Leighton Rees

From Ffaith

Leighton Rees became the first ever World Darts Champion when he beat John Lowe 11 legs to 7 in the final of the inaugral Embassy World Darts Tournament in 1978. He received a trophy and a cheque for £3,000.

Rees, born in Pontypridd, together with Lowe, Eric Bristow and Jockey Wilson popularised darts and helped the game gain a mass following through their television appearances in the seventies and eighties. He was a member of the Wales team that won the very first WDF World Cup in 1977, when he was also crowned World Cup singles champion.

Leighton died in 2003 aged 63.

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