Jamaican rider

[Puma23 27]

Does anyone hear about Wilfried McIntosh planed come to England in 1936 with Johnie Hoskins?

[Puma23 27]

The Daily Mirror, London of March 28 28 publishes a picture of a giant Jamaican on a motorcycle, with the following footnote: He wants to be a speedway rider. Wilfried McIntosh, a 6ft. 6in. negro from Jamaica, with Johnnie Hoskins, manager of West Ham, who is to give him his big chance. With them is Eric Chitty, West Ham's new Canadian rider.

Edited April 20 by Puma23

[Bavarian 767]

That photograph with JSH looking up to that man Wilfred McIntosh standing tall over his speedway bike is well known. It can be found in Ron Hoare's book "Speedway Panorama" (page 144). But it was only a gag, a hoax, just one of Hoskins' many publictity stunts, and McIntosh never seriously considdered a career as a speedway rider. From his physical stature alone, this giant of a man he was totally unsuited to become a speedway rider.

I don't know if he ever rode in an official race at all, possible not even in a second half heat race. He was only posing for this publicity picture with Hoskins and Chitty, I guess.      

[norbold 7,116]

1 hour ago, Bavarian said:

That photograph with JSH looking up to that man Wilfred McIntosh standing tall over his speedway bike is well known. It can be found in Ron Hoare's book "Speedway Panorama" (page 144). But it was only a gag, a hoax, just one of Hoskins' many publictity stunts, and McIntosh never seriously considdered a career as a speedway rider. From his physical stature alone, this giant of a man he was totally unsuited to become a speedway rider.

I don't know if he ever rode in an official race at all, possible not even in a second half heat race. He was only posing for this publicity picture with Hoskins and Chitty, I guess.      

You'll be telling us next that Johnnie Hoskins didn't invent speedway either……

[Bavarian 767]

By the way, does anyone of You guys know who tried to introduce speedway & stock car racing track to Jamaica in the late 1960s?

It didn't really work out, as only some stock car racing ever took place there, but no motorcycle speedway.

And, no, for once it wasn't Hoskins, but an other well known speedway promoter in Britain, in fact even a New Zealander by birth, too, just like Hoskins. 

Any guesses, who it was?

[WembleyLion 413]

2 hours ago, Bavarian said:

By the way, does anyone of You guys know who tried to introduce speedway & stock car racing track to Jamaica in the late 1960s?

It didn't really work out, as only some stock car racing ever took place there, but no motorcycle speedway.

And, no, for once it wasn't Hoskins, but an other well known speedway promoter in Britain, in fact even a New Zealander by birth, too, just like Hoskins. 

Any guesses, who it was?

Trevor Redmond

[Bavarian 767]

8 hours ago, WembleyLion said:

Trevor Redmond

Exactly, that was Trevor Redmond.

When his attempt to establish speedway in the Caribean did not work out as planed, he changed direction and went to Rhodesia, where he joined up with Scotsman Alex Hughson and quite successfully promoted speedway in Rhodesia/Southern Africa for a few years in the early 1970s.

I'm not aware of any other attempt to take speedway to the Caribean, neither before nor after Redmond's venture.