norbold

As I know we all love lists, here's one I made earlier.... I thought I would make a list of the dominant rider of their time. Of course, it doesn't mean they won everything going during the period in question but they were the rider to beat. I'm sure no-one will actually agree with the list as it stands, so any comments are welcome. - 1928: Frank Arthur 29-32: Vic Huxley 33-35: Tom Farndon 36-39: Bluey Wilkinson 46-50: Vic Duggan 51-53: Jack Young 54-55: Ronnie Moore 56-63: Ove Fundin 64-67: Barry Briggs 68-79: Ivan Mauger 80-82: Bruce Penhall 83-95: Hans Nielsen 96-2006: Tony Rickardsson 07-12: Jason Crump 13- : Greg Hancock

I didn't know the McKay/Galloway 1927 film was debunked. When was that? P.S. Don't get me started on Brian Belton's Hammerin' Round!

The problem as always, Split, is who do you leave out to make way for them? Olle Nygren is certainly a good call. I would definitely put Peter Moore in a 1950s Top 20, but not sure he was good enough for long enough into the 60s to warrant inclusion in a 60s list. The same applies to Rune Sormander. But then that's what these lists are all about. Everyone will have their own opinion.

Brian Crutcher's memory of the event reminds of the time I spoke to Wally Green when I was researching for my book, "Speedway in the South East". I asked him about his winning the Division Three Match Race championship against Bert Roger. He told me he had never been Match Race Champion. He was quite adamant on the point. Yet the record books show quite clearly that he beat Bert Roger 2-1 and 2-0 to take the title and Stenner's Annual has a little write up on the two legs. Oral history and people's own memories are notoriously unreliable.......

Sorry, Grand Central. Couldn't resist it....

Rob Bamford did not produce any outstanding work. He says himself that he just took it from Wikipedia. Every programme so far discovered and quoted shows that Brian Crutcher was reserve on the night.

I have a copy of that book and it gives Brian Crutcher as no. 17 ( did not ride).

Hmmmm. That's a toughie. Speedway Researcher? Wikipedia? Wikipedia? Speedway Researcher?............

I think the concensus of opinion is that he was actually there.

Also the quotes from the following years' World Final programmes.

That's very big of you to admit you've been wrong, sidney, and to give way on your all time hero. Briggo, of course was an all-time great. There's no denying it. But, as I have been saying all along, there is no doubt in my mind that Ove was even better. And that's not just from the record books, that comes from seeing them fairly regularly throughout the early to mid 1960s in both league and big individual meetings.

Thank you, steve, and a very Happy Christmas to you and your family too. I'll keep the threads coming if you promise to keep yours coming!

Happy Chistmas to you and your family too, sydney. I always enjoy our historical chats on here.

Before I ever went to speedway I used to follow it in the newspapers and in various boys' magazines and annuals etc. When I was out playing on my bike with my friends I would always pretend to be one of my heroes from my reading, they were Split Waterman, Aub Lawson and Brian Crutcher. As I said above, the very first meeting I went to brought the news that Brian Crutcher had retired, so I was very miffed that I'd missed one of my heroes. As for the other two, by a very strange quirk of fate, Split Waterman and Aub Lawson met in the first race I ever saw live. So my first night at speedway was strangely dominated by my three heroes! As for Arthur Forrest, he retired at the very young age of 26.

Following on from steve's lists, I compiled my 60s list as I watched speedway throughout the 60s and saw all these riders. If I were to compile a 50s list it would have to be based on records and hearsay rather than seeing them during that decade. Were I to do that, Arthur Forrest would certainly be included, but I never actually saw him as he retired at the end of the 1959 season. Incidentally, another 1950s great I just missed was Brian Crutcher. At the very first speedway meeting I went to I bought a copy of Speedway World. The main headline was Crutcher announcing his retirement.

I know what you mean. I saw some real greats from speedway's Post-War Golden Age when I started going. Riders like Split Waterman, Jack Young, Aub Lawson and Graham Warren. The funny thing about both Split and Youngie though was that they did have a purple patch when they seemed to be right back to their world best, but, in each case, it only lasted a short time. The exception to this was Aub Lawson who seemed to be as good as ever every time I saw him.

Do you know, Rob, as soon as I posted the list, I metaphorically smote my brow, and thought, "Arne Pander!" Then I thought I'd wait to see who would be the first to mention my omission! Congratulations, it was you, Rob.

Following on from Steve's very interesting post on the top 20 riders of the 70s, 80s and 90s, I thought I'd make a contribution on the 60s for us oldies. I first went to speedway in May 1960, so was a keen supporter for the whole of the 1960s. Again,like Steve, this is really my own list of the top 20 in no particular order (apart from the no. 1 of course )and from the top of my head without looking up any records. Ove Fundin Barry Briggs Peter Craven Bjorn Knutson Ronnie Moore Ivan Mauger Igor Plechanov Gote Nordin Nigel Boocock Ken McKinlay Mike Broadbank Sverre Harrfeldt Eric Boocock Ron How Edward Jancarz Antoni Woryna Bengt Jansson Charlie Monk Martin Ashby Ray Wilson

They didn't even mention any speedway riders in their obit section.

There is some film of the 1957 final on YouTube but it's not very good and doesn't show the line up.

I decided a bit of lateral thinking was called for...... Quote from the 1958 World Final programme. "Brian Crutcher.....Reserve at Wembley 12 months ago, it's a big disappointment for Crutcher fans to see him occupying a similar position this time." Quote from the 1959 programme: "Brian Crutcher.....Made only the Reserve berths for the last two Finals and was thought not to be the man for the big occasion...."

Or Ronnie Moore being a New Zealander. He was, of course, born in Tasmania. Here's something else to add to the mystery. I have a filled in 1957 World Championship Final programme. It seems to be a meticulously filled in programme and leaves Brian Crutcher as first reserve. No mention of Westerburg. And Aage Hansen, who was in fact the only Norwegian to ride in the 1957 final.

This conversation raises a very interesting point and that is that when something is written in a book it is repeated by future writers who can't be bothered to do their own research and so becomes the truth. The 1957 final 2nd reserve is a good example. Maurice Jones, in his 1979 book, "World Speedway Final" shows Brian Crutcher as the 2nd reserve on the night. This is repeated in (ironically) Robert Bamford's own book, written with Glyn Shailes, "A History of the World Speedway Championship" (2002). With two authoritative books saying the same thing it passes into history as true. It reminds me of the whole idea that Johnnie Hoskins "invented" speedway.......

How very dare you! I hope for your sake customhouseregular doesn't read that.

Actually I did think after I'd posted my above rather long missive that I should have included Hans Nielsen along with Mauger and Rickardsson. I suppose I always tend to downplay his dominance in the Fundin/Mauger mould because of his rivalry with Erik Gundersen. But then I suppose you could say the same of Fundin/Briggs or Mauger Olsen.... Vic Duggan was dominant in the late 1940s!