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chunky

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Everything posted by chunky

  1. Going back to a couple of earlier posts, one thing that always concerned me with fixed race nights is the fact that so many of us used to frequent other tracks on nights when our own teams weren't in action. Apart from being a fixture at Plough Lane, I was a regular visitor to White City during their short BL period, and it wasn't unusual for me to go to Hackney, Rye, Arena, Crayford, Mildenhall, Milton Keynes, Lynn, Swindon, and Canterbury. Again, I would see the same people at a lot of the tracks, and fixed nights automatically reduce those numbers. The sad reality is that it was the crowds that generated atmosphere as much as - if not more than - the actual racing. As crowds dwindle, so does the atmosphere. That leads to more people staying home. Fewer meetings will only cause more to stay home... Steve
  2. Pretty sure you can add Bradford Odsal to the list. There was a meeting on August 3, 1957, between Bradford Juniors and London Juniors. The results show one of the Londoners as "Ivan Maugham", but I figure that should read "Mauger". I don't know if this would count, but Ivan won the Golden Eagle Trophy on the 680 yard track at Motherwell in 1972. Steve
  3. 1st September, 2006. Yesterday would have been his 64th birthday... Very sad. Steve
  4. Funny thing is, I was totally in awe the first time I saw Curoso. I know Americans were usually pretty good round Plough Lane, but 10+3 from the reserve berth on his first visit was very special. Going by his performance that night, I thought he could really go places. For some reason, it never happened. I couldn't wait for Hull to visit the following year, but this time, he only managed one point. Then, the switch to Poole didn't work out for him, and I was really disappointed that someone who appeared so talented was lost to British speedway. Steve
  5. Reading drew 39-all at the Shay on 8 September, 1980. Kelly Moran guested and scored 10+1. The Racers also won there that year in the KOC 57-50. Steve
  6. Only went there the once, and it was a wet day, so it was hard to judge. Plus, we were all p*ssed off at the abysmal efforts of the Dons that day. Having said that, it was cool to watch Kenny Carter's mastery of the track, and while Exeter was similar, the thing that struck me at the Shay was the banking; from the outside of the bends, it reminded me of a Wall-of-Death! Steve
  7. As was mentioned earlier in the thread, there was another Andy Buck (a little younger, I believe), and he rode for 'Boro in 1987 and 88. Steve
  8. It was the same Andy Buck who rode for Scunny (1984-85) and Eastbourne (1985-90). Steve
  9. We are talking about Anders Eriksson, not Michanek. Mich never rode for Wimbledon... Steve
  10. Not sure where you would have seen that, but Anders passed away from cancer in 2002. Steve
  11. Um, "mishap"??? That's one way of putting it! Cutting a long story short, I was chasing someone down the steps at full speed, and I jumped... I hit the concrete head first (right below the EXIT sign), and was unconscious for 6 1/2 hours! What really irked me was that Larry won, and Roger was second - and as I was carted off on the stretcher during the interval, I missed the only Dons' success of the year! The only time I ever made it up to the Boulevard was in 1981, on Royal Wedding Day. Simmo and Anders got a last-heat 5-1 over Joe Owen and Billy Sanders to a draw. It has only just hit me as I was writing this, but three of those are no longer with us, and the other is in a wheelchair. That is really depressing to think of that... Steve
  12. Yes, I can see my spot too! And I can also see - right under that EXIT sign above the steps - the spot where I tried to kill myself during the 1980 Laurels... Steve
  13. This really is some terrible news. Hard as nails, and a little scary at times, but the kind of rider every manager and every fan would welcome in their team. A 100% trier, a loyal team man, a nice guy, and someone I will remember very fondly. R.I.P. Vaclav Steve
  14. Sorry Tony, I really can't remember who that would have been, and I have been looking for the last couple of days without success. As I said, the fact doesn't even ring a bell with me... Steve
  15. That was of course, the OTHER Steve Brown, and not me! However, I was in attendance at that Levi's for Feet meeting. Yeah, I remember all the Wally Loak cassettes, although I never did buy any. Digressing slightly - but only slightly - I do have the LP of the 1974 World Final. Steve
  16. We actually went through this a few years ago (2003 in fact) on here, from a Stewart Smith, Ronald's grandson. Looking at the wording here, it looks like it might be the same person enquiring? I haven't linked to that thread, because nobody was able to come up with anything. Steve
  17. I'm sad that you called me "socially inept", and you don't even know me, or know anything about me. Other than the fact I don't disrespect others like you do; I'm sure you know that... Of course, that in itself is a statistic, so maybe not! Steve
  18. With all due respect, that was a little different. New Cross simply fielded a "representative" side in a handful of non-official fixtures. If you count their appearances for the Rangers as "official" representation of a team, then Peter Craven was a New Cross rider... Steve
  19. Yeah, I believe he was around the 60 mark. I wouldn't say I knew him "well", but we always used to stop and have a chinwag, and as has been said, you never knew where you were going to run into him. R.I.P mate... Steve
  20. Glenn Ratcliffe and Geoff Radcliffe both rode for a Gunners junior team against Barrow on 21st June, 1985. Steve
  21. Kylmakorpi didn't appear until after I had left the UK, but I was around for Niemi's entire British career. I was there the first time he rode at Plough Lane in 1976 (in the second half) and I saw him on a regular basis except for 1990 and 1991. He was never a "world-beater" but could mix it with - and often beat - the best of them. As has been said, the BL was the world's strongest league back then, and he was a remarkably consistent performer, even at international level. In view of iris123's breakdown, I will revise my original statement, and place Kylmakorpi above Teromaa. In addition to the figures provided, I think Joonas's durability gives him the edge. Teromaa was only around for a relatively short period, and was never the same after he left Leicester. Steve
  22. I don't want to rub it in, but I am a few years younger than you, norbold! Having said that, the pair are not obscure to me either. In fact, as a kid, I remember my parents telling me about Antti Pajari! Although both were better on the long-tracks, I think Timo Laine was the better of the two, Pajari being a little on the hairy side. Kai Niemi is a definite No 1, with Ila Teromaa a clear second. The remaining three - in no particular order - I would give to Kylmakorpi, Laine, and Kaj Laukkanen, Honorable mentions for Tyrvainen and Kokko. Steve
  23. Actually, there is, but only on the Polish Wikipedia site! It's not much, I know, and of course, it is in Polish, but Google translate will at least make it understandable. It is sad that there isn't much info available online about him. https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sverre_Harrfeldt My dad became good friends with Sverre when he came to Plough Lane, and used to help him out quite a bit. When he had to return to Norway for a few days, my dad would ferry him back and forth to the airport, and would use Sverre's car in the meantime! As has been said, he was never the same after his crash (in the 1968 European Final) at Wroclaw. He struggled on his return to England in 1970, although he was just starting to find his feet when he broke his arm against Wimbledon (I was at Custom House that night). However, while not the Sverre of old, he managed to get his average back up to nearly 8 when riding for Wembley the following year. Steve
  24. Ruddy auto-correct! So sorry... Steve
  25. That is such a great point. Of course, winning any National Championship is an achievement, but the quality of the opposition is not as reliable. Looking at the British Final; Craig Cook has one win and three seconds, far superior to Peter Collins' one win, a second, and a third. PC's win in 1979 came against Lee (World Champ), Jessup (World No 2), Simmons (World No 2), Kennett (World No 2), Louis (World No 3), and multi-World Finalists Morton and Davis. No disrespect, but was Cook's win achieved against the same quality opposition? Back on subject, it is difficult to argue against Hveem's record, and while there have been quite a few very good Norwegians over the years, only Harrfeldt and Holta made any real impression on the international scene. In BL racing, Eide certainly stands out, and Lovaas was excellent, but neither could manage more than one World Final apiece. I also feel that while Gunnestad's international record wasn't at all special (and you can't really judge anything by his National Championships), his British career should put him next in line. Steve
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