From hobby to international competition, Hampton man hits the bulls-eye

When Jeff Smith's auto body shop in Hampton, near Saint John, burned down in August 2019, there was nothing left but a pile of black rubble and the charred wooden frame of the building. But that loss pushed him to focus on a hobby that would end up taking him to Madison Square Garden in New York City.

He turned to darts, something he loved as a kid, and started practising at local bars and the local Legion, playing darts for meat while working a day job at a friend's auto shop. And if you're not familiar with that term, it means exactly what you think — the prizes include steaks.

Five months later, Smith decided he wanted to go pro. He flew to England to get a tour card that would let him participate in competitions run by the Professional Darts Corporation. 

"If there was ever a time and opportunity to give it a go, that was going to be my window," said the 47-year-old Smith, who threw his first dart at the age of six.

That decision led him all the way to the North American darts championship, in The Theater in Madison Square Garden. More than 3,000 spectators watched Smith beat fellow Canadian Matt Campbell on June 3.

You might think of darts as a game people play in a bar or pub, just for fun, but in fact the sport has a huge fan base. Smith said he is well-known in places all across the globe, even if he isn't recognized on the streets of Hampton.

"If Sidney Crosby walked through the streets of Hampton, everyone would know that he was there. Well, that's the same for me in England," he said.

But even in New Brunswick, the darts scene is growing. Smith said that anyone can get into the sport if they want, as long as they play as much as they can — play steak darts, go to tournaments, and join house leagues.

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