Joe Dodd

Joe Dodd is a retired English professional darts player who competed in the 1980s, reaching a highest world ranking on number 8.

Early life

Joe was born in Sunderland in 1946. At the age of 5, Joe contracted polio and spent the majority of the next 5 years of his life in hospital. It was during this time that he dreamt of playing sport for his country, but he had no idea what event it would be.

Personal life

Joe married his wife Daphne in 1970. They have 2 children, Darren and Marie, and 4 Grandchildren.

Darts career

Joe started playing darts aged 23. Towards the end of the 70's he had begun to forge a strong reputation on the county scene and in open tournaments. He represented both Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire at county level, where he went by the nickname of The Bulldog.

The biggest win of Joe's career came in 1982 when he won the prestigous Embassy LV tournament beating Yorkshireman Brian Langworth in the final.

He competed at the 1982 BDO World Darts Championship and defeated Tim Brown 2-1 in the first round but was defeated in the second round 2-0 by John Lowe.

Joe also enjoyed great success in the playing for Tottenham in the London superleague, at the time probably the strongest in the country. In 1983 he enjoyed a profitable evening, winning the singles, pairs (with Dave Whitcombe) and the mixed pairs (with Sharon Kemp) on the same night.

Joe made 11 appearances for England, winning 8 matches. He made his debut at the Sunderland Empire Theatre against Scotland, beating Jocky Wilson 3-2 for his first win.

Joe worked as a darts professional from 1979 - 1988, most of his work came from darts exhibitions at pubs, clubs and holiday camps. His exhibitions were regarded as being one of the most entertaining of the 80's, where he would demonstrate a number of darting trickshots such as beating opponents throwing his darts backwards or when throwing 6 inch nails. He would also put a newspaper over the dartboard and hit bullseyes or 180's through the paper! He would often appear at exhibitions alongside former world championship runner-up Dave Whitcombe.

Joe now lives in Buckingham and works as a forklift truck driver. He still plays darts locally and represents the Shellswell Inn in the Oxfordshire superleague.