tigerowl

Phil Bishop serialised his life story in the Speedway Post in 1965 and he mentions the crash but I think he might have got some of the incidents confused. The story says: "I rode in an International team in Vienna against the first Polish team to leave their native country - a team that was told: ride to win, even if you kill yourself. It was the Poles' first International. They had spent thousands on machines and training and reckoned they were going to beat the world. They expected to meet a weak team of Austrians in Vienna...instead they met a composite side that included Josef Hofmeister, Albert Siedl, Josef Kamper, Fritz Dirtl and myself. By the halfway stage the Poles were behind by 12 points. They held an emergency meeting and told their riders: go faster, at any cost. In the first race after the interval one of the riders crashed, received severe facial injuries and died in hospital. I was in the next race. Both the Poles tried to chop me up going into the first turn. I kept going, one rammed my back wheel, lost control, knocked his partner off, climbed back on the careering machine, opened the throttle wide. There was no safety fence. Just 30 metres of grass then stairs leading up to the stands. The Pole crashed at full tilt into these stairs. The impact ripped his head right off. They've put up a safety fence in Vienna now" Speedway Post - August 1965.

I wouldn't swear to it, but I've got a feeling that the Red Star Prague team in Czechoslovakia had links to the state and some of their riders were in the police. One that springs to mind was Milan Spinka but I'll stand corrected if I'm wrong. Also, while I think on, Sprouts Elder, the famous pre-war American, joined the Californian Highway Patrol after retirement. And no, Bruce Penhall doesn't count on this thread.

The Speedway Star and news on July 9, 1965 reports the change of colours. I quote: "Talking about Long Eaton, they reckoned their Green Archer was the reason for all the bad luck. So they had it painted red. First night they had the Red Archer on their breastplates, John Mills broke an arm. "It wasn't the Green Archer," drawled Ray Cresp, "it's the yellow background that's unlucky." Team manager Ron Wilson went white. Because his wife had only just finished repainting the colours to their new colours." From the Danny Carter Gossip and Gas section. Not sure if this helps with a date of the change but it might help with the reason. Matt

There was a top FIM referee called Nils Ringstrom who was the former Long Eaton rider. There was also (I think) a Charles Ringblom (?) who was some SVEMO official, although I'm not as sure with this information.

11 to 18 to include reserves I think will be 11. Derick Close - 13.5.27 12. Geoff Mardon - 24.11.27 13. Jimmy Gooch - 16.11.28 14. Billy Bales - 6.6.29 15. Olle Nygren - 11.11.29 16. Jack Geran - 10.12.29 17. Ron How 23.12.29 18. Ron Johnston 31.12.30 The others who I'm not sure about (living or not) are Ray Cresp who would come between Geoff mardon and Jimmy Gooch (25.8.28) and Rune Sormander who would be between Olle and Jack (29.11.29)

Fantastic footage. I recognised Brian Foote, Kevin Holden and Stan Stevens. Who was the chap with Arthur Atkinson?

Thanks for the recommendation Norman. Bob, I'll send you a PM with a proposal about the discs. Fred Brand was born 3 Feb 1925. I think someone has suggested a different year of birth for Arthur Payne. He was one of the riders I was unable to contact and went with a date that was reported in an interview with him. It may be that he was born a year earlier but I can't be certain. Matt www.speedwayatoz.co.uk

Ari Koponen - born 20 July 1959, Lahti, Finland.

Hackney 1991 Tony Olsson, Richard Hellsen, Paul Whittaker, Pavel Karnas, Vladimir Kalina, Dane Hamnett, Michael Warren, Roland Pollard, Julian Hardy, Tim Hunter, Simon Phillips and Ricky Sandford London 1996 Leigh Adams, Kelvin Tatum, Josh Larsen, Alan Mogridge, Paul Hurry, Neville Tatum, Colin White, John Wainwright, Jan Pedersen and David Mason

Arthur was the one I wasn't sure about, plus Dick Bradley (?)

These, I think, are the top 10 surviving World Finalists. Apologies if I have included any who are no longer with us. 1. Cyril Roger, 87 2. Phil Clarke, 87 3. Spilt Waterman, 86 4. Danny Dunton, 85 5. Arthur Payne, 85 6. Dick Bradley, 84 7. Fred Brand, 84 8. Freddie Williams 83 9. Chum Taylor 82 10. Eric Boothroyd 82 Derick Close, Geoff Mardon and Jimmy Gooch are next in line.

Sorry, I think the mistake was mine in not reading the first post properly!!!

He is, but that post was relating to oldest surviving World Champions

Is Phil Clarke still alive? If so, he is slightly older than Split but not as old as Cyril Roger. If Phil is no longer with us, I reckon the third oldest surviving World Finalist is Danny Dunton - born in May 1924.

I agree. Freddie at 83 is the oldest surviving champion, After that would come Ronnie Moore and Ove Fundin, both 76 with Ronnie a couple of months older. Then it would be Briggo who is 74.

Hi, Myself and Hugh have been working on the Complete A to Z of Post War speedway riders for some years now. The 1940s and the 1950s discs are available www.speedwayatoz.co.uk The top of the NL avaerages for each season pre 1965 are as follows (league and National Trophy only) - qualification six matches 1946 National League - Jack Parker (Belle Vue) 10.67 Northern League - Frank Hodgson (Middlesbrough) 10.38 1947 NL1 - Vic Duggan (Harringay) 11.48 NL2 - Jeff Lloyd (Newcastle) 10.67 NL3 - Peter Robinson (Southampton) 10.57 1948 NL1 - Vic Duggan (Harringay) 11.13 NL2 - Fred Tuck (Bristol) 10.20 NL3 - Alf Bottoms (Southampton) 11.29 1949 NL1 - Vic Duggan (Harringay) 10.65 NL2 - Bruce Semmens (Sheffield) 10.42 NL3 - Billy Bales (Yarmouth) 10.44 1950 NL1 - Graham Warren (Birmingham) 10.70 NL2 - Jack Young (Edinburgh) 11.14 NL3 - Ken Middleditch (Poole) 10.53 1951 NL1 - Aub Lawson (West Ham) 10.32 NL2 - Jack Young (Edinburgh) 11.63 NL3 - Alan Smith (Plymouth) 10.58 1952 NL1 - Ronnie Moore (Wimbledon) 11.42 NL2 - Tommy Miller (Glasgow) 10.92 SL - George Wall (Plymouth) 10.26 1953 NL1 - Ronnie Moore (Wimbledon) 10.77 NL2 - Tommy Miller (Glasgow) 10.88 SL - Goog Hoskin (Exeter) 10.87 1954 NL1 - Ronnie Moore (Wimbledon) 10.65 NL2 - Ken McKinlay (Leicester) 10.88 SAL - Ernie Lessiter (Ringwood) 10.86 1955 NL1 - Ronnie Moore (Wimbledon) 10.90 NL2 - Ken McKinlay (Leicester) 10.47 SAL - Vic Hall (Brafield) 9.90 1956 NL1 - Ronnie Moore (Wimbledon) 10.28 NL2 - Peo Soederman (Coventry) 11.74 SAL - Vic Ridgeon (Rye House) 10.58 1957 NL - Peter Craven (Belle Vue) 11.14 SAL - Gerry King (Rye House) 10.30 1958 NL - Ove Fundin (Norwich) 11.35 1959 NL - Ove Fundin (Norwich) 10.93 SAL - Colin Gooddy (Eastbourne) 10.76 1960 NL - Ove Fundin (Norwich) 11.48 PL - Trevor Redmond (Bristol) 11.16 1961 NL - Ove Fundin (Norwich) 11.41 PL - Reg Reeves (Rayleigh) 11.35 1962 NL - Bjorn Knutsson (Southampton) 10.04 PL - Eric Boothroyd (Middlesbrough) 10.30 1963 NL - Ove Fundin (Norwich) 10.81 PL - George Hunter (Edinburgh) 11.03 1964 NL - Barry Briggs (Swindon) 10.63 PL - Ivan Mauger (Newcastle) 11.49 If anyone would like to read any reviews of our work they can be found on the feedback section of the web site. I also post free worldwide. Cheers Matt

Just for information, the second CD in the series covering the complete A to Z of post-war British League speedway riders is now available. The disc covers every rider who made his debut in British speedway between 1950 and 1959 and includes such greats as Mauger, Fundin, Briggs and Moore as well as every rider to have competed in Southern Area League racing. The disc has a biography of every rider, full year by year stats and is packed with photos from the collection of John Somerville. It is priced at £9.99 including free worldwide postage and is available by cheque from V.M. Jackson 11 Crescent Road, Sheffield, S7 1HJ see www.speedwayatoz.co.uk for more details Matt

Tommy's last meeting was at the end of the 1956 season. He turned up for pre season practice at Oxford in 1957 but packed up, went home and retired. He never rode a meeting in the top flight.

Hi Ross, I am working with John Somerville and Hugh Vass to complie a series of books about post-war British League riders www.speedwayatoz.co.uk John has a photo of Aston Quin in a St. Austell 'Gulls' race jacket and I am sure if you contact him then you would be able to purchase a copy. John's e-mail is john.somerville@blueyonder.co.uk Matt Jackson

Blah, blah, blah ... work to do...blah, blah, blah.... disappointment.... blah, blah, blah..... 19 year old Russian.... blah blah blah.... starting marshall moves away.... blah blah blah....German referee.....blah blah blah.... Polish passort.... blah blah blah....bucking and rearing.... blah blah blah

The sooner SKY get this clown Millard off the commentary, the better. He is bloody awful.

I think the Star lacks the quality of the previous era due to the apparant fear factor in publishing any sort of opinion which might appear to be critical of the promoters. Whether that is because they are too matey with them or they fear that the magazine will be banned from sale at certain tracks I don't know. One example was the pathetic attempt at a survey about the tactical double rule. The Star promised the fans a voice then worded the question with the phrase '... in it's current form' at the end. The vote was 90 odd percent in favour of a change but the promoters just amended the rule slightly, stated that they had complied with the fan's wishes and nothing more was heard on the subject.

They also referred to it as a 'virtual maximum' for a while before the 'paid' caught on.

Mikael Tuernberg born 26 December 1966, Hallstavik, Sweden

Lionel Levy rode for Coventry and Wimbledon in the early 1950s.