sandman 0 Posted March 26, 2003 Can anyone relate any good stories on Ivan? I remember one where he was in a last heat decider at Poole back in the 70's, and everyone was booing him as he came to the gates. A man came running across the centre green and ran past two PC's who tried to grab him, he got to Ivan and was getting ready to clock him, and Ivan calmly leaned his bike over on the footrest, and hit him with a right cross before the coppers grabbed the guy. Ivan promptly went out and won the race. It really was pretty funny...... Sandman :twisted: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevehone 3,429 Posted March 26, 2003 I could give you loads but I think I'd better not.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sandman 0 Posted March 26, 2003 Steve, do you remember his cabana bar in his house in Manchester? Complete with thatch..... My telephone got... ah forget it... Sandman Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevehone 3,429 Posted March 26, 2003 i remember his bar... going through to the far part of the living room on the right... never lost anything there though...too young. Â didn't he have a pool table further through though?? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sandman 0 Posted March 26, 2003 Cant remember too much either, although I remember the winged wheel in the garage? Maybe not fair, but seem to remember it covered in dust, however was a bit young so could be wrong. Anyway, he was and always be a great man. Would have been top of his profession no matter what he chose to do. Very focused, determined, and intelligent man. If only the sport could produce just one more........ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norbold 7,116 Posted March 27, 2003 Having spent a day with Bob Andrews in Auckland I now have lots of good Ivan Mauger stories. But I think Ivan's lawyers would be on to this Forum a bit sharpish if I repeated them here! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevehone 3,429 Posted March 27, 2003 My dad did a bit of a talk about Ivan at the Wembley Farewell meal the other year... and I'm sure he trod very carefully too!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fatface 2,554 Posted March 27, 2003 Come on guys don't be shy - at least give us a taster Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mIcK50 3 Posted March 28, 2003 I was very lucky back in the early 70's in that I worked for a motorcycle dealer and my boss, Wally Clinton, was the judge - timekeeper at Claremont speedway. Every time there were some big names in town, we would knock off work early and head down to the show grounds to watch the practice. And that's what we did the very first time Ivan Mauger hit town. Â I don't have any wild stories to tell about the bloke other than to say how impressed I was by his professionalism. He had two bikes with him, a square piece of canvas on the ground next to them with tools, spare plugs, chains and other odds and ends that are essential to the job, all neatly laid out. The local media was there in full force and all got time with the great man. A t.v. camera was mounted on the back of a utility and driven around the track to get shots of him riding past. He spent a lot of time with them, making sure the shots were just right and looking for slick parts on the track so they got some good pictures of the bike sliding. Â It must have all been worth it because he pulled a crowd of about 36,000 that Friday night, which would have put a big smile on promotor Aub Lawson's face. Â Wally Clinton used to be the pit marshall at Claremont in the late 40's - early 50's, and he told me of the night when he was getting all the people who shouldn't have been there, out of the pits before the racing started. There was some big name Pommy riders on the bill that night and he wanted everything to go smoothly. There was one old bloke wearing glasses, sitting on a dope can and calmly smoking a pipe. Wally went up and explained that the racing was about to start and he would have to leave the pits. To which this old fella said, "Oh dear, I was hoping to ride here tonight." Wally had just tried to kick out Jack Parker! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grachan 7,362 Posted March 28, 2003 I got Ivan's autograph once when I was about 14. He was standing at the back of the pits car park talking to Swindon Junior Melvin Soffe, and I was standing there ages with my little autograph book. Eventually he took my book, without breaking away from the conversation he was having, and signed it, then handed it back - still talking away. When I eventually saw his signature it was just an I with a line, right in the middle of my John Davis autograph! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ian H 0 Posted April 4, 2003 His mother once was involved in a bit of a fracas at Old Meadowbank, probably reacting to the home fans giving him his usual welcome Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevehone 3,429 Posted April 4, 2003 Ivan phoned my dad a couple of weeks ago, and he was saying how his mum is now 90 years old and he has bought her one of these scooter/buggy things... seems like she's terrorising all the locals on the pavement with her antics!!!! Â Hmmm.... that Mauger family.... :evil: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sandman 0 Posted April 4, 2003 Hey Steve, I know her name is Rita,but wasn't her nickname Princess? Glad to hear she is still going strong. I remember a documentary on Ivan about ten years ago where he broke the 1000 meter longtrack flying lap in NZ, and it was great. Real impressive under the lights, limestone track. Say, can you introduce me to him sometime? Sandman Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jeff. 2 Posted April 5, 2003 It was, and probably still is, Duchess not Princess Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BrizHeathen 37 Posted April 11, 2003 Ivan is still very much involved, he attends almost all of the meetings at the Labrador track near his Gold Coast home and helps out a few of the locals. He's always chatting with someone. He promotes a speedway series in Australia and various Long Track events. As someone else has mentioned Ivan's lawyers I think I better end here. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
