Unsuccessful American's

[Grachan 7,364]

I always though Bart got a bit of a rough deal. He was averaging over 5 in his frst season and got dropped for a veteran in John Davis.

 

To put it in perspective, he'd have been fourth in our averages last season!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Must say, I'm surprised he was averaging that, because I can't remember him doing much. Selective memory maybe, but that would make him on a par with Shawn McConnell and I just didn't see that at all.

 

John Davis was a pretty good signing though. Certainly a better move than dropping Per Sorensen for Finn Thomsen.

 

Bart Bast is still riding over in the States, and the last I heard his father was still riding too!

[frigbo 521]

Bart's league and cup stats were:

 

18 matches, 76 rides, 75 pts, 21 bp's 96total, average 5.05.

 

As you say, he only averaged 0.28 less than McConnell, and Shawn had already had a season at Birmingham.

 

Bast had a top league score of 11+1 and didn't score less than 2+1.

Edited November 13, 2005 by frigbo

[briggo 29]

This is a rather sad thread - finding riders to debunk.

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I didn't start this thread to debunk certain riders, I apologise if people have taken it that way (or maybe hijacked the thread that way!).

 

If you look at my original post, I was pondering whether certain Americans had the potential or even guts to succeed over here.

 

However, not aware that DeWayne Keeter had sadly lost his life. Unfullfilled potentail certainly.

 

I was always led to believe that Sumner McKnight was a bit of a playboy millionaire, who took up speedway for kicks............

 

And finally, Rick Woods could surely have been better than Scott.........we will never know

[Subedei 0]

Didn't Exeter have a rider called, if memory serves, Buddy Robinson in 1984? Can't remember him being much of a success.

And a bit of a controversial one - Lance King. King was a partial success, but surely he never really fulfilled his potential.

[spin king 1,923]

I remember Sheffield having a guy called Tommy Morley at Sheffield around 1979, nice guy, but did not have much success on the track.

[stevehone 3,430]

As I said elsewhere - not all Americans are world-beaters. But let's remember this, even the unsuccessful Americans do something most of their critics have never done. Tried to be a speedway rider. This is a rather sad thread - finding riders to debunk.

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when you have winners you inevitably have losers too ... why can't some of those that tried but failed in the UK be remembered?

 

i don't think anyone here is particularly slagging them off, just pointing out whether they had it in them or not.

 

speedyguy ... everyone that has ever sat and ridden a speedway bike deserves some respect whatever level they were at, and when you see what has happened to Ashley Jones, someone i watched most weeks round Kings Lynn, it brings it home to you that the sport is more dangerous than a lot of people realise ... it's not all fun and games (although for me it was a fantastic 7 years of having fun), and there are massive dangers.

[Guest speedyguy]

Didn't Exeter have a rider called, if memory serves, Buddy Robinson in 1984? Can't remember him being much of a success.

And a bit of a controversial one - Lance King. King was a partial success, but surely he never really fulfilled his potential.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Lance King certainly had a lot of unfilled potential. Who remembers Miny Waln and Byrd McKinney. And what about the East Coast champion Bud Reda who was refused a permit to race in Britain after arriving here on the off-chance and finished off riding in Holland and Ireland.

[spin king 1,923]

when you have winners you inevitably have losers too ... why can't some of those that tried but failed in the UK be remembered?

 

i don't think anyone here is particularly slagging them off, just pointing out whether they had it in them or not.

 

speedyguy ... everyone that has ever sat and ridden a speedway bike deserves some respect whatever level they were at, and when you see what has happened to Ashley Jones, someone i watched most weeks round Kings Lynn, it brings it home to you that the sport is more dangerous than a lot of people realise ... it's not all fun and games (although for me it was a fantastic 7 years of having fun), and there are massive dangers.

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Yes the Ashley business does put it into proprective, all riders at all levels deserve respect.

[hullangel 0]

How about Hull rider Mike Caruso from the 70s

[Grachan 7,364]

Lance King did get to World no 3, so he didn't do too badly!!

[Subedei 0]

That's very true Grachan.

King really had a stellar first couple of seasons in the UK and then missed out in, I think 1985, and never really recovered.

[Bryn 413]

One of the nicest guys you would ever wish to meet, and a talented rider to boot despite not making it to the top as it were over here, was Randy Green who came over here initially to ride for Hackney along with his mechanic - a certain Carl Blomfeldt.

 

As Steve Hone said, "everyone that has ever sat and ridden a speedway bike deserves some respect whatever level they were at" as he went onto mention the tragic loss of Ashley Jones.

[Grachan 7,364]

What about the legend that was Mickey Rooney! John Cook's mechanic who came in to the USA for one Test match because they were a man short.

 

It's a mad, mad, etc etc.

[fatface 2,557]

Didn't Exeter have a rider called, if memory serves, Buddy Robinson in 1984? Can't remember him being much of a success.

And a bit of a controversial one - Lance King. King was a partial success, but surely he never really fulfilled his potential.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I suppose you are right, Lance King didn't really fulfill his potential. Probably because he had such a huge amount of it! Thought it was circumstances that seem to effect him more than anything else.

 

He was very much at his peak at Cradley in 84, but they were forced to choose between him and Erik Gundersen in team-building for the next year and unfortunately he got the chop.

 

As I recall he went back to the states for one season before returing for spells with Bradford and King's Lynn and was never quite the same rider. His career just seemed to lose momentum when he left Cradley.

 

As for truly unsuccessful Americans, I recall Larry Kosta and Eddie Ingles being pretty dodgy Belle Vue signings in the 80s...

[Shoddy 1]

Lance King was still pretty good for Bradford I always thought. That team in 86 could have been one of the all time great sides if not for what happened with Kenny Carter.

 

Have to say I agree that after his 3rd place in the 84 final Lance could surely have gone on to be a genuine top line rider.

 

Also remember Randy Green from Bradford days. Again he was OK but never looked like breaking through beyond second string to be honest.

 

Sheffield had Bobby Hedden over when it was all one league. He showed some promised but Sheffield weren't able to carry riders at that time so he went home and never tried across here again. He still rides over there and does OK so maybe he should have given it another go.

 

You could argue that Chris Manchester was pretty unsuccessful in the end after looking like another potential world class star following Ermolenko, Correy, Hancock and Hamill???