BL65

26/07 Bradford (Postponed due to bus strike) DATE & MEETING Date confirmed as Friday, 26th July from a Speedway Star report, but no details of the intended format of the meeting were given. 14/09 Aldershot DATE, MEETING & RESULT A number of fixture changes were reported in Speedway Star 7th September, including the match at Aldershot to take place on Thursday, 19th September. This was the Rayleigh ‘home’ fixture against Aldershot due to have been staged on 14th September. Another of the fixture changes saw the SAL Riders’ Championship meeting at Rayleigh moved to 14th September and Aldershot’s Pete Mould and John Day competed in that meeting. Speedway Star had previously carried an advert for an ‘Open Meeting’ at Aldershot on 14th, but it would not have featured the team as it should have been fulfilling an away fixture before the alterations were made. It seems possible that no meeting took place, with the match to fulfil the Rayleigh ‘home’ fixture providing the Aldershot meeting for that week. 16/09 Exeter DATE, MEETING & RESULT No meeting advertised in the speedway papers, however, in the match report in Speedway Star for the meeting on 9th September it was stated that the meeting on 23rd September would be the last of the season. This might indicate that no meeting was scheduled for 16th September. If a meeting had taken place it is almost certain that Tony Lethbridge would have supplied details to Speedway Researcher. 22/09 California DATE, MEETING & RESULT Speedway Star 5th October 1957 reported that ‘speedway makes a welcome return to California’ (on October 6th). This phrase suggests that it might have been a while since the previous meeting (i.e. the California Championship two months earlier on 5th August, rather than just two weeks earlier on 22nd September). The indications are that there was no meeting on 22nd September. 06/10 California - listed as Supporters Trophy, postponed. CONFIRM DATE, MEETING AND REASON FOR POSTPONEMENT. Speedway Star (see above) stated that this was to be contested by Aldershot riders backed up by other riders associated with the club. Speedway Star 12th October then reported ‘Unfortunately we received too late for inclusion in last week’s issue the following statement from Frank Marshman: Due to circumstances beyond the Aldershot management’s control, the meeting scheduled for Sunday, October 6, has been cancelled.’

In 3 of the 5 Rye House challenge matches that season there was also a 'missing' point.

I was about to mention that the riders' totals in the close season SAL track reviews in the Star differ regarding several riders compared to the figures in the 1946-1964 book, with a missing point for Colin Pratt in the Star being one of them. Also, it is quite possible that the reports/scores in the Star and World were from the same source; the Researcher information may have been obtained from a marked programme, which compounds the 60 point mystery, unless the programme was filled in by the Star reporter!

Unfortunately not.... yet. The league tables published in the Speedway Star included the score of 60-23 up until 2nd November, when the final table reflected the amendment to 59-23, but with no explanation given.

Oxford v Leicester (Challenge) 65-29 - Speedway Researcher file has the date as Monday 14th April. However 14th April was a Sunday. My list has the meeting on Friday 19th April - CONFIRM DATE. The programme is from Friday, 19th April. 08/04/1957 Southampton: Crutcher v Knutsson (Practice) 50-43 - DATE, TEAM NAMES & RESULT 8th April; the programme shows Dick Bradley’s Team 43 Brian Crutcher’s Team 50. This was a practice meeting, with the proceeds of a collection going to the fund for the All England Schools Athletics Championship to be held in July at the Southampton Sports Centre. 19/04/1957 Southampton: Good Friday Trophy - Winner: Brian Crutcher - DATE & RESULT 19th April; Crutcher 15, Cyril Roger 14, Brian Hanham & Maury Mattingley 11. 21/05/1957 Southampton: Pictorial Trophy - Winner: Brian Crutcher - DATE & RESULT 21st May; Crutcher 15, Peo Soderman 13, Ove Fundin 13. 18/06/1957 Southampton: Handicap Trophy - Winner: George White - DATE & RESULT 18th June; White 13+4 handicap points = 17, Bert Roger 11+4=15, Alby Golden 10+4=14. 16/07/1957 Southampton: World Championship British QR - Winner: Brian Crutcher - DATE & RESULT 16th July; Brian Crutcher 15, Jack Unstead 12, Dick Bradley 11.

04/04 Oxford - programme says Easter Cup Trophy won by Jack Young but I have a fixture entitled North v South with result 44-52. No mention of any event on this date in Speedway Researcher file. Can anyone shed light on this one? North 44 South 52; Jack Young won the Easter Cup race in the second half, from Gerry Hussey, Alf Hagon and Ron Mountford. 26/05 Wimbledon - fixture described merely as 'Open'. It was cancelled due to the London bus strike. What was this proposed meeting, individual, pairs, etc?? This was scheduled to have been a qualifying round of the Southern Riders’ Championship. 26/05 Exeter - Open Championship - was result a tie between Ronnie Genz & Dick Bradley or was there an outright winner? Ronnie Genz won with 13, Biggs and Bradley scored 12. The Speedway Researcher shows the correct heat results for Bradley but his individual score chart incorrectly shows 3 instead of 2 in his final ride. 10/06 Southampton - Southern Riders Championship QR - Winner: Ove Fundin CONFIRM DATE & RESULT Confirmed; Fundin 15, Briggs 14, Bradley 11. 15/07 Southampton - World Championship British QR - Winner: Ronnie Genz CONFIRM DATE & RESULT Confirmed; Genz 13, Bradley 12, Crutcher 12. 19/08 Southampton - World Championship British SF - Winner: Jack Geran CONFIRM DATE & RESULT Confirmed; Geran 14, Ronnie Moore 13, Hussey, How & Lawson 11.

27/03 Southampton v The Rest (Challenge) 62-33 DATE & RESULT Confirmed. Southampton Reserves beat Coventry Reserves 20-9 in a second half challenge. 11/04 Norwich v Poole (Britannia Shield) Postponed - rain DATE Confirmed, the track was waterlogged. 18/04 Edinburgh - Student Open Championship - Winner: Templeton DATE & RESULT (WHICH TEMPLETON?) Date confirmed; my programme shows Doug Templeton 14, Fred Greenwell 12, Willie Templeton 12. 25/04 Swindon v Poole (Britannia Shield) Postponed - rain DATE Confirmed. 12/05 Southampton - Southern Riders Championship QR - Joint Winners: Oven Fundin & Ron How DATE & RESULT Confirmed date and result. 16/06 Southampton - Pride Of The South - Winner: Brian Crutcher DATE & RESULT Confirmed; Crutcher scored 12, with Gordon McGregor and Ronnie Moore on 9. 30/06 Southampton v Polish Touring Team 55-35 DATE & RESULT Confirmed; Southampton Reserves beat Polish Reserves 16-14 in the second half. 15/07 St. Austell - British League Pairs - Winners: I. Williams & G. White AND/OR M. Broadbank & N. Street DATE & RESULT (TIE?) Date and tie for first place confirmed. 30/08 or 03/09 Ipswich - Suffolk Junior Championship - Winner: Dave Hankins DATE 03/09 22/09 Southampton v Continentals 66-42 DATE & RESULT Confirmed; Ron Taylor won the Novice of the Year Final in the second half.

On the basis of their whole careers, Cradley Heath followers might wish to chose 7 from Bruce Penhall, Erik Gundersen, Jan O. Pedersen, Alan Hunt, Anders Michanek, Bob Andrews, John Boulger, Jack Biggs, Greg Hancock, Billy Hamill, Bobby Schwartz, Simon Wigg and Lance King. Maybe consideration might also be given to Colin Pratt, Bob Andrews, Bernt Persson, Chum Taylor, Alan Grahame and Phil Collins. For his Provincial League exploits Ivor Brown deserves a mention too. Who knows what Steve Bastable might have gone on to achieve but for his injury at Leicester and his falling out with Dan McCormick, culminating in a transfer away from Dudley Wood.

Looking at all-time careers I find it difficult to choose between Norman Hunter, Colin Pratt, Jack Biggs and Bob Andrews.

Perhaps we should start again with the question being along the lines of 'How many nations/countries/sovereign states/kingdoms/realms/territories/provinces/principalities/duchies have been represented in British (league) racing over the years?' I am surprised there has been no reference to Rugby Union's Six Nations tournament, involving France, Italy, Ireland, UK1, UK2 and UK3, with the players born in the latter three 'areas' of England, Scotland and Wales having passports describing their nationality as British.

Yes, Saunders from Guernsey and Bisson from Jersey. John Fitzpatrick (Stoke, Southampton, West Ham, Rayleigh, Yarmouth, Ipswich, New Cross, Middlesbrough) was born in Guernsey, as was Stan Mauger (Coventry). I believe that Andrew Tully (Edinburgh and Scunthorpe) was from the Isle of Man. An added piece of trivia - Ivan Mauger's grandparents were from Guernsey.

Northern Ireland, Guernsey and Jersey, although the latter two are British Crown dependencies rather than 'nations'.

Doctors specialising in pain management can sometimes achieve excellent outcomes for their patients. I endured excruciating non-stop pain from nerve damage for 4 years until I had a spinal cord stimulator implant in 2006, followed by a replacement upgrade implant in 2012, courtesy of the U.S. company St. Jude Medical/Advanced Neuromodulation Systems (ANS). Prior to receiving the implanted device I had been prescribed numerous strong painkillers, including Gabapentin and Pregabalin, none of which were of benefit. I was fortunate as the implant immediately had a positive effect, reducing the level of pain in my legs and feet by about 50% on a bad day and much more than that on good days. Following the replacement in 2012 the level of pain is hardly noticeable most of the time and when it is present it is bearable. The implant programs can be altered remotely by the patient, in order to modify the frequency, intensity and areas requiring stimulation. ANS is now part of Abbott Laboratories, with a Swiss subsidiary, ANS Suisse AG. Tomasz will be in good hands if he is to receive treatment from this company or another with similar expertise. He has significantly more severe medical issues than me and the nature of the surgery will undoubtedly be highly complex and more advanced than for a straightforward stimulator implant, but I wish him well and hope for a rapid improvement in his condition following his forthcoming treatment.

I can find no reference to sidecar matches in Newcastle 1968 programmes either, which makes me wonder if Bill Bridgett was the driving force, particularly taking into account his grass track connections.

In his Newport programme notes for the meeting on 12th July, Bill Bridgett provided news of a forthcoming sidecar attraction, a league match against Nelson. The notes indicated that this would be Newport's first home fixture in the new league and it would take place in the second half of the meeting on 26th July. However, the programme for 26th July did not include sidecars and I have found no further reference to sidecar events in subsequent Newport programmes in 1968. Bill Bridgett, more commonly associated with Wolverhampton, prepared the programme notes for 26th July following the tragic death of Eddie Glennon in a car crash on his way home from the previous week's Great Britain v Soviet Union test match at Somerton Park.

Wolves 37 Newport 11 Ht 1: Crisp 2 Pinfold 3 Price 0 Paskin 1 80.4 5-1 5-1 Ht 2: Artus 3 Hancocks 2 Candlin 1 Cerleck 0 79.4 5-1 10-2 Ht 3: Crisp 1 Bache 3 Price 2 Hook 0 82.6 4-2 14-4 Ht 4: Pinfold 3 Hancocks 1 Paskin 2 Cerleck 0 81.0 4-2 18-6 Ht 5: Artus 3 Bache 2 Candlin 1 Hook 0 80.4 5-1 23-7 Ht 6: Crisp 1 Hancocks 3 Price 2 Hook (replaced Cerleck) 0 82.6 4-2 27-9 Ht 7: Pinfold 3 Artus 2 Paskin 1 Candlin 0 79.0 5-1 32-10 Ht 8: (Nominated) Pinfold 3 Artus 2 Paskin 0 Price 1 77.0 5-1 37-11 Wolves Lawson Crisp 2' 1 1 4+1 Paul Pinfold 3 3 3 3 12 Alan Artus 3 3 2' 2' 10 +2 Graham Hancocks 2' 1 3 6+1 Stan Bache 3 2' 5+1 Newport R Price 0 2 2 1 5 Paskin (replaced B Turnell) 1 2 1 0 4 Mervyn Candlin (replaced D Adams) 1 1 0 2 Cerleck (sp?) replaced R Bodenham) 0 0 0 Hook (replaced K Roberts) 0 0 0 0

Starting in the latter part of the 1950s speedway sometimes used an S too many, hence Bjorn Knutson became Knutsson in programmes and magazines, Mike Broadbank was Broadbanks and Chris Julian was Julians for a long time.

In 1946 there was Jack White at Sheffield and Jack (D) White at New Cross. Peter Thompson at Bradford in 1956 and his namesake at Exeter in 1974. Richard Knight (King's Lynn) and Richard (R) Knight at Stoke in 1994. Rob Homer (Birmingham 1971) and Rob Homer (Stoke 1994). Ron Cooper (Cradley Heath mid-1960s) and Ron Cooper (Boston late-1970s). John McKinlay (Cradley Heath Juniors late-1980s) and his father John (Ken) McKinlay.

The article in the link mentions that Danny Lee started his career as a junior rider at West Ham in 1936. He also competed in some second half races at the track in 1937.

I have checked the programmes for 16 of the 20 meetings at Harringay in 1939 and have found no record of Danny Lee taking part. He did ride for Stoke, Belle Vue 2 (when they took over Stoke's remaining fixtures following their withdrawal from the league) and Southampton that year. He also made appearances for a Newmarket team (based at a Cambridge grass track), as well as taking part in individual meetings at Bell End (Holbeach) and leading Danny Lee's Team in a challenge match against Ron Clarke's Team at Cowley Stadium, Oxford, in November.

5th September Sheffield 36 (T Forward 11, J Young 9, M Hepworth 8, D Boocock 8) Cradley Heath 23 (J Bostin 8, P Taylor 8, P Fry 5, N Leaver 2) Halifax 21 (D Clay 10, G Whittaker 8, I Sutcliffe 3, S Quick 0) Wolverhampton 16 (C Cobby 8, A Butt 4, F Killeen 3, A Phillips 1)

Dai was born in Bridgnorth, a town on the River Severn about 35 miles east of the Welsh border and 15 miles west of Wolverhampton.

I have checked the source of the information and it is incorrect, thanks for highlighting it.

I would add the following...… Freddie Williams, Eric Williams, Ian Williams, Ivor Hughes, Tom Oakley, Cyril Francis, Bob Hughes