Wimbledon Dons 1935.

[Robbie B 262]

Many thanks for your input Norbold it's nice to have the averages and some new names for the team list that wasn't in the Wimbledon programmes in 1978.

Edited June 21, 2017 by Robbie B

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

Great stuff Norbold" really helped a lot , your figures did show that the spectacular Syd Edmonds was regressing a bit.

[Guest]

​The problem with getting these old team line-up is that they are mainly made up of those who raced in team events. In those days clubs also had contract riders who never appeared in a team match. That's why whatever list is produced they are also sketchy - I think that earlier in the 1930s that Alvin 'Spike' Rhiando was a contract Wimbledon junior. He later became a leading midget car driver and post WW2 appeared in big circuit Formula 500 car racing.

[Robbie B 262]

I totally agree with you there gustix but there's another issue regarding Wimbledon and that's their speedway office was completely destroyed by a bomb dropped by the Germans in 1943. Who knows what paperwork was lost during because of this incident.

Edited June 21, 2017 by Robbie B

[Guest]

You think 1935 was bad...1937 was a disaster! The newly installed promoter from Bristol must have wondered what he'd let himself in for as the Dons lost every fixture until September. Luckily, they managed to defeat Hackney and ended the campaign with a mere 2 victories.

 

And the Promoter in question, one Ronald W Greene! Luckily for the Dons fans, Mr Greene stayed around for another 33 years to oversee events at Plough Lane.

[Robbie B 262]

You think 1935 was bad...1937 was a disaster! The newly installed promoter from Bristol must have wondered what he'd let himself in for as the Dons lost every fixture until September. Luckily, they managed to defeat Hackney and ended the campaign with a mere 2 victories.

 

And the Promoter in question, one Ronald W Greene! Luckily for the Dons fans, Mr Greene stayed around for another 33 years to oversee events at Plough Lane.

 

 

And also don't forget sadly that promising Wimbledon junior rider Reg Vigors was tragically killed in a race at Plough Lane during the year.

[Guest]

Quite true Robbie B, very sad indeed.

[Guest]

South African rider Keith Harvey is listed as a possible 1935 member of the Wimbledon team. He also had links with other London tracks over the years - High Beech (King's Oak), Stamford Bridge, West Ham, Crystal Palace and New Cross. He was 32 years old when he made his speedway debut in 1929 and was past his 50th birthday when he retired at New Cross in June 1947. Although a South African, he never rode on speedway in his home country.

 

 

 

 

I have checked the Wimbledon team squads on the LONDON SPEEDWAYS website and Keith Harvey did not ride for Wimbledon in 1935 but he was with them in 1933. He moved on to West Ham for the 1934 and 1935 seasons. For those interested, LONDON SPEEDWAYS gives this as the 1933 Wimbledon rider squad:

1933 London teams:

NATIONAL LEAGUE

WIMBLEDON: Vic Huxley, Geoff Pymar, Wal Phillips, Gus Kuhn, Sid Jackson, Claude Rye, Alf Sawford, Fred Leavis, Ron Howes, Stan Lemon, Rube Wilson, Charlie Traynor, Sam Marsland, Jack Chapman. Ivor Hill. Dicky Hutchings. Reg Stanley. Arthur Warwick. Wal Phillips, Howard Traynor, Frank Arthur, Frank Bond, Ted Bravery, Charles Blacklock, Keith Harvey, Wally Hull, Tiger Lewis, Billy Lamont, Mick Murphy, Dicky Smythe, Bill Stanley, Ray Tauser, Harry Walther, Rube Wilson, Dicky Wise.

[Robbie B 262]

All those riders on Wimbledon's books in 1933 of course was due to the fact that Stamford Bridge closed down. And these riders followed new Wimbledon Chairman W.J. Cearns and the new company organising racing at Plough Lane called South London Greyhound Racecourses Ltd to the stadium.