Just The One

[Guest Donsking]

Having said that, he did actually represent Australia in international competition, including one or two of his early World Finals.

 

Of course, there have been some other riders who have done the same thing, such as Mitch Shirra and Tadeusz Teodorowicz.

 

Steve

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Probably just a case of Mirac representing whoever was the 'flavour of the month' or an effort to include Australasian riders (as opposed to Australian) for the good of the sport; I read somewhere that Ronnie's Mum reckoned he always thought of himself as Kiwi, but he was happy to wear the Australian race jacket if it drew a crowd.

[chunky 6,109]

Probably just a case of Mirac representing whoever was the 'flavour of the month' or an effort to include Australasian riders (as opposed to Australian) for the good of the sport; I read somewhere that Ronnie's Mum reckoned he always thought of himself as Kiwi, but he was happy to wear the Australian race jacket if it drew a crowd.

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I know he was in the Australian team for the test at Plough Lane in 1950, but we had a discussion about this a few months ago on a different forum. I can't remember which year it was (either 51 or 52), and even though he was apparently representing New Zealand by then (or so we think), I have an Australian team photo with him in it! Unfortunately, I don't think even Ronnie himself is sure of when he switched.

Steve

[spinkox 37]

Having said that, he did actually represent Australia in international competition, including one or two of his early World Finals.

 

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I think he even represented Great Britain in international competion along with Ivan Mauger and Barry Briggs!

 

What about Sandor Levai - Hungarian . . .

 

steve

[norbold 7,118]

Ronnie Moore rode for Australia in Test matches in 1950,51,52 and 53. He then switched to New Zealand and also rode for them in 1953. In 1954 the two countries were combined anyway to form an Australasian team and he rode for that from 1954 to 1960. He turned out again for New Zealand in 1969,70 and 72 and rode for Great Britain in 1969,70 and 71.

[Tracy Bird 66]

gerhard uhlenbrock an east german rode for coventry in 1973.don;t know how he got here,but must be the only rider from the other side of the old berlin wall.

[star ghost 7]

There have been other Hungarians besides Sandor

Gerhard Uhlenbrock reputedly came through the Wall on a motorbike with his family in the sidecar from what I read at the time. Maybe just a publicity item though.

Ronnie Moore probably decided to be a Kiwi for himself, Much the same thing as Ron Johnson (Scot) and Bert Spencer (England) became Aussies. They were U K born but decided to ride for Australia where they learnt Speedway. Phil "Tiger" Hart rode for England and Australia.

Nowadays there are riders who take out a licence "of convenience" to allow them to get round some rule or other

[T.N.T. 355]

What about Sandor Levai - Hungarian . . .

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Antal Kosco for one was a good second string at Bradford.

gerhard uhlenbrock an east german rode for coventry in 1973.don;t know how he got here,but must be the only rider from the other side of the old berlin wall.

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There have been a few from East Germany but cant remember their names. Think one was Leif something ?

 

Peter Prinsloo - Rhodesia

 

Kyle Legualt is from Canada. There have been other riders from Canada, but did they ride over here ?

[Gaz W 6]

Peter Prinsloo - Rhodesia

 

 

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I thought about Peter Prinsloo, but I wasn't Denzil Kent from the same place?

[T.N.T. 355]

I thought about Peter Prinsloo, but I wasn't Denzil Kent from the same place?

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Wasnt he South African ?

[chunky 6,109]

Antal Kosco for one was a good second string at Bradford.

 

Don't forget Zoltan Adorjan and Robert Nagy. Also, Laszlo Munkacsi.

 

Peter Prinsloo - Rhodesia

 

True, but Rhodesia is now Zimbabwe, and Dave Steen was Zimbabwean, I believe. Oh, and Mike Ferreira, of course.

 

Kyle Legualt is from Canada. There have been other riders from Canada, but did they ride over here ?

 

Jimmy Gibb, Eric Chitty, and Gary Ford, to name three.

 

Denzil Kent has been mentioned on here, but World Finalists Doug Davies and Henry Long were also South African, and rode in England.

 

Steve

[star ghost 7]

Mention of South Africa recalls Cecil de la Porte (Hall Green 37) and Keith Harvey who rode for Palace and Norwich prewar and Neew Cross after the war when he was the oldest rider competing in the sport. Then there were Brummies Arthur Duncan & Neil Mortimer. Norwich had the Sayer twins Dick & Tom.

PreWar the Canadians had a number of riders here. Most notably the great George Pepper

[Brian Hamilton 1]

Reg Duval who rode for Oxford in circa 1960/61 was South African. Rune Sormander who Qualified for the 1960 World Final as reserve if I recall correctly was German, but cant remember whether he was East or West.

[star ghost 7]

Rune Sormander was a Swedish rider, and a fine one at that. He rode in a number of Finals and also joined Wembley, Belle Vue and Leicester for short spells in the old National League days of the 1950s'. Top man with Dackarna in Sweden.

 

The East German was, I think, Jochen Dinse (or near that)

 

?What nationality was Syd van der Vyver who rode for Leicester?

Edited July 2, 2007 by star ghost

[chunky 6,109]

The East German was, I think, Jochen Dinse (or near that)

 

Jochen Dinse it was who rode in the 1967 World Final at Wembley, although neither he, nor 1970 World Finalist Hans-Jurgen Fritz rode league in the UK.

 

What nationality was Syd van der Vyver who rode for Leicester?

 

Yep, he was another South African, as were Ettienne Olivier, Bob Serrurier and Trevor Blokdyk.

 

Steve

Edited July 2, 2007 by chunky

[WATigerman 1]

Peter Prinsloo - Rhodesia

 

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I thought about Peter Prinsloo, but I wasn't Denzil Kent from the same place?

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.....and wasn't Mike Ferreira also Rhodesian ?

Edited July 3, 2007 by WATigerman