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norbold

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Posts posted by norbold

  3. Posted · Edited by norbold

    2 hours ago, BOBBATH said:

    With the sad death of Ray Cresp,  Gote Nordin moves up to #16, with Bob Andrews as first reserve and now Reg Luckhurst at 2nd reserve-this is getting a bit too close to home. I saw Reg in his only World Final- 1965 I think.

    I know what you mean, BOBBATH. I saw Reg when he was just 24 and a young up-and-coming reserve for New Cross!

    P.S. Strangely enough he rode in the same 1964 West Ham team as Ray Cresp.

    P.P.S. Reg "liked" a Facebook post of mine today!

  4. Posted

    Sad news, BOBBATH. I saw him when he rode for West Ham in 1964, when Dave Lanning described him as "the droll leathery-faced slick-gating Aussie" practically every time he mentioned him in his programme notes! He was a valuable member of the team and was, indeed, a fast gater. Although he only had one year at West Ham he was a top rider for about 10 years or so with Ipswich, Poole and, as you say, Long Eaton amongst other teams.

    I believe he made one world final, in 1961 in Malmo.

    • Like 1

  6. Posted

    17 hours ago, BOBBATH said:

    Thanks Split for the origin of the nickname Anchor for Norman Hunter- how is Norman these days. I am trying to recall but didn't he leave West Ham in or around 1967-went to Wolves and looked like a real world beater till he had a bad accident. I always enjoyed his riding

    I had a chat to "Anchor" at the recent West Ham day at the Speedway Museum. He seemed very well and in good health. He told me that the reason he wanted to leave West Ham was because he was the No.3 there (behind Sverre and Hurri-Ken), whereas he could be no.1 at most other tracks. He said he put in a transfer request but didn't hear anything. Then someone said to him, "It's a shame you withdrew your transfer request because Wolverhampton were hoping to sign you." He said he hadn't withdrawn his request. Apparently, Dave Lanning had notified the SCB that Hunter had withdrawn his request because he didn't want to lose him. Hunter, of course, soon put that right!

    From his comments about Lanning, it seemed that 55 years later he still hadn't forgiven him and certainly isn't his number one fan!

    • Like 2

  8. Posted

    It was a season of two halves for the Hammers. Unbeatable after the middle of August, a bit vulnerable before. 
     

    Incidentally, I saw Dick Bradley a few times. Once for Southampton against a "Provincial League Select" at New Cross in 1961. That was the only time I ever saw Southampton.

    • Like 1

  9. Posted

    7 hours ago, BOBBATH said:

    On another thread I postulated that if Dick hadn't been injured in that first BL season- (and Newport didn't get a replacement )- we could have finished much higher in the League and perhaps champions.

    No chance, BOBBATH. No-one could have beaten the all-conquering Hammers that year! :D

    • Like 1

  16. Posted

    12 minutes ago, JohnHyam said:

    I always understood Squire Waterman was called 'Split' because of his laugh?

    I've seen at least three different explanations for his nickname...

  17. Posted

    17 minutes ago, Beirao said:

    If Ken had been spared, would he have sought a move south to a First Division track, just as Jack Young did? Seems likely and it would probably have had the same impact on attendances at Ashfield. Johnnnie Hoskins seems to have pulled off quite a coup selling Willie Wilson to Belle Vue for a reputed £1500, quite a sum in these days.incidentally Johnnie was the manager at Belle Vue at the time.

     The open licence season in 1953 was a real case of flogging a dead horse. There was never any chance of it succeeding. 

    He did ride for New Cross in 1947.

  20. Posted · Edited by norbold

    Next Wednesday (29 June) at 6:10 p.m. on Talking Pictures Channel: Look at Life Riding it Rough. 1961. "A look at the sport of speedway racing…"

    • Like 5

  22. Posted

    1 hour ago, iris123 said:

    Just my opinion of course but Dave Lanning was better on the mic than on paper. Reading back, most of his stuff is quite painful to read

    It used to amuse my friends and me that every time he wrote about Peter Moore or Ray Cresp, he always used the same introduction, "Droll leathery faced slick-gating Aussie...."

    • Haha 1

  24. Posted

    On 6/15/2022 at 3:56 PM, customhouseregular said:

    Once upon a time nobody got seeded. Everyone from the World Champion down started the next year from scratch. Didn’t stop Mauger winning 6, Fundin winning 5 or Briggs winning 4.

    Peter Craven was seeded direct to the 1956 World Final; Barry Briggs was seeded direct to the 1958 and 1959 World Finals; Ronnie Moore was seeded direct to the 1960 World Final.

    • Like 2

  25. Posted

    4 minutes ago, chunky said:

    That drives me crazy!!! Particularly at the start of a race, when they list each rider's current points - which are usually wrong...

    One of the things that drives me a bit crazy (not totally!) is when Kelvin and whoever he is with at the Grand Prix can't work out who has qualified for the semis and either still give riders a chance of qualifying when they have none or questioning whether someone can still qualify when they can't be overtaken.

    • Like 1
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