Like cricket, the game of darts is more popular in England than Canada. Yet Norfolk
County's Robert Sinnaeve, a Langton heating contractor, is very good at darts.
It all started when Bob took up darts in 1973 as an alternative to bowling, so he could spend more time with his future wife, Judy.
Bob was a founding member of the Tri-County Dart League and played for Carey's and Army & Navy in Simcoe. He played locally for the first five years, then began competing at the provincial and national level.
He was Ontario Champion five times, in 1978, 1980, 1983, 1984 and 1987; Canadian Champion five times, in 1979, 1983, 1986, 1987 and 1991; and All Canada Cup Singles Champion four times, in 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988.
Bob represented Canada at the World Masters in London, England in every year between 1979 and 1991. He represented Canada at the Pacific Cup in Australia in 1980, Hawaii in 1984 (where he won two Gold Medals), New Zealand in 1986, and Singapore in 1990. He represented Canada at the World Cup in Scotland in 1983, Australia in 1985, Denmark in 1987, Canada in 1989, and Holland in 1991.
He consistently placed in the top three on the Canada and U.S. Tournament Circuit in
singles, doubles and mixed matches, for six years, between 1985 and and 1991.
Bob was ranked number one in Canada from 1981 to 1992. At one point he was ranked as high as 4th in the world -- good enough to have his own signature line of darts.
He retired from competitive darts in 1992.
Bob and Judy now have three children: Lisa, Michelle and Adam.
Thanks to
2001 Induction profile by Don Stewart
with some original reporting by Guy Spurrier of London Free Press
