Jump to content
British Speedway Forum
Phil

Welcome To Your New-look Vsm!

Recommended Posts

Latest Issue

Welcome to your new-look VSM!

 

Issue No.49 - Volume 13 No. 1 - Spring 2005

 

Ivor Brown - Dave Lanning remembers the legendary Cradley Heath star who died recently. Brown was a hero to Heathens' supporters but a villain in the eyes of others. According to one of Brown's rivals: "There's good money to be earned in this league - from blokes in the pits offering a bonus if you can stuff Ivor Brown."

 

Max Grosskreutz - Part one of a fascinating, in-depth interview with the great former pre-war Belle Vue and Bradford racer. Steve Magro visited Max at his Australian home shortly before he passed away 11 years ago. This is the true story of the legendary Aussie captain…his progression from cane-cutter to national champion, joining the Aces of Manchester in 1930, the first England v Australia Test and the secrets of his revolutionary bike that had his biggest rivals baffled.

 

Museum Mission - Why Ivan Mauger is backing the bid to build speedway's national museum.

 

Great Britain v USSR - Looking back at the 1964 international clash that attracted a record crowd to Newport.

 

Collectors' World - Our regular, new column where our expert points out the do's and don't of bidding on internet auction sites. Also, the latest memorabilia gems to go under the hammer.

 

Ron Johnson - The rise and tragic fall of one of the all-time greats.

 

Wal Morton - At last, a memorial stone for the former Norwich ace.

 

Long Eaton - The 'lost years', when speedway first came to Station Road.

 

Exeter - The unique County Ground circuit, a 'quarter-mile killer'.

 

Letter from Johnnie - The great Johnnie Hoskins with one of his classic letters to a friend.

 

The Seventies - Remembering the prestige of the Wimbledon Internationale.

 

Dinner Dates - Bert Harkins reporting from the recent annual veterans' dinners north and south of the border.

 

Harry Edwards - the bizarre antics of the former Norwich favourite.

 

Plus our usual top-name columnists, Eric Linden and Ian Hoskins, and your letters.

 

 

So what are you waiting for?...Order your copy of VSM today. Subscribe

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Just a couple of observations about two items in the latest VSM:-

 

Re the Grosskreutz story:-

 

An inspection of Max's birth certificate doesn't reveal the regal name of "Maximilian" Octavius Grosskreutz - just plain old "Max". Exactly where the "Maximilian" came from, I've never been able to find out.

 

Re the Hoskins' letter:-

 

In the introduction to the letter, Moss Williamson is referred to as being "one of the early greats at Maitland and Newcastle Speedways in Australia".

I have researched the racing at those two tracks (as well as at Cessnock) and Williamson wasn't in the same class as the Datson brothers, Billy Galloway, Billy Lamont and Spencer Stratton. In fact, Williamson did very little racing at Maitland at all.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I would like to say I was a little disapointed with the very sketchy tribute!!!!! to the late Ivor Brown it makes you wonder how out of touch Dave Lanning is. Ivor promoted at Long Eaton for 5 years but was not mentioned. He had an average of over 10 points per match for 4 or 5 seasons but no mention. May be he should stick to darts and not give half hearted articals that do not do the subject justice. No disrespect to any others but 1 page of rubbish but 5 or 6 from another writers who cares. Get your act right or leave it to others who do care and respect their subjects.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I would like to say I was a little disapointed with the very sketchy tribute!!!!! to the late Ivor Brown it makes you wonder how out of touch Dave Lanning is. Ivor promoted at Long Eaton for 5 years but was not mentioned. He had an average of over 10 points per match for 4 or 5 seasons but no mention. May be he should stick to darts and not give half hearted articals that do not do the subject justice. No disrespect to any others but 1 page of rubbish but 5 or 6 from another writers who cares. Get your act right or leave it to others who do care and respect their subjects.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest Guest

I'd like to take the opportunity to make public my reply to comments made by Ian Hoskins in print in VSM re an article I wrote for that magazine.

 

I contacted the magazine and was asked to submit a letter of response to Hoskins. That I did. I was most disappointed that the letter was never published. A fellow Australian, Graeme Frost, was also moved to write a letter to VSM in which he backed my statement up. His letter did appear, for which I'm thankful.

Below is the email I sent to VSM:-

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Hello Tony,

 

Below is my response to Ian Hoskins which is in the form of a reader's letter as you suggested.

 

Ross.

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

 

 

I welcome this opportunity to respond to the comment made by Ian Hoskins in the Spring 2004 issue of VSM that I erred when writing that Johnnie Hoskins, Sig Schlam, Charlie Datson and Ron Johnson all travelled together to England on the Oronsay in 1928.

 

I have no doubt whatsoever that what I wrote is correct. Among items in my possession are the following:-

 

(a) an interview which appeared in the West Australian newspaper three days prior to the Oronsay's departure. This lengthy interview was with Johnnie Hoskins and it is stated clearly in the first paragraph that he was to travel aboard the Oronsay which was to sail on the Tuesday (April 10).

 

(B) the reports of the two meetings staged at Claremont during the Easter weekend of 1928 (April 7 and 9). These meetings marked the farewell appearances of the three riders in question. This is stated clearly, as is the fact that they were all departing on the Tuesday.

 

© the list of passengers who boarded the Oronsay in Fremantle - all 4 names appear on that list which was published in the Perth newspaper the day following the Oronsay's departure.

 

(d) extracts from a communication sent back to Australia by Johnnie Hoskins. In this letter, he describes life aboard the Oronsay whilst mentioning Schlam, Datson and Johnson. He also mentions a New Zealand rider who was aboard and makes reference (by name) to seven of the nine riders contracted to A.J. Hunting who were also passengers. Hoskins despatched this letter from Colombo during a stop-over on the voyage to England.

 

Ian Hoskins also wrote in his column in the Spring 2004 issue of VSM that he remembers sailing to England on the Bendigo in 1928. That vessel made two trips to England that year, one left Australia in February and the other six months later.

 

In Johnnie Hoskins' own book "Speedway Walkabout", he writes of leaving his family in Perth when sailing to England on the Oronsay. He also mentions that his family joined him later in the season.

 

 

Ross Garrigan.

Brisbane.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest

I remember this magazine in the days when it was owned by the late John Chaplin. I had a collection of most editions from the Chaplin era which I sold to a collector in the USA. 

Edited by Guest

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest

Further to my previous comment I now have a vague recollecttion that the late John Chaplin had a business partner for VSM. Was IT POSSIBLY Peter Lipscomb?

Edited by Guest

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On ‎5‎/‎24‎/‎2005 at 1:53 PM, Phil said:

Latest Issue

 

Max Grosskreutz - Part one of a fascinating, in-depth interview with the great former pre-war Belle Vue and Bradford racer. Steve Magro visited Max at his Australian home shortly before he passed away 11 years ago. This is the true story of the legendary Aussie captain…his progression from cane-cutter to national champion, joining the Aces of Manchester in 1930, the first England v Australia Test and the secrets of his revolutionary bike that had his biggest rivals baffled.

 

 

So what are you waiting for?...Order your copy of VSM today. Subscribe

Bit late on this, but Max didn't join the 'Aces of Manchester in 1930'...he joined Manchester White City. He joined the Aces a year later

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 4/30/2020 at 11:05 PM, gustix said:

Further to my previous comment I now have a vague recollecttion that the late John Chaplin had a business partner for VSM. Was IT POSSIBLY Peter Lipscomb?

Yes I remember Peter patrolling the terracing at Cowley selling the magazine.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now

×

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. Privacy Policy