BullShooter Magazine July 2015 Number 7 Volume 32 | Page 16

acer’s
age
The 30th anniversary of the world’s greatest dart tournament, the
“BullShooter World Challenge of Champions” was a resounding success.
The air was full of electricity as players from around the world displayed the skill and sportsmanship that has made both the BullShooter,
and the game of darts itself, so special. As always, there were dreams
realized and hopes crushed. Both the thrill of victory and the agony of
defeat were in ample supply. This darter, along with his partner, K.C.
Jones, came out victorious in a tremendous match in the Pro 501 Doubles
finals in the Bullpen. The next day when I sat down to talk to him, he
was still filled with joy from that victory.
Let’s talk to Joel Ramos. Joel lives in Rochelle, Illinois along with his
wife Christina and children Kylie, 7, and Sergio, 3. For the past 10 years
he has been employed by Delmonte Foods. As you will soon learn, this
darter truly believes in the old adage, “To be the best, you have to play
the best”.

Joel Ramos
Pacer: Joel, you reached a point
where you decided to do whatever
it took to become a great dart player. That journey has taken you a
lot of miles the past few years.
Joel: Tom, Rochelle is a great little town and I love playing there.
But I realized to improve I had to
go out and find some stiff competition if I wanted to reach my potential as a dart thrower. Rochelle
offered fun time darts, and I went
looking for competitive darts.
Pacer: Many players in that position are completely happy to be a
big fish in a little pond. They are
content to beat the same people

over and over. If they are happy
with that, God bless them, but I
don’t think they really give themselves a chance to be their best. In
your case, you left the pond and
jumped right into the ocean (both
laughing).
Joel: What I really did was take
advantage of the great players in
Illinois and Wisconsin. I played
in Allied Games Master League in
Rockford with Gator (Gary Kieper)
and I play in a league in Wood Dale
that is loaded with great players.
(The Chicago area includes players like “Big Dog” Van Deursen,
Joey Beecroft, Jimmy Damore
16

and Mike Maloney, just to name a
few). Also, for the last few years
I have been driving to Janesville,
Wisconsin to play in a league with
guys like Ben Dersch and Scott
Kirchner.
Pacer: My God, you’re not afraid
of competition are you?
Joey: No, I use it to push me.
Whatever, or wherever, it takes to
be a better player I do it.
K.C. and I won the winner’s
bracket in the Pro Doubles and
Darin Young and Larry Butler
were undefeated in the AA Pros.
We were all in the Bullpen waiting for our championship matches.