Rab Smith: A Scottish Darts Icon
Ask anyone who knew him or witnessed his performances, and there is no doubt that Rab Smith was among the finest darts players of his era.
He competed against and triumphed over some of the sport's giants, including Eric Bristow, John Lowe, and Bobby George.
In his standout year of 1977, the Scottish player came very close to attaining the world number one ranking.
However, five years later, he chose to leave the professional circuit and return to his family in Dumfries and Galloway.
Following his passing last month, many knowledgeable about the sport and the man have paid tribute to his legacy.
Born in Moniaive, Dumfries and Galloway, in 1948, Smith attended Wallace Hall Academy in Thornhill before working in forestry.
As a teenager, he frequently traveled to Dumfries to play darts, where his talent quickly became evident.
He made his debut for Scotland in 1973 and represented the national team until 1982, serving as captain for five years.
"In the late 1970s a Scottish national team without Rab Smith was unthinkable," said Patrick Chaplin, a historian of the sport known as Dr Darts.
"During 1977 Rab decided to go professional whilst title followed title as he appeared to be virtually unstoppable."
That year, among other achievements, he won the Evo-Stik Golden Darts tournament, where the champion received an 18-carat gold set and a £1,000 prize, earning him the nickname Mr Golden Darts.
"When the world rankings were announced in early 1978, Rab Smith was in fourth place," Chaplin added.
"If he had won just one more major tournament during 1977, he would have been number one."
Brief Celebrity Appearance
Smith also gained a moment of unusual fame in the 1981 film An American Werewolf in London. When the lead character turns on a television, a match briefly appears featuring Smith against Cliff Lazarenko.
"Rab Smith, a neat, dapper, little character," the commentator remarks in the film.
Retirement at the Peak
Despite remaining at the top of his sport and being one of its most recognizable figures, Smith retired from professional darts in 1982.
He explained his decision to Chaplin:
"The kids were young and I was never at home; sometimes being away six days a week.
I didn't want to lose my family life so I gave up."
Local Admiration and Friendship
Graham Lennox from Dumfries, who grew up watching Smith and later played alongside him in the local league, spoke of the player's enduring talent and character.
"I used to watch this guy on the telly and then all of a sudden I'm sitting playing darts with him and listening to his stories," Lennox said.
"In the Dumfries League, he stood out like a sore thumb - nobody could touch him.
Most people would see they were drawn against Rab Smith and that was them beaten straight away."
Beyond his sporting prowess, Lennox described Smith as a remarkable person and lifelong friend.
"A nicer guy you couldn't meet, an absolute diamond of a guy," he added.
Peers Recall a Gentleman and Champion
Wullie Burns from Irvine also praised Smith's exceptional skill in darts.
"When I first met Rab, I was maybe about 18 years old and he was a superstar of Scottish darts at the time - before Jocky Wilson and people like that," Burns recalled.
"There was none better in Scotland at that time, and there were maybe only two or three in the world."
Burns became acquainted with Smith through fellow international Rab Fotheringham, traveling to matches together and playing county darts for Ayrshire, as Dumfries lacked a team then.
"At that time he was beating John Lowe, Eric Bristow, Leighton Rees, Alan Evans, all these boys."
Burns noted that even Eric Bristow, known as the Crafty Cockney, acknowledged Smith as a "cracking player" whom he nicknamed the Woodcutter from Dumfries.
"He was just a gentleman - a quiet, reserved gentleman with not a bad word to say about anybody," Burns said.
Davie Hanson of Scottish Darts Exhibitions shared similar sentiments, describing Smith as the "smartest dressed man in darts - always immaculate."
"He was a wonderful, wonderful player, he really, really was - and a heart of gold, an absolute gentleman," Hanson recalled.
"You're in the era of Eric Bristow, John Lowe, Cliff Lazarenko, all these kind of guys - Rab knew them all and beat them all."
Hanson believes Smith possessed the natural talent to compete in the modern era as well.
"There's got to be some natural ability and he certainly had it," he said.
"You can practice all day, every day for 10 hours, it doesn't mean you're going to be world champion.
You've got to have something extra - and Rab Smith definitely had it."
