Split

Thanks for the prompt response! Strangely (without double-checking the entries), I thought the bio was correct and that the world final appearance was an error. I've always thought Dick Fisher only came good in the mid 60's having been considered a second string at Belle Vue with Craven, Johnstone and Duckworth the heat leaders. As you rightly say though, he definitely rode in the 1956 world final and with a C.M.A of 8.40, he finished 9th in the National League averages that year.

In Wikipedia's results for the 1956 World Championship final, Dick Fisher is shown as finishing 12th with 5 points. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1956_Individual_Speedway_World_Championship In his Wikipedia bio he is shown as only having ridden in the 1963 and 1964 finals. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Fisher_(speedway_rider) Can anybody clarify this?

Like Norbold, I saw my first race at New Cross but a few months later in September 1960 when Wimbledon were the visitors. The race finished Moore, Tebby, Waterman, Luckhurst (fell) and I think that sadly, only Reg is still with us. I wonder how many people have seen the reigning world champion win the first ever race they ever saw. Okay, Ronnie Moore did relinquish the title when he was runner up to Ove Fundin at Wembley a few days later.

Not sure on which thread I should post this but anyway .... In the link below it states that, "The very first oval earth track, purposely built for motorcycle racing, in Scandinavia and most likely in Europe opened in Bagsvaerd, a suburb north of Copenhagen in 1920." I know that it’s generally accepted that the “first speedway meeting ever” was held at the West Maitland Showground in Australia in 1923. So, it’s possible that the style of racing at this Danish track was not speedway as we know it. However, according to Wikipedia, Morian Hansen stated riding in 1928 so presumably there were Danish riders before him. http://speedwaylife.com/danish-tracks/history/

My mother was at New Cross when the great Tom Farndon was fatally injured so she was there well before 1946

You'll find "The Complete History of the Speedway / Wills / Embassy Internationale by Robert Browne" here: https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/wimbledoninternationale.pdf

Briggs, Craven, Knutson, Fundin.

My first world final was 1962 won by Peter Craven. It was the one that featured four of the "big five" in heat six. They ended up as the top four on the night although not in order they finished that race. The other member of that illustrious quintet (Ronnie Moore) finished joint fifth.

Just noticed that there are seven swedes in the top twenty and three of them won the World Championship with one runner-up. Maybe it's the saunas that keep them fit and well.

I recall a mechanics' race being part of the end of season fun at Wimbledon. The time in the programme was shown as Hours ... Minutes ...

I only have to go down to Ray Wilson at number 34 to find a rider younger than I am - that's really scary!

I know how you feel. Oh, how I wish that speedway would return to New Cross but of course it's a forlorn hope. I was hoping that somebody would come up with the idea of building a speedway track around the football pitch when Millwall relocated (like Wembley in the old days) but I suspect that it would have been impractical.

It's surprising that Ivor Brown couldn't force his way into that team when we consider the success he had in later years with Cradley Heath.

Johnny Hoskins sometimes invited celebrity guests to appear during the interval at News Cross. I recall Nero and the Gladiators (a rock band of the 60's) being paraded around the track on the grader. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nero_and_the_Gladiators The team setting fire to Hoskins' trilby became a tradition which took place on the centre green during the interval to amuse the crowd. I assume that he eventually ran out of hats to wear.

The point I was making is that not necessarily on this forum, but generally it is only the winners of the official World Championship who get the recognition they deserve. Some of the names on that list come up when THE best rider ever is discussed (over to you Norbold). A combination of the suspension of world finals during World War Two and one tragic accident prevented these riders from having the opportunity to register a win in the official competition.