Gay Speedway Riders

[Grachan 7,362]

Oh for heaven's sake everyone. This is like one of those Christmas quizzes. Bob Paulson is my guess.

[BOBBATH 467]

That's right Grachan it was Bob Paulson-also thanx for putting the Southampton v Norwich stuff on youtube-great to see Bannister Court again.By the way does anyone recall when Bob sadly died.

[frigbo 518]

1981 or 2 i think

[speedyguy 20]

Oh for heaven's sake everyone. This is like one of those Christmas quizzes. Bob Paulson is my guess.

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That was my elimination. I went through the Sheffield biographies to find a rider who died seven years after retirement. It fitted Bob Paulson. Does anyone have a transcript of his inquest? RIP.

 

 

 

http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/oldtimespeedway

[spin king 1,923]

Okay everybody happy that the mans name is out, at the time I did not know when he retired in either 74/75 I wuold only be 10 or 11, it was later that I was told he was gay, after his death.

I vaguely remember that the inquest said that he had suffered for quite a few years with depression, no mention that he was having problems with his sexuallity.

[Tigerblade 221]

Maybe circumstances were part of the depression - bear in mind it would still have been a huge stigma back then to a lot of people of Bob's (and his parents') generation.

 

I don't really want to prolong the debate any further so I'll keep it to that!

[Bobbin' Along 5]

Martin Hewlett died from a stroke aged 20 years. Lief Whallman in a track accident. The sad matter in this case is that the rider apparently took his own life seven years after his retirement.

http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/oldtimespeedway

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Martin died from a brain haemorrhage - after one of the best meeting's he'd had. I was referring to Lief Whallman's racing incident.

[WATigerman 1]

That's right Grachan it was Bob Paulson-also thanx for putting the Southampton v Norwich stuff on youtube-great to see Bannister Court again.By the way does anyone recall when Bob sadly died.

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I believe Bob Paulson died in 1982

[marcusthepom 7]

well well you have done it again,i have been away working and when i get back onto this forum your getting your kicks upsetting the regulars

but hey i like your style mate,i dont think when i rode there were to many sam javalin boys.but bob keep up the good work after a long period of time you may win a few more mates like myself.kiss kiss

[BOBBATH 467]

The main point of this thread may have been that if anyone does suffer from depression these days, get help,medication has greatly advanced and depression is often due to a chemical imbalance-lack of serotonin-which can be fixed.No need to suffer-after all if you had a pain in your knee you would get it fixed so same goes for a pain in the head. No shame to that .Who knows, if the same meds had been available twenty years ago Bob might still be with us today.

[Ian 24]

It would be neglectful not to mention how accomplished a rider Bob Paulson was.

 

I remember him appearing in the very strong Sheffield sides of the mid-sixties, along with other newcomers like Arnold Haley. Sheffield always seemed to be able to come up good quality riders who nobody had heard of before. Bob, in fact, became the Tigers skipper.

 

I hadn't heard until this thread that he was dead. Tragically, speedway certainly seems to throw up more than its fair share of suicides.

[speedyguy 20]

On the site

 

www.sheffield-tigers.co.uk

 

 

there is this biog on Bob Paulson:---

 

 

PAULSON, Bob - Born: Chilworth, Derbyshire 27 March 1942

Loyal club man who spent the whole of his ten year career at Sheffield. Burst onto the scene in 1965 and was in such a rich vein of form the following year he was selected for the prestigious Internationale event at Wimbledon. Although 1966 proved to be his best season, Bob remained a steady middle order scorer until his retirement in 1974 and spent many years as captain of the Tigers. Scored nearly 2000 points in official fixtures and was part of the famous cup winning team of 1974. He retired at the end of that season and was awarded a testimonial the following year. Bob sadly died in the winter of 1982.

 

Matches Rides Points Bonus Total Average

304 1236 1574 265 1839 5.95

 

 

http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/oldtimespeedway

Edited October 30, 2007 by speedyguy

[TigerTom 0]

Bob Paulson was a god servant to Shefield speedway. A good captain and always willing to give a young lad an Autograph.

 

He was involved in the first bend fatality of Ivor Hughes at Cradly Heath. That must have been a terrible thing to live with. I believe Bob stayed at a relatives pub in downtown Sheffield in his racing days and just after. Always had a clean bike and ultra clean leathers!

 

Funnt how you remembr things. Cradley were at Shefield on the Thusday night with the retun at Cradly on the Saturday I believe. Remember geting Ivor's autograph on the Thursday then he was killed!.... Hard to register on a young lad at the time.

 

I have been very fortunate to have never seen a speedway fatality and I hope I never will.

Edited October 30, 2007 by TigerTom

[BOBBATH 467]

Thanx Tom-I never ealised Bob was involved in the Ivor Hughes accident which I clearly recall-Ivor was from a little place called Berriew in mid-Wales

[spin king 1,923]

Thanx Tom-I never ealised Bob was involved in the Ivor Hughes accident which I clearly recall-Ivor was from a little place called Berriew in mid-Wales

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Have to admit I did not realise that Bob was involved.