He was a tough un

[Guest clivehitch]

CLIVE HITCH

[FUJI 602 0]

graham stapleton n.z....remember 1 night when andy graham tried to move him over coming out of the 2nd. bend at brough park...he bounced off graham and injured his shoulder.....graham just carried on with the race....never even looked around.....he was very cool under pressure...lost count the number of 5/1s he and tom owen scored...

[ommerum 0]

I can remember when Cradley were having a bit of an injury crisis Scott Smith rode with a broken collar bone.

[Bee 1]

Nigel Boocock and Barry Briggs....As told to me my Nigel.

 

They were both at a World Championship qualifier at Wolverhampton. Briggo had met up with Booey at his home in Rugby and they drove up to the meeting together, leaving Cynthia and June together back home.

 

In the meeting they were both doing well.

 

Then Booey took a spill and was taken to hospital.

 

At the hospital Booey phoned Cynthia and told her they'd be late getting home, as he had dislocated his shoulder.

 

As he was on the phone, Briggo was strechered into the hospital with a hand injury. Broken thumb.

 

Booey tells Cynthis we'll be later still now, tell June Briggo has just joined me in the Accident department.

 

Now tough!

 

A couple of days later they were both at Sheffield in another qualifier.

 

Booey rode with a horse collar around his shoulder. Briggo cut a piece of tyre to fit into the gap between his thumb and first finger then strapped up his hand.

 

The meeting result?

 

Briggo won and Booey was second.

 

Now that is how Speedway was

[boss 2 0]

I can remember when Cradley were having a bit of an injury crisis Scott Smith rode with a broken collar bone.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Scud rode with a broken jaw too!!

Simon 'Psycho' Cross,Big Al (Alan Grahame),Chris Julian,Vaclav Verner(broke his hand in His first ride at The Wood one night got up said over the mike "Jan okay,i ride!" and scored double figures before He went to hospital.)!! and My all time fave Ivor Brown(how old am I!!??)could nearly get a Cradley team of hard men.

[Guest clivehitch]

Would go for the "The Throttle Ripper",Barry Briggs..then Pete Munday was a tough character,always scored maximums when it was wet!!

 

Phil Crump was a mean dude as well.

 

All the top riders have to have that extra degree of ruthlessness to become world beaters..remember Ove Fundin,Ivan Mauger,Ole Olsen..well 'ard!!

[Bee 1]

All the top riders have to have that extra degree of ruthlessness to become world beaters..remember Ove Fundin,Ivan Mauger,Ole Olsen..well 'ard!!

 

Agreed. Nigel Boocock said the reason he didn't always come good in World Finals was that he rode 100% every time he took to the track, and therefore at the big occasions he had nothing extra to give. He told me that Ivan who he lives near in Australia now, told him that he rode at 90% most of the time and on the big night gave that extra 10% and that was the difference. Having watched both through out all of their careers I'd say that was true, Ivan never did seem to be giving it is all unless it was the World Championships.

 

Nigel did roduce the goods at the Wills Internationale once though

 

Other than Nigel being a good tough un....Briggo gets my vote by a mile.

Edited September 20, 2004 by Bee

[norbold 7,176]

If what you say about Mauger is true, how come he several times recorded an average of over 11 points per match during the league season? If he was only at 90% and still managing that sort of average, then there can be no doubt he must have been the greatest rider ever by a very large margin.

[spin king 1,927]

If what you say about Mauger is true, how come he several times recorded an average of over 11 points per match during the league season? If he was only at 90% and still managing that sort of average, then there can be no doubt he must have been the greatest rider ever by a very large margin.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I agree with you there Norbold Ivan is still the greatest rider ever, forget Tony Rickardsson.

The thing that does infuriate me that we have the Ove Fundin World Team Championship, when is Ivan going to receive the same accolade.

Edited September 21, 2004 by spin king

[norbold 7,176]

Actually, spin king I don't agree that Ivan was the greatest ever! Ove's my man! The point I was trying to make in response to Bee was that I don't believe that Ivan Mauger was only giving 90% in league matches. He, like all the great riders, was giving it 100% all the time.

 

(I do think he was the second best of all time, if that's any consolation! )

[stevehone 3,437]

the 'Ivan Mauger Individual World Championship Trophy'

 

how about a new winged wheel?

[spin king 1,927]

Actually, spin king I don't agree that Ivan was the greatest ever! Ove's my man! The point I was trying to make in response to Bee was that I don't believe that Ivan Mauger was only giving 90% in league matches. He, like all the great riders, was giving it 100% all the time.

 

(I do think he was the second best of all time, if that's any consolation! )

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Sorry Norbold, not read postings properly, I still think Ivan was better but in saying that I never saw Ove ride.

[spin king 1,927]

the 'Ivan Mauger Individual World Championship Trophy'

 

how about a new winged wheel?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Excellent idea.

[iris123 21,100]

He, like all the great riders, was giving it 100% all the time.

 

(I do think he was the second best of all time, if that's any consolation! )

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Can't agree that riders give it 100% all the time ,Norbold.I think Ivan like most tried things out in meetings and went through the motions in others.

I think Mauger was the best of all time even though i didn't see a lot of the greats,though i did see Ove

[norbold 7,176]

Yes, iris, maybe I was exaggerating a bit to say ALL the time, but I do think they would give of their best in League matches. Certainly Ivan's averages would suggest he was doing his best.