HenryW 1,177 Posted November 13, 2020 1 hour ago, steve roberts said: I recall he was involved in a controversial decison whilst a referee but for the life of me can't remember what? He was the ref at the 1983 World Pairs Final and allowed PC back into the rerun after he appeared to fall on his own at the first bend in the race against the Danes...Not sure if that's the one you are thinking of? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest compost Posted November 14, 2020 Anyone know what happened to Hans Wasserman (Reading Racer 77-78) after his bad accident ? Always thought he was going to be the top German at Speedway until that accident but have never seen an update on his condition. Thanks Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve roberts 9,241 Posted November 14, 2020 (edited) 15 hours ago, HenryW said: He was the ref at the 1983 World Pairs Final and allowed PC back into the rerun after he appeared to fall on his own at the first bend in the race against the Danes...Not sure if that's the one you are thinking of? Perhaps he was also the referee in charge when Hans Nielsen literally fell over the tapes during one individual meeting? Edited November 14, 2020 by steve roberts Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skodaman 192 Posted November 14, 2020 21 hours ago, Tracy Bird said: Phil died in 2006,Steve earlier this year, I think there was a 4th brother Sam who managed the national side on occasions. Thanks for the info. A friend of mine emigrated to Australia to live with Phil. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
racers and royals 8,697 Posted November 14, 2020 1 hour ago, compost said: Anyone know what happened to Hans Wasserman (Reading Racer 77-78) after his bad accident ? Always thought he was going to be the top German at Speedway until that accident but have never seen an update on his condition. Thanks Sorry that i cannot give a current update but have found this photo of Hans on the right with his mechanic and long time friend Dougie Harris on the left(Dougie passed away in January 2014). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
London Racer 14 Posted November 14, 2020 37 minutes ago, racers and royals said: Sorry that i cannot give a current update but have found this photo of Hans on the right with his mechanic and long time friend Dougie Harris on the left(Dougie passed away in January 2014). What a great Photo, Dougie was an absolute lovely man who I had the pleasure of knowing for years and classed his as a top friend. Funniest man you could meet at times and the fact that all the top riders in the world respected him and always went to speak to him when they came to Reading showed a lot about him. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shrub 1,109 Posted November 14, 2020 I was at the meeting at Ipswich which ended Hans' career. As has probably been mentioned on here before it was the most innocuous looking gentle slide into the fence but his back hit one of the small wooden supports that held up the collapsible safety fence. The fans on the terraces were wondering what was going on, shouting 'get up' as they usually do when it looks like a rider's making a meal of it but that soon changed when the ambulance was called on. Still considered as the accident with the worst outcome at Ipswich on the 'new' track inside the old one. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HenryW 1,177 Posted November 14, 2020 12 hours ago, compost said: Anyone know what happened to Hans Wasserman (Reading Racer 77-78) after his bad accident ? Always thought he was going to be the top German at Speedway until that accident but have never seen an update on his condition. Thanks A bit before my time, so I don't really know of Hans, but have seen him mentioned online...assuming there wasn't any other Hans Wassermann who was a star of German speedway in the past! I believe that after the initial recovery from his crash he stayed involved with speedway, doing coaching for his local club and was instrumental in bringing Gerd Riss into the sport. Gerd and him still seem to be close, or at least in contact with each other. There were photos from Herxheim last year where Hans and Gerd brought an old bike of Hans' along and Gerd went out on track with it. The album of pics was on facebook but looks like it can be viewed without an account. Photo of Gerd and Hans together that day: https://www.facebook.com/MSVHerxheim/photos/a.2079089285543407/2079091315543204 Video of Gerd on Hans' old bike: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkLuXhZaiJM 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HenryW 1,177 Posted November 14, 2020 12 hours ago, steve roberts said: Perhaps he was also the referee in charge when Hans Nielsen literally fell over the tapes during one individual meeting? Ah...That was actually the same meeting, and in fact the same race as the one I mentioned, just the restart after PC had fallen. Rather blurry quality, but this video starts with the race in question: https://youtu.be/PZT2okwsw-g 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve roberts 9,241 Posted November 15, 2020 7 hours ago, HenryW said: Ah...That was actually the same meeting, and in fact the same race as the one I mentioned, just the restart after PC had fallen. Rather blurry quality, but this video starts with the race in question: https://youtu.be/PZT2okwsw-g Thanks for that...quite bizarre! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest compost Posted November 15, 2020 10 hours ago, HenryW said: A bit before my time, so I don't really know of Hans, but have seen him mentioned online...assuming there wasn't any other Hans Wassermann who was a star of German speedway in the past! I believe that after the initial recovery from his crash he stayed involved with speedway, doing coaching for his local club and was instrumental in bringing Gerd Riss into the sport. Gerd and him still seem to be close, or at least in contact with each other. There were photos from Herxheim last year where Hans and Gerd brought an old bike of Hans' along and Gerd went out on track with it. The album of pics was on facebook but looks like it can be viewed without an account. Photo of Gerd and Hans together that day: https://www.facebook.com/MSVHerxheim/photos/a.2079089285543407/2079091315543204 Video of Gerd on Hans' old bike: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkLuXhZaiJM Thanks for the info Henry. So the injury wasn't as bad as reported in the UK at the time - it was reported as permanently wheelchair bound (as Joe Owen & Graham Miles). The Riss connection is also very interesting. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bavarian 763 Posted November 15, 2020 (edited) 10 hours ago, compost said: Thanks for the info Henry. So the injury wasn't as bad as reported in the UK at the time - it was reported as permanently wheelchair bound (as Joe Owen & Graham Miles). The Riss connection is also very interesting. It was quite bad, he never ever fully recovered from it. Hans escaped the wheelchair but he could never properly walk again, just limping. And of course this injury ended his very promising speedway careeer. Edited November 15, 2020 by Bavarian 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest compost Posted November 16, 2020 12 hours ago, Bavarian said: It was quite bad, he never ever fully recovered from it. Hans escaped the wheelchair but he could never properly walk again, just limping. And of course this injury ended his very promising speedway careeer. Thanks for that. Good to find out, after all this time, that it wasn't a wheelchair (but sad that the injury ended his career and the after effects). Was going to Smallmead regularly when he rode for us and, after, Bernie Leigh, Hans was the Racer I admired the most. An exciting style he could/should have gone further. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve roberts 9,241 Posted November 16, 2020 3 hours ago, compost said: Thanks for that. Good to find out, after all this time, that it wasn't a wheelchair (but sad that the injury ended his career and the after effects). Was going to Smallmead regularly when he rode for us and, after, Bernie Leigh, Hans was the Racer I admired the most. An exciting style he could/should have gone further. Remember him taking part in the World Pairs Final at Belle Vue when paired with Egon Muller. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ghostwalker 1,858 Posted November 18, 2020 Magnus "Zorro" Zetterström has also joined the car salesman career. https://www.facebook.com/151054941442/posts/10158373775826443/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites