PDC World Darts Championship
The PDC World Darts Championship is a world championship competition for the sport of darts, organised by the Professional Darts Corporation . It was introduced following a dispute in 1994 with the British Darts Organisation, which has run its own world championship since 1978...
.
His best form came in the late 1980s where he reached the semi finals of the 1987 Winmau World Masters
Winmau World Masters
The Winmau World Masters is one of the longest running and most prestigious professional darts tournaments, which began in 1974 - even before the current World Professional Championship...
losing to Bob Anderson
Bob Anderson (darts player)
Robert Charles "Bob" Anderson is a former world darts champion. He was ranked as world number one for over three years in the late 1980s. Nicknamed The Limestone Cowboy, he lives in Clevedon in Somerset.-Before Darts:Anderson threw his first darts maximum at the age of just five...
. In 1988, Spiolek reached the final of the prestigious News of the World Darts Championship
News of the World Darts Championship
The News of the World Individual Darts Championship was one of the first major organised darts competitions, which began in 1927. It became England's first national darts competition from 1947 until its demise in 1990...
, losing to Mike Gregory.
Spiolek is one of the only players to have beaten Phil Taylor at the World Championship - having knocked him out in the second round at Lakeside in the 1993 World Championship
1993 BDO World Darts Championship
-References:...
- the last time that there was a unified World Championship. Spiolek was eliminated in the next round - to date, two quarter-finals are the best results he has achieved in World Championships.
He joined the other top 16 players in 1992 who created their own organisation (the World Darts Council which later became the Professional Darts Corporation
Professional Darts Corporation
The Professional Darts Corporation is a professional darts organization, established in the United Kingdom during 1992, when a group of leading professional players split from the British Darts Organisation to form what was initially called the World Darts Council...
). In 1994 he reached the final of the Greene King Masters - losing to Taylor. Spiolek played in the first seven PDC World Championships after the split in the game
Split in darts
The split in darts refers to an acrimonious dispute between top professional darts players and the game's governing body which began in 1992 and resulted in the formation of a new organisation to arrange tournaments - including a second version of the World Professional Darts Championship...
with his best performance being another quarter-final in 1995.
He reached the final of the North American Cup in 1996 and the quarter finals of the World Matchplay in 1997 but then gradually faded from the scene. His performance in qualifying for the 2006 PDC World Championship
2006 PDC World Darts Championship
The 2006 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship was held from 19 December 2005 to 2 January 2006 at the Circus Tavern. It was the 13th staging of the Professional Darts Corporation's version of the World Championship....
(where he lost in the first round to Peter Manley
Peter Manley
Peter David Manley is an English professional darts player who plays in the Professional Darts Corporation. He is nicknamed One Dart as he is known for hitting doubles with his first dart...
) kept him in the top 100 of the PDC world rankings
Darts world rankings
Darts world rankings are a system which should determine a list of the best dart players in the world based on their performances in tournaments...
until January 2008.
He had continued to play in the domestic Pro Tour events on the PDC circuit during 2005 and 2006 - playing in more than 10 events on the PDC Pro Tour
PDC Pro Tour
The PDC Pro Tour is a series of non-televised darts tournaments organised by the Professional Darts Corporation . They comprise Professional Dart Players Association Players Championships and UK Open Regional Finals.-Players Championships:...
but he has remained inactive on the circuit since the Players Championship in Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
in January 2007. Due to this two-year inactivity, he is now unranked.
He now works as an Area Sales Rep for a stainless steel stockholder.