britmet

Bob, old boy, it comes to all of us eventually, and so it has. Don't you recall discussing Jack Scott, Bluey Scott and the other Jack S, the canadian singer of "What In the World's Come Over You" on this site about a year ago? (Lost since the site and its host chamged, so I copied this (below) from the Cradley site: Jack had a triple heart bypass in 2008. He's now 76. Jack Scott back in 1961, on loan from his parent club Southampton to Plymouth Bulldogs, had been the phenomenon of the Prov’l Lge., having invested in new equipment from a UK pools win after 2 struggling years at Banister Court. He had scored 212 league points, second only to our own Ivor Brown with 213pts, and though he had disappointed in the Harringay PLRC he was the only PL rider to get thru the NL rounds to the British Final of the World Championship at Wembley, - quite a feat. (On such form he ought to have earlier reverted to the NL, but the SCB refused it, declaring S’ton, with new men Briggs and Knutson, to be too strong. It cost S’ton the 1961 NL title !) With a NL place guaranteed, Scott failed to return to the UK in ’62. Despite attempts by everyone, every year, to sign him up, Cradley made a coup in 1967 and lured him back to the UK, - on a 2-year contract at that ! The preceding year Cradley had signed the new Aussie champ, Chum Taylor. Our need for a former NL heat-leader in the amalgamated British Lge had become obvious, and former World Finalist and WTC rider Chum was to be that man. But at 38 years old, the Coca-Cola Kid, (Chum’s employer, whose logo he proudly bore on his tank, and of whom he loyally would speak, -“Pepsi ? no comparison”,) disappointed, with an average of just 6.3 and had to take much criticism. He was even reprimanded by the ref at Newcastle for not trying! 1966 was to be Chum’s last year of UK league racing. Undeterred, Cradley again went back to Australia and signed the newly-crowned Aussie Champion, Scott. With visions of his 1961 performances still in mind, surely he would do better than last year’s champ, we all thought. Scotty flew in, and for the first month used Ken Wakefield’s Rotrax-Jap whilst his own ESO was on the high seas, (the norm back then.) He did …, - well - , not too bad, “ But wait till his own bike arrives,” we said. Meanwhile Howard Cole was sitting it out in NZ, arguing with the Cradley management that a champion should get his air fare paid. This subject was a regular ‘sticker’ in negotiations back then. Anzac riders had moved from the fast 10-day ship journey (with bikes on the slower 2-3 week freighters,) to flying in, bikes to follow. UK riders were trying on the same thing, and many would sit it out, waiting to see if their club, or any club desperate to boost a poor start to the season, would buckle first. Briggs, for instance, sat out 1959 after 2 World Final wins, to be brought back by the promoters’ assoc’n only in August to defend his title at Wembley. Scot Ken McKinlay was another who decided home was Perth, WA, and regularly expected his ticket paid or withheld his services. Cradley held firm with Cole and it was well into the season before the new NZ champ returned, - to Kings Lynn ! (Did they pay his fare?) With the arrival of his own shipped bike Jack Scott proceeded to get some double figures, but then had a couple of falls and several blown motors, and in early June he walked out of a mtg. and wasn’t seen for a few weeks! Scotty and his wife Pat had been living in Quarry Bank. She, - English born, Aussie bred - , was getting homesick, we learnt: they went down South to familiar territory and put up with fellow Aussie Geoff Mudge and his wife. Two weeks later they were sailing back to Aussie, - 2-year contract or not - , having sold his equipment to buy tickets home ! Cradley completed the season with neither of the champions they thought they would be running with, and fared little better than in ‘66, escaping the Wooden Spoon by one place, - 18th out of 19 teams. Chum Taylor was now lauded for his loyalty in staying the course through the full 1966 season despite poorer than expected results, ( 34 appearances, ave. 6.3, c.f. Scott’s 16 appearances, ave. 6.5,) and Jack Scott was never forgiven, – nor chased by any British promoter again. In Sept 2008 Scotty had to have triple heart by-pass surgery, after which some other complications followed. He apparently is “ still not too good now” but at the age of 75, in a country town outside Adelaide where he has 20 acres of land, he gets around on his tractor, farming a few sheep and assembling the odd computer or two.

I'm puzzled by the points if there was only one meeting -? They're not the points shown on your match report, 17.7.2010, (10,11,10 and a Final.)

At the risk of repeating whats already been covered on the subject of the PLRCs, Trevor Redmond won at Cradley in 1960 and was set to do the same at Harringay in 1961 when his chain snapped and so Reg Reeves won. Jack Scott who was the phenomenum of '61 after buying a new bike with a UK pools win, failed to shine at Harringay, (yes, thats how it was spelt before the pc brigade took over,) but Scotty, then with Plymouth did qualify for the Wembley Final, only a British Final that year, which was still quite something for a PL rider.

No, it was the first 24 hts & a Final format, the Prov'l Lge being 13 teams strong that year. 4th man in that final, unmentioned so far, was Guy Allott of Sheffield. The orig'l question of this posting has been answered, v/v Wayne & Barry, but the position of Murray in the family was questioned. The facts are, - Barry came to UK in 1952, Murray in '57 or '58, and Wayne in 1961. What odds on the order of birth being the same ?

Which demonstrates that anything a Hoskins (and a Redmond) say, - great showmen that each were - , has to be taken with a pinch of salt. (so we may never know whether Wayne did have a speedway ride before coming to Old Meadowbank.)

. So then you have to ask "Was there any point in the protest ?" In the following year the meeting reverted to the trad'l 20 heat format ! For the benefit of the youngsters reading this, No, there weren't 'Final Race-Offs' after 20 heats ! The winner was the man with the most points ! BUT on this occasion, 1964, 2 riders tied with 13pts, so there was a Run-off, which Mauger won from Charlie Monk. (and then another Run-off for 3rd place as Pete Kelly & Roy Trigg had tied on 12pts.)

The line-up of the 1963 PLRC final is on the front of the 1964 PLRC programme, - Hunter, Gilbertson, Mauger & Kitchen, walking out for the race with Ross prophetically pointing to Mauger. I attended all 5 PLRCs, Bobbath. That corrects the earlier posting on here,- Wayne was runner-up to Len Silver in the 1962 Final, not the 1963. So he is on the front of the 1963 Final programme, on the rostrum with Silver & Craven. .

Because the Heathens (and others another year, I guess,) want to sit on top of that table and demonstrate the pointlessness of Play-Offs, (The PL has it right !)

How many go thru ? .

But it won't help if Dudley councillors hear people in the know say on local radio that if we get our own stadium the name will probably be changed back to Cradley Heathens.

Definately agree. Yet how strange that since their emergence not one New Zealander has stood on the World Final rostrum since!

Both riding 500cc Japs round an oval circuit ! - ? One won and one didn't.

So its Runner-Up in a 2nd Div'n competition v/v. a 2x National Champion, - ? Surely there's no comparison. What do others think?

. Briggo's other (middle) brother Murray Briggs was a little more successful than Wayne when he came oover here for a short spell in 1958. see http://speedwaychampions.com/GrassTrackChamps.aspx He was Bristish Grass track Champion in both the 500cc Class and the 350cc class in the same year that his big brother was World Champ.

It can work, 'cos its worked before, - Midland Lge matches as one with main league. A fair amount of bad luck can occur in any meeting, a single meeting, a double-header, or a 2-in-1 mtg. Whats the fans won't wear, particular if admission price is up 70%, is a double header with the second against the same team as an hour earlier; - P'boro v. Eastbourne, ELA & ELB, a few years ago. A flop, particularly gate-wise.

Simple solution, (probably too simple for the BSPA,) - - - One match, 15 hts, 2 competitions, ie match winner wins semi of both Play-off and KOC . Its been done before.

Thanks, - How many Rounds to count in the Chmpshp ?

How many more Rounds? - and where and when are they ? .

How many more Rounds in the Chmpshps ? - and where and when? .

QUOTE: Do the Hitmen have no more matches before the cut-off then? According to the SGB webite under 'Fixtures/Sept 2010' KL take on Buxton for their last NL match on Sat. 11th. BUT there's nothing on the KL site to this effect, and Buxton's site (latest 'News' = July !) has it as TBA. - ?? QUOTE: the pointless Dudley league match against Weymouth the following week, - does that even need to be run now ? Most certainly. We still want to sit on top of that table ! QUOTE: The 12/9 deadline was agreed by all the chairmen at the AGM prior to the start of the season. The EL Cut-off has flexed. With no TV screening why is the NL seemingly inflexible ? Why is any Play-Off even needed ? The more sensible PL doesn't need one to determine its Champion, - a few top-of-table season fillers to bring in a crowd for a match against a strong draw. This subject (under at least 3 Topic headings) has raised more postings on this site than any other recent matter. The promoters must realise the issues that the subject causes in all 3 leagues. Okay, Sky calls the tune in the EL, but there is no excuse for the other leagues to make a fool of our sport. In 2009 the EL commenced the season declaring the Play-Offs would involve the top SIX teams - in a NINE-team league ! ! How ridiculous was that? Common sense eventually prevailed and an AGM agreement was justifiably changed.

. Congrats to every one of the Heathens, - that's just what we needed to make it absolutely clear we're going to top the table ! And what a way to do it, (10pts down at Ht4,) keeping everyone on the edge of their seat until the last few heats. There's no way that speedway in any other league can produce not only close nail-biting results like this, (and Yes, I have been watching EL during the '00s !) but also give us individual lap-by-lap excitement such as we again saw at Monmore on Tues. On behalf of every one of the Heathens followers I'm sure, - Our thanks lads, for giving us a team to be proud of. .

Can we have a link to see it please? Meanwhile, here's my shot of Pat F, taken 1961 in Plymouth colours, (when they wer ethe Bulldogs re-located from Bristol of '60. http://inlinethumb19.webshots.com/47058/2424745820103948496S425x425Q85.jpg My enduring memory of PF is from that year, '61, when local emerging novice at Dudley Wood, Alan Totney gave him a great run in their 2nd Half heat which so excited the crowd that the promotion put on an extra race, a Match Race between the two.

On a visit to Coventry Cathedral last week I was quietly pleased to see on display his biography by NJ & JC for sale in the Cathedral bookshop. .

NO Chance ! .

We've had this topic on here before. I attended all 5 PLRCs, and the favourite for the first was local Cradley hero Harry Bastable. Harry had been nigh on unbeatable since his return to Cradley from NL Leicester. However he'd already booked a foreign holiday and it was impossible to find a flight for him to get back for the league's newly-devised big night. Cradley had been selected for the initial Championship because a) it was a Saturday track, (high attendance ensured from travelling fans,) it was in the Midlands (central for a league with teams at the extremes of Edinburgh and Bristol, c) it was considered a 'fair' circuit for riders, (it had been built modelled on Wembley: 367yds v 378yds,). Consequently, to 'spread it around', the next two PLRCs were to be in the South, (Harringay,) then the North, (Belle Vue,)in turn . No doubt the ability to take in the Zoological Gardens and make it a full family day out, topped with a fireworks display that the likes of most of us had never before seen, ensured the that the North retained the big event thru into the next decade (as the BLRC.) On this day if no other dedicated speedway fans took along granny and the kids,(as indeed did we later in the '60s at BLRCs,) Yes, I'm sure the Cradley programme header was mis-print. Ex-Wembley Lion Trevor Redmond obviously liked the track similarity and sailed thru the mtg in 1960: he was doing the same in 1961 until that chain snapped. I reckon he'd burnt himself out thru '62 trying desparately to make Neath a going concern: he was promoter, rider and general factotum there, as well as running St Austell and Stocks at Newton Abbott. He was the only rider to appear in all 5 PLRCs if I remember correcty, representing 5 different clubs, Bristol, W'ton, Neath, St.Austell & Glasgow.