norbold

Why, were Chris Harris or Darcy Ward involved in any of them?

CHR, do you remember the match race between Briggo and Bjorn at Custom House towards the end of the 1964 season? It was held to settle a difference of opinion as to the best way round the track. Bjorn always maintained it was the white line; Briggo, the outside. So they lined up with Bjorn in 1 and Briggo in 4. As the tapes went up they promptly crossed over and Bjorn rode the outside, while Briggo took the inside line. If memory serves me right, I believe Bjorn proved Briggo right by winning!

Sadly, yes.

Snooker. Although the automatic qualification for the finals is decided on the previous year's rankings, the qualification for the other places goes on during the same year. And I believe even the automatic places based on the previous year is being seriously curtailed now.

Oh, I'm sorry, Mick, I must have misunderstood Tony's request. I hadn't realised he only asked me to compile a Top Ten of 1951 - 1956. I thought it was of the whole 1950s. Oh, by the way, you can't count Freddie Williams's 1950 World Championship because surely you can only compare the records in the years they both rode. So that's one win each.

1. Nigel Boocock 2. Ken McKinlay 3. Peter Craven 4. Mike Broadbank 5. Eric Boocock 6. Ron How I had Ray Wilson at 8, Terry Betts at 9, Trevor Hedge at 11 and Malcolm Simmons didn't make the top 20. I think Wilson, Betts and Simmons best decade was the 70s. Just to fill in the couple of blanks, I had Martin Ashby at 7 and Dave Younghusband at 10. And a Merry Christmas to you too. No snow in Clacton either! It's not just how they performed in World Championships though, Mick. Peter Craven had a far superior record in League, Test and Golden Helmet to Freddie Williams.

My nos 1-5 were: 1. Peter Craven 2. Freddie Williams 3. Split Waterman 4. Brian Crutcher 5. Ken McKinlay The first four more or less picked themselves. It was much closer for the next four places with Hurri-Ken and the Black Prince just shading 5 & 6 over Alan Hunt and Tommy Price. Oh, P.S., I had Ron How at no.11. I think his best years were the early 60s. In a similar article I put him at no. 6 in the 60s.

Well, I can't tell you from personal experience, sidney, as he retired in 1959 and I started going to speedway in 1960. However, from his record he was certainly very good indeed. Between 1955 and 1965, only four riders managed to break the "big 5" dominance of the World Championship rostrum places and Arthur was one of them, so that must say something. Back in 2010, Tony McDonald asked me to write an article on the Top 20 British riders of the 1950s. I placed him 6th.

Well, they've named their team for 2015......http://www.mildenhallfentigers.co.uk/index.php/news-centre/570-fans-favourite-completes-lineup

Youngsters! 11 May 1960. New Cross v. Norwich. Ove Fundin scored an 18 point maximum, but, happily, New Cross won the Britannia Shield match.

I'm a historian, LH, I never throw anything away! I've also still got all my Speedway Worlds and Speedway Stars from 1960!

I've kept my programmes from every meeting I've ever been to from 1960 onwards.

Thank you, BOBBATH. You're a gentleman and I agree with you! Me too.

Do you know something we don't?

There was a viable track in place in 1968. Jimmy Gooch had leased it in 1967 to run a training school and resuscitated the track. It was this track that was used at the 40th anniversary meeting in 1968. Many former riders gave demonstrations on the track including Roger Frogley, Wal Phillips, Jack Barnett and Syd Edmonds. So I did see speedway at the track, albeit not a match or individual trophy. The last time High Beech was used for matches was 1939. It was used as a training track in1947, 49 and 50 and then that was it till 1967.

The meeting I went to at High Beech was actually in 1968, celebrating the 40th anniversary of the first meeting. In fact the last meeting at High Beech was later than the last meetings at New Cross and Harringay. P.S. And Southampton!

I didn't venture much out of London but just looking at the tracks I went to there and are not around any more is enough to make you cry!!! New Cross Harringay Hackney West Ham Wimbledon White City Wembley Romford and (just outside) High Beech Rayleigh. I did get to some others like Cradley Heath and Hyde Road, but just looking at London tracks is bad enough!

That's not an easy answer at all. Of course, records will go on being broken, though you haven't mentioned Don Bradman's Test match record, however, as you say yourself about boxing, football and rugby for example, the fitness levels and training are much greater today. Transpose those old champions to today's regimes and what would they achieve? That's the point of the question.

All heat leaders, apart from the Big 5, were on 10 yards.

The only thing I know is that Peter Craven beat Ove Fundin more times in all encounters than Moore or Briggs did, but Fundin won the most. I would be fairly certain that Fundin would be the dominant rider in that selection. Certainly Fundin was by far the most dominant in the Golden Helmet.

I can't help thinking the greats of any period would be great in any other. It's something about them as individuals, their skill, their dedication, their ruthlessness, their determination, whatever the track preparation or equipment or technical advances.

Who knows, chr, who knows?

Now that would be a story!

I don't know but why has Darcy Ward tweeted that he is out of the 2015 Melbourne GP?Darcy Ward has just tweeted, "@D_Dublu_racing: Reading highest placed non gp rider is Aussie tittle gets wild card" (sic)

Given the length of time it's taking to hold the hearing and the possible ramifications if he is cleared, I would have thought the FIM must be quite confident they will win the case