BOBBATH

This is a great thread everybody's comments are interesting-here is my two cents. While indeed Trofimov put Michanek in third place in the critical heat with Olsen in 1975 World Final(I wuz there ref.!!!!)-he still ended up with only 8 pts. Not knocking it , just commenting -as regards the 2 Gordeevs(also great) could never figure out who was who-god bless 'em. Great to see Kadirov's name mentioned-is he still with us?? How about somebody taking a shot at the top 5 CANADIAN riders.Are you there Tiger Tom-clearly Eric Chitty is #1-perhaps Jimmy Gibb #2. Can't think of many others-wait a minute -Shane Legault, Mike Tims(R.I.P.)- Dave Dodd- should Stan Bradbury get a mantion-after all he is now a Canuck like me........

On second thougts would replace Rembas with Waloszek-Pogo and Wyglenda also rate honorable mentions. Agree with whiteknight- should have put Chlynovski in Russians.

I reckon the three top Russians would be Plechanov, Samorodov and Kurilenko in that order.Poles-Gollob, Plech, Jancarz then Woryna and Rembas

How about Geoff Mardon as one of the kiwis instead of Ross

Cityrebel you are making me feel old!!

Was there for 1965 British Final-first one where Prov League riders competed(first year of BL)-it was rained off-went back the following week. Great meeting-closest Charlie Monk ever came to a World Final qualification-he wuz robbed ref!!Were any other forumlanders at that meeting??

Sheffield for the racing surface(thanx Frank V.) , Cradley Heath in the sixties-great atmosphere, great sarnies and great people.- and Len Silver's Hackney still remember Carpenders Road and the lovely(?) smells.

Yep, I still miss going to the Shay-last time there was 1966-so hard to believe-I can't be that old

I think the blue leathers came first

Your school couldn't get away with that now!! Glad to see you mention Bert Edwards,older brother of Harry I think. He passed away only recently I believe at 90+

Gosh that brought back some memories-thanks also for the Speedway Reseracher website. Great work.

That's great -perhaps Kev Torpie(-who is also fondly remembered for his whole hearted riding also) could tell John that there are stoill folks who remember him from his time at Middlesbro etc etc.

Glad to see someone mention Mike Keen-he was from MInety, does he still live there. A real rider control bummer was when they moved Peter Vandenberg from Newport to Wolves-in I think 1966(?)

Part of the Rayleigh team of 1960-is Johnny still with us hopefully?

I don't think its Don Smith-I am stumped, 8a I would say is Stan Stevens

I feel that speedway was always discriminated against e.g. with the entertainment tax, lack of BBC coverage etc. because it was regarded as a cloth cap , working class sport( unlike F1 racing)-what do others think who were around in the 50's and 60's???? . It used to really piss me off when I lived in the UK. I think it reached its peak as far as I was concerned when Barry Briggs got most votes for Sportsman(person)of the year for the BBC and amazingly Mary Rand won-because the powers that be(and still are) thought it was more appropriate. Does anyone agree-or am I spinning out of control!!!!(not for the first time) and by the way why is Britain still ruled by Old Etonians in the 21st. centur-would be interested in Steve's comments from Kahokia , Illinois.

I feel that speedway was always discriminated against e.g. with the entertainment tax, lack of BBC coverage etc. because it was regarded as a cloth cap , working class sport( unlike F1 racing)-what do others think who were around in the 50's and 60's???? . It used to really piss me off when I lived in the UK. I think it reached its peak as far as I was concerned when Barry Briggs got most votes for Sportsman(person)of the year for the BBC and amazingly Mary Rand won-because the powers that be(and still are) thought it was more appropriate. Does anyone agree-or am I spinning out of control!!!!(not for the first time) and by the way why is Britain still ruled by Old Etonians in the 21st. centur-would be interested in Steve's comments from Kahokia , Illinois.

Before we all forget about folks from the greatest eras-fifties and sixties-wot about Cyril Brine for Wimbledon and Billy Bales for Norwich-and while I'm at it Eric Boocock for the Dukes..

Bloody hell steve-didn't realise you were that young!!!!!!!!!!!!

Apparently it was his real name-there was an article on him in I think Classic Speedway-Louis confirmed that it was his real name-others can probably remember the article better than I can.

Dick Fisher -Belle Vue, Ron How Wimbledon.

Does anybody remember Alf Elliott-also Cardiff team manager

The first World Final I saw was 1965 when Bjorn won his first and only title-he'd been expected to win a couple before but always seemed to lack the big night temperament.He didn't do too good in the 1966 Final and I have my doubts if he could have won anymore after that-great rider nonetheless.

Sadly-I just can't believe Peter Craven could have won a World Title under the GP system-Tommy Price or Fred Williams either!

If you enter "marching along together "song on youtube one of the things that pops up is "The Lawrence Welk show" version-it is sung by the Glee Singers and it is possible to hear all the words. Hope this helps!