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BOBBATH

Characters of the sixties

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8 hours ago, norbold said:

Talking of Sverre at West Ham, Christer Lofqvist was another amazing character at Custom House. Their swoops round the outside were the highlights of many a meeting.

Did Stanley Stevens bring the house down once did he beat Ivan ? Can remember reading  Brian Leonard beating Briggo once.

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1 hour ago, Sidney the robin said:

Did Stanley Stevens bring the house down once did he beat Ivan ? Can remember reading  Brian Leonard beating Briggo once.

... personally, Sid, that was one of the main attractions in my view watching a 'lesser' light beat a 'star'. Despite people groaning about the old T/S rule it did occasionally produce a heroic ride from a second string and/or reserve who managed to beat the tactical move and how it used to bring the house down!

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17 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

... personally, Sid, that was one of the main attractions in my view watching a 'lesser' light beat a 'star'. Despite people groaning about the old T/S rule it did occasionally produce a heroic ride from a second string and/or reserve who managed to beat the tactical move and how it used to bring the house down!

I was exactly the same Steve, three races that always stuck in my mind over the years was Bob Paulson beating Ivan in heat 1 at Hyde Rd  Rolf Gramstad beating Ivan at the Abbey,and Carl Blackbird beating and having a good record against Hans at Cowley.

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3 hours ago, Sidney the robin said:

Did Stanley Stevens bring the house down once did he beat Ivan ? Can remember reading  Brian Leonard beating Briggo once.

I don't remember Stan beating Ivan Mauger. I was there the night he beat Briggo though. That brought the house down. Can't remember Brian Leonard doing it, but he may have done.

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5 hours ago, norbold said:

I don't remember Stan beating Ivan Mauger. I was there the night he beat Briggo though. That brought the house down. Can't remember Brian Leonard doing it, but he may have done.

Spot on Norbold      Stan beat Briggo in heat 5 on  15/07/69 ( Briggs scored 14)and i was mistaken about Brian Leonard  beating Briggo it was in 1970 that i was thinking of  that was when Peter Bradshaw and Olle Nygren got a 5.1 over Barry.   Norbold any chance you could look up on your West Ham programme collection as i have a few with Leonard leading Briggo on the front cover it was a 1968 programmme but just wondered if the picture was definitely that year.

Edited by Sidney the robin

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Charlie Monk, Reidar Eide

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19 hours ago, Sidney the robin said:

Spot on Norbold      Stan beat Briggo in heat 5 on  15/07/69 ( Briggs scored 14)and i was mistaken about Brian Leonard  beating Briggo it was in 1970 that i was thinking of  that was when Peter Bradshaw and Olle Nygren got a 5.1 over Barry.   Norbold any chance you could look up on your West Ham programme collection as i have a few with Leonard leading Briggo on the front cover it was a 1968 programmme but just wondered if the picture was definitely that year.

The only 1968 programme I can find with a photo of a West Ham rider leading a Swindon rider on the front cover is for the West Ham v. Wimbledon meeting on 30 July 1968, which was a special 40th anniversary meeting. Is that the one you mean? I hadn't realised it was Leonard leading Briggs! All the other programmes that year just have a single rider portrait on the front. However, the photo on the 30 July meeting is a repeat of a photo first used for the final meeting of the 1967 season, on 17 October, against Long Eaton.

West Ham raced Swindon twice at home in 1967 and Barry Briggs beat Brian Leonard every time they met. Briggo also beat Leonard at Swindon.

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44 minutes ago, norbold said:

The only 1968 programme I can find with a photo of a West Ham rider leading a Swindon rider on the front cover is for the West Ham v. Wimbledon meeting on 30 July 1968, which was a special 40th anniversary meeting. Is that the one you mean? I hadn't realised it was Leonard leading Briggs! All the other programmes that year just have a single rider portrait on the front. However, the photo on the 30 July meeting is a repeat of a photo first used for the final meeting of the 1967 season, on 17 October, against Long Eaton.

West Ham raced Swindon twice at home in 1967 and Barry Briggs beat Brian Leonard every time they met. Briggo also beat Leonard at Swindon.

Thanks Norbold i have the Anniversary meeting 1968  with Leonard and Briggs on the front and the 1967 meeting you talk about i need to get  for my collection.I am missing 8 West Ham home  programmes  between  1967/70. Can  you remember Bradshaw/ Nygren beating Briggo??? thanks again Norbold.

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On 14/05/2018 at 12:57 AM, BOBBATH said:

No question white knight-that's what I mean by characters- Mike Watkin was a guy anybody could relate to-had time to talk to everyone-ditto Ernie Baker, Ken Sharples etc etc-also Geoff Penniket (plunkett) always good for a laff!!

Quite agree. I was in the same Sunday school, Boys Club and worked for the same company C A Parson's Turbines along with Mike as apprentices, and kept in touch for quite awhile but I believe he now lives in Middlesex. Was a county swimmer and ended his work days as a manager/coach at the southern swimming club. Was also in the same class as his first wife Penny. Was a nice easy going guy, but would not have included him in any list of 'characters'. Loved riding in the wet hence his name of "Mudlark" Watkin, and beat Barry Briggs at Newcastle in the mid 60's on the Monday after Briggo had won the World title on the previous Saturday.

One name not mentioned was Mike Hiftle, formally of Newcastle, but a stalwart of Halifax and Berwick. He was also a member at the same Boys Club as Mike and me, although he was a year or so younger. Mike was a genuine character with his loving and happy smile, and at our same school, he was always up to pranks and was always in trouble. Great fun but.

 

Edited by Tsunami
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On 15/05/2018 at 10:28 AM, Sidney the robin said:

I was exactly the same Steve, three races that always stuck in my mind over the years was Bob Paulson beating Ivan in heat 1 at Hyde Rd  Rolf Gramstad beating Ivan at the Abbey,and Carl Blackbird beating and having a good record against Hans at Cowley.

3 times in a meeting is a bit better than good.

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Hi Tsunami, actually I included Mike Watkin as a character for two reasons a) because he was such a good bloke b) because his fame as Mudlark had even spread as far as South Wales.  Chunky mentioned that the thread I started as characters of the sixties had started to include riders of later eras-and that is great because I enjoy reading all the posts. However I wonder if we should start a new topic "Many Many Years Gone By":wink:- I got thinking that I got into Speedway in 1964-(54 years ago)holy smokes-that would be like me meeting some old geezer in 1964 who started reminiscing  about stuff in 1910(not that I am an old geezer of course)!!!:):):)- P.S.just figured out how to add emoticons!!

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Lots of memories here, I started going to " the speedway" in 1965 at somerton park. Some things that stick in my mind from sixties & early seventies. Nigel Boocock " little boy blue", Garry Middleton, Reg Luckhurst, Olle Nygren, Etc, race jackets - for some reason the iconic Newcastle one, we had a few characters in our wasps team trough the period I remember vaguely a full on fight between 2 of our own riders Bill Andrew & Jon Erskine not far from where I was. The first time Ronnie Moore turned up with the Dons seemed like the return of of a King, , booing the likes of Ivan, Ole but not Briggo for some reason. I m not sure the racing was any better but I think the package was. 

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On 16/05/2018 at 9:51 AM, Sidney the robin said:

Thanks Norbold i have the Anniversary meeting 1968  with Leonard and Briggs on the front and the 1967 meeting you talk about i need to get  for my collection.I am missing 8 West Ham home  programmes  between  1967/70. Can  you remember Bradshaw/ Nygren beating Briggo??? thanks again Norbold.

Nygren and Bradshaw beat Briggo in Heat One of the match on 2 June 1970. I wasn't there but my friend went and gave me a filled in programme. His comment on this race was, "Pete and Olle were miles in front." Briggo was unbeaten for the rest of the night.

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3 hours ago, norbold said:

Nygren and Bradshaw beat Briggo in Heat One of the match on 2 June 1970. I wasn't there but my friend went and gave me a filled in programme. His comment on this race was, "Pete and Olle were miles in front." Briggo was unbeaten for the rest of the night.

He must have tied a bit more string to his Bike. ;):D

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2 hours ago, The White Knight said:

He must have tied a bit more string to his Bike. ;):D

...remember looking at 'Joe' Gooddy's bike at Poole once and it was literally tied together with bits of string and tape!

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