norbold

When I wrote my booklet, Two Wimbledon Legends, I asked a number of riders for their memories of Ronnie. I think this quote from Alf Hagon sums up Ronnie's skill and contribution to Wimbledon and speedway nicely: “I was Ronnie Moore’s partner at Wimbledon. He was by far the best rider I have ever partnered. He could do anything on a bike. They called him Mirac and he was. He could ride full throttle, half throttle, change directions, tootle round slowly, ride the inside line, ride the outside line. He would even shout instructions at me as we were going round."

Sad news today that Ronnie has died. Sincere condolences to family and friends.

Yes, Steve: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Crazy-Speedway-World-Bert-Harkins/dp/1909885169/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1534493612&sr=1-1&keywords=bert+harkins

Not one for cliches then, Odds On....

An impossible task, Sidney. Mine changes from day-to-day! Here's today's list (in no order) - FUNDIN - MAUGER - RICKARDSSON - FARNDON - BRIGGS - HUXLEY - NIELSEN - DUGGAN - WILKINSON - YOUNG. Come back tomorrow for a new list!!!!

Very sorry to hear this. Always figures in anyone's list of the all-time greats and probably could have won even more individual titles if he hadn't been such a committed team rider. Probably, in that respect, he actually was the greatest ever.

Let's face it, none of the riders in the final yesterday are likely to trouble the likes of Tai, Magic, Emil, Freddie or Bartosz very much next year, which is why they are in the qualifiers and not the GP. So we are really only looking for riders who might just make the top eight and all of those who qualified might just make that. But they have all qualified properly and the only way to overcome the "problem" would be to do away with the qualifiers altogether, which I guess not many here would agree with as we would then have to rely on picks, and who would be picked in their place? Again I can't see many riders outside the top 8 likely to challenge the top 5 or 6 at the moment. The alternative really is to encourage younger riders in order to give them the experience. Maybe bring back the automatic qualification for the Under 21 Champion? And/or reserve a couple of places for under 25s?

I think you completely missed Walter's little in-joke there. It wasn't aimed at you!

Indeed. But the point I was making was that the OFFICIAL record will always show Robert to blame.

Poor decision yet again by the ref. Of course, the important thing is that Jason Doyle is ok, or at least not too seriously hurt, but the problem is that by making that decision it means that Robert Lambert is now held officially to blame for whatever happens to Doyle, when, quite clearly, he wasn't.

Isn't it about time Nige and Kelv understood how the scoring works?

I'd say that was only true for a v ery limited period. His best years were really before and just at the start of the Big Five's dominance, from 1953-1954, when he was, indeed, one of the world's best riders along with Ronnie Moore and Jack Young and maybe just into the early days of Fundin, Craven and Briggo, 1955-1956. After that the Big Four of Moore, Craven, Fundin and Briggs began to dominate and Crutcher was left a little behind. Still a great rider but not quite in their league any more.

I left school in 1965 and went on to Teacher Training College. I had to make my choice in 1964, so for my first choice I chose Keswick Hall, which is about three miles south of Norwich. I was fortunate enough to win my place there. I chose it specifically so I could go to Norwich speedway. Of course, they closed at the end of 1964, between my successful application and going there!

Interesting to hear that the Aces are leading Belle Vue!

England won 76-47, scored under the 4-2-1 system. England: Ginger Lees 20, Eric Langton 16, Syd Jackson 15, Tiger Stevenson 13, Jack Parker 7, Wal Phillips 4, Tom Farndon 1, Claude Rye 0. Australia: Vic Huxley 12, Dick Case 8, Ron Johnson 8, Bluey Wilkinson 8, Lionel Van Praag 5, Ernie Evans 3, Jack Sharp 3, Max Grosskreutz 0.