i remember when...

[Guest BilaHora]

All

 

I remember when tape touching was not an offense. Seeing how speedway is today, with riders excluded under the two minute allowance while at the starting gate, the days when tape touching was not an offense seems like anarchy at the starting gate. It was at its worst during crucial meetings - especially the world final - with riders routinely seeking an advantage and rolling into the tapes. If I remember correctly, only breaking the tapes was an offense.

I remember the first year of the new tape-touching rule. It must have been 1984 - the year of Erik Gundersen's first world title and also the year of the so-called "Gundersen maximum", which consisted of three imperious wins and a tapes exclusion. Indeed, I went to watch Cradley Heath at Newcastle in 1984 and, sure enough, Mr Gundersen obliged with three wins and a tapes exclusion. It made little difference to the result as Cradley Heath triumphed 29:49 on a night when Phil Collins produced a maximum and Lance King also performed well.

From memory, the new tape touching regulation was tremendously controversial at the outset but, now, it seems like one of the most sensible regulations brought into the sport.

Perhaps one day BilaHora will see a "...racing incident" regulation introduced as he would wish.

Anyway, comments on this post very welcome, but, as the title of the thread suggests, if you have any particular memory of the sport, you can stick it down here as well.

 

Regards

 

BilaHora

[Matousek 0]

I have never forgot roman matousek and sean wilsons punch up in 1993 northern riders, sean got fined off referee and said he would never come back to sheffield!, changed his mind though!

[Guest BilaHora]

All

 

I remember when the Edinburgh programme described Berwick's Rob Grant as continuing to ride "...like an out of control Centurian tank".

 

Regards

 

BilaHora

[StevePass 3]

I remember Bruce Edger at Romford not managing to stay on for more than a lap

 

Steve P

[tape2tapevideo 0]

I remember some Canterbury fans lifting the then new Eastbourne calapsable fence of it's hinges to get a race delayed, I still keep in touch with those who did it too!!, what great derbys they were. - well when we won 'em!!

[shazzybird 10]

I remember my mum telling me how Mrs Moon was stuck under the collapsable fence when a rider when through it at Eastbourne, truly fantastic fan never ever put her off going to speedway, nor giving the Eastbourne (who are they?) fans loads of grief bless her she even upset the Canterbury fans by cheering on Uncle Ted at Wimbledon donned out in her "King Ted" crown that the Rye House fans had made her awwwwww those were the days

[tape2tapevideo 0]

I remember my mum telling me how Mrs Moon was stuck under the collapsable fence when a rider when through it at Eastbourne, truly fantastic fan never ever put her off going to speedway, nor giving the Eastbourne (who are they?) fans loads of grief    bless her she even upset the Canterbury fans by cheering on Uncle Ted at Wimbledon donned out in her "King Ted" crown that the Rye House fans had made her    awwwwww those were the days

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

yeah what a great lady she was, worked so hard at Kingsmead. Of all the Dery matches those are the most missed, didnt matter if it was 57-21 or 40-38 it was a great match.

[tape2tapevideo 0]

I remember when Hackney Raced Wimbledon in the PL cup final, and couldnt think of anything nice to put so left the page blank - remember that Bryn???

[Guest BilaHora]

All

 

I remember when Middlesbrough came to Berwick for a National League match in 1985 (which ended in a wonderful 39:39 draw) and Geoff Pusey, upset at criticism of his performance by Middlesbrough supporters, stopped on the back straight after a race and offered his helmet to a portly Middlesbrough fan. The suggestion being, of course, that if the supporter could do better he was welcome to try. When the supporter showed little interest in this (choosing instead to continue criticising Mr Pusey), Mr Pusey attempted to climb the safety fence and engage with the supporter. At this, a member of the track staff, intervened by pulling Mr Pusey away from the fence. Mr Pusey responded by trying to headbutt the chap twice, before Tim Swailes the Middlesbrough manager succeeded in pulling Mr Pusey away.

It was a great meeting, with some wonderfully entertaining riding (especially by Middlesbrough's Mark Fiora) made all the better, as ever, by this entertaining little intermission.

 

Regards

 

BilaHora

[Bryn 413]

I remember when Hackney Raced Wimbledon in the PL cup final, and couldnt think of anything nice to put so left the page blank - remember that Bryn???

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Can't recall if it was THAT particular Hackney / Wimbedon clash Ken but do remember what you are referring to! Must say, before explaining how that blank space came about, it was agreed (within reason!) between the two promotions in those days that neither would worry too much about what one said about the other - afterall it was all about pre-match build up. Sadly, in modern times thanks to the "football mentality" of some, I doubt you could do it.

 

Anyway on that particular occasion, people should firstly remember that there were no such wonderful things as personal computers, emails etc etc. I can't recall the name of the programme printers we were using in those days but I seem to remember that they were based near London Bridge. I used to have to compile the programme and write any articles using a somewhat ancient portable typewriter and literally pin those articles, together with any photos etc to the relevant page where they were to go. (probably haven't explained that too well but I'm sure people will get the idea!) and would normally get the programme in the post by the midday collection on the Saturday by guaranteed delivery so that it would arrive at the printers first thing Monday morning. (thank goodness times have moved on!)

 

I had been promised a photo to fill that particular space you refer to which SHOULD have arrived in the Saturday morning post - yes there WAS such a thing back then! Anyway it didn't arrive!

 

Undeterred I thought, "OK it'll be here first thing Monday and I can deliver it and the rest of the programme to the printers on my way to work in the City." Monday came, the postman came....the photo didn't!

 

Snookered! (for want of a better word and remembering this is a family forum!) and late for work already I simply HAD to use a bit of ingenuity!

 

Edited October 28, 2004 by Bryn

[iris123 20,997]

I remember when Hackney Raced Wimbledon in the PL cup final, and couldnt think of anything nice to put so left the page blank - remember that Bryn???

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

agreed (within reason!) between the two promotions in those days that neither would worry too much about what one said about the other - afterall it was all about pre-match build up. Sadly, in modern times thanks to the "football mentality" of some, I doubt you could do it.

 

 

 

I remember Cyril Maidment getting worked up on a number of occasions by something in the Hackney programme.Not sure if he was a football fan though

[Star in Exile 0]

I remember when the Pride of the East line-up was more-often better than the World Final line-up from a few weeks beforehand.

[Guest BilaHora]

Mr Star in Exile

 

Would I be right in thinking that Tomasz Gollob made his British debut in the Pride of the East during 1992 - scoring a very useful nine points? From memory, Kings Lynn were interested in signing him for the 1993 season.

 

Regards

 

BilaHora

[tape2tapevideo 0]

I remember when Hackney Raced Wimbledon in the PL cup final, and couldnt think of anything nice to put so left the page blank - remember that Bryn???

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Can't recall if it was THAT particular Hackney / Wimbedon clash Ken but do remember what you are referring to! Must say, before explaining how that blank space came about, it was agreed (within reason!) between the two promotions in those days that neither would worry too much about what one said about the other - afterall it was all about pre-match build up. Sadly, in modern times thanks to the "football mentality" of some, I doubt you could do it.

 

Anyway on that particular occasion, people should firstly remember that there were no such wonderful things as personal computers, emails etc etc. I can't recall the name of the programme printers we were using in those days but I seem to remember that they were based near London Bridge. I used to have to compile the programme and write any articles using a somewhat ancient portable typewriter and literally pin those articles, together with any photos etc to the relevant page where they were to go. (probably haven't explained that too well but I'm sure people will get the idea!) and would normally get the programme in the post by the midday collection on the Saturday by guaranteed delivery so that it would arrive at the printers first thing Monday morning. (thank goodness times have moved on!)

 

I had been promised a photo to fill that particular space you refer to which SHOULD have arrived in the Saturday morning post - yes there WAS such a thing back then! Anyway it didn't arrive!

 

Undeterred I thought, "OK it'll be here first thing Monday and I can deliver it and the rest of the programme to the printers on my way to work in the City." Monday came, the postman came....the photo didn't!

 

Snookered! (for want of a better word and remembering this is a family forum!) and late for work already I simply HAD to use a bit of ingenuity!

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Shame really beacuse a lot of the fun has been taken out of the sport, the burning hats of Johnnie H, the Leaping Lens, The Mularkeys, great memories, times may have changed, but memories live on....

[norbold 7,116]

Before the Wimbledon/Hackney rivalry there was the Wimbledon/New Cross rivalry. Ronnie Greene and Johnnie Hoskins were not noted for being polite in their opinions about the other team in their programme notes. Even that gentleman of the speedway, Ronnie Moore, joined it at times. I remember he slagged us Rangers' supporters off something rotten once. It's hard to believe now, but after that he became a bit of a hate figure down the Old Kent Road.

 

Of course, being a young teenager in those days I believed it all, but my dad used to laugh at it and say it was just done to get the crowds in and that they were all the best of friends really. I didn't believe him at the time.....