norbold

I think they could be trying to talk Savalas Clouting out of retirement.

Yes, sounds right to me. Anyway, I think we can say that Lionel Wills was the first domiciled Brit to ride proper speedway as we know it.

Yes, because at the time the Golden Helmet was being touted as the World Championship, that's why the article mentioned the World Championship and not the Golden Helmet. You say the Daily Mail article said, "With it mentioning Eric Langton and Haig as outstanding northern riders , and Burton, Jack Parker and Dicky Case having a strong for the south. And as Tom Stenner writes the committee should start arranging eliminating races between these riders." If you think about it, that is exactly how the Match Race Championship was run, i.e., by finding challengers and was not how the Star Riders Championship was run.

Yes, I know, but you were speculating on what the World Championship was they were referring to. I was just trying to explain what it was.

I don't think the Star Riders Championship was ever thought of as the World Championship, but, in 1931, the Golden Helmet Match Race Championship was promoted as the World Championship. Vic Huxley was match race champion in 1931 and that's what the article is about, i.e. finding challengers for the Golden Helmet.

That must be the first time we have ever agreed on anything, mick!

I know Ove quite well. We've met and chatted on numerous occasions. He is a real gentleman. The complete opposite of his on track persona!

Interestingly, Peter Oakes book, "The Complete History of the British League", has this in reverse. He says, "The 1969 World [Pairs] Final is no longer recognised by the FIM even though gold medals were awarded at the time."

I don't know. His autobiography, Speedway Walkabout, was published in the 1970s. He, of course, repeats the claim in that. I don't know if he had any earlier books published, though he did have a regular column in the Speedway News before the War, so he probably first mentioned it there. I'll do some research.....

Yes, it was 1959. He sat nearly all of the season out but came back for just one or two matches with Wimbledon just before the World Final. He was seeded direct to the final as reigning champion.

Do we know when the Hoskins claim was first made? When it first appeared in print?

Interesting that that report is from 1938 and not a mention of Hoskins!

Good stuff, irene. What date was that item?

It was the 1965 final. I have a note in my programme that says, "Meeting started 8.35. Rain started 8.36" and then another note at the end that says "Meeting finished 11:10".

I see I've been airbrushed out of history!