iris123

But you aren't interested in modern speedway anyway, as you have stated often enough. Even if someone offered to pick you up and drive you there and back you wouldn't go...... To remind you of what you posted a couple of weeks back 'TBH speedway - modern or historically - has little or nothing to offer me.'

A somewhat reluctant Frank Arthur gave an interview in the Sporting Globe back at the end of 1929 recalling his life and career up till then 'I was born in Lismore (NSW) 22 years ago on December 12th 1907. After having left school at 14, I took a job at a windmill foundry. A year later I purchased a motor cycle and in the following year (1923) I won a race at a mile track at Warwick (Queensland). This fired my ambition to be a 'speed demon' and it was not long before championship honours came my way......In 1926 Mr A Hunting opened the Brisbane Exhibition Speedway - the first quarter of a mile track in the world- and I rode with varied success for a season. Then I transferred to Davies Park where Dame Fortune still smiled on me, so much that I was chosen to go with a team of 11 other riders to go to England in 1927.' I can tell you I landed in the Old Country with plenty of enthusiasm but very little cash. Just the bare £13...... Having had to beg for an advance so he could pay a deposit on two bikes he made his debut at White City 'Shall I ever forget the wet, dreary day? For a while I felt dispirited. It was make or break with me. I had incurred extra liabilities and was "stumped" as far as cash was concerned. I was wearing an Australian flag on my jersey, and I felt overjoyed when a voice called out: "Cheer up Frank ; show them how the Aussies can ride !" The onlookers words acted like magic and I cleaned up108 pounds for the day's riding. Within 4 days in the following week I gathered in a shade over £600.....' In 1928 he won around 4,000 pounds and then the next season upped that to 5,000. The £9,000 then worth around £575,500 today. But to put it into perspective Tai earned £400,000+ in 2018 just from his polish club Arthur's dream was to win the TT Trophy on the Isle of Man and hoped to persuade one of the leading teams to enter him in the race After his speedway career he wanted to buy a sheep station in Queensland and live in the city and fly out by plane every day to his farm.

Going to be a 'sparring' at Wittstock on 15.03.2020 v Orzel Lodz

As some will know I am no fan of Castagna over the past few years. This is yet another of his cock ups.

Depends on line-ups and of course weather, but if ok then yes Just checked and about the same distance as Vojens. But the 135 to Vojens is much easier. Hope to make both journeys this year

Wittstock confirm their first meeting. Start time 13:00

Speedway on Ice from Lodz 25.01.2020. Bit pedestrian, but there was an junior individual plus a Poland v Czech Republic match

That only works with outside tracks though

Not technically speedway, but a couple of the US riders withdrew from the Scratch race final at the Melbourne Motordrome in 1924 Johnny Seymour and Ralph Hepburn refused to ride as they said it wasn't safe for more than 5 riders to race each other. They were subjected to a 'hostile demonstration' from a section of the crowd, but a number of other riders shared their view. Hepburn stated 'We always believe in safety first ' Not long after, Hepburn was involved in a nasty accident at the track( he seemed to blame letting amateur and inexperienced riders in races), that might have made his mind up to swap bikes for auto racing, where he became one of the top drivers in the US with a couple of podium places at the Indy 500, but some 22 years later would lose his life in a track crash whilst practicing

A few pieces on Robert Enke https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p07v7wpc https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3csym75

Never seen him or really heard of him, but tragic. Not long after the anniversary of Robert Enke’s death, which did get some coverage on the BBC. Was watching a programme about him and it was very difficult for his wife to cope. Telling him to snap out of his depression at first. And just before his death she thought he was actually coping well. But it is often well hidden RIP

Just being safe. Saw something about the spikes and kidney injury and didn’t want to put anything too bad up

Yes, I just saw a post from someone saying he might be out of hospital tomorrow, which sounds good

Nasty crash with Zorn and Weber. It is on youtube, but won't put it up. Seems Hans has some worrying injuries from the spikes

Almaty live https://vk.com/video-117596093_456240007?fbclid=IwAR0E3q4pLb2Og-z6py6TwoWfFqMYPLjw8ZHvRgxzUaJXG_UilpxDwsbMJ4w

Came across this piece on one of the founding fathers of the sport.

Peace didn't last long in Brisbane and by April 1927 6 of the top riders were yet again on strike. Pearce and Spinks again involved along with Dick Smythe, Jock Hollis, Syd Bayley and Vic Huxley. They were after a new distribution of the prize money. More for the scratch riders, who they stated started at the back in the handicap races and had to go all out to get through the field, taking risks in doing so. 18 riders were on retainers of 10 pounds and 10 shillings. Their idea was that all riders should get a retainer of 5 pounds and the rest of the money given out in prize money. The managements side was that all riders had the same expenses in looking after their bikes and they wanted to be fair to all. They also said they had a number of riders from the South who were willing to ride, if the 6 wouldn't There was a few letters to the press including one from Huxley's father denying rumours that his son would ride and break the strike, but he had to miss the next meeting anyway due to military training and by the time A J Hunting wrote a reply to Pearce's 'tirade of abuse' it seems Huxley was no longer on strike and Hunting made public the wages the strikers had earned and Huxley wasn't included and stated Vic was taking the advice of his father and honouring his contract..... In the meantime Hollis had also returned, but the others were finding employment elsewhere such as Ipswich and Pearce also won the Queensland 10 mile Championship at the Deagon Racecourse and not long after the season was over at the Brisbane track.

http://www.speedwayplus.com/MonkeysPaw_m.shtml

A bit of research and of course a number of US riders were in Australia late 1924. Jim Davis, Paul Anderson, Johnny Seymour and Ralph Hepburn. Now it isn't mentioned often as far as I have seen on the AMA roll of honour site etc, but in an interview given whilst in Australia Hepburn mentioned that when starting out(1910s) he was taken under the wing of a certain Don Johns.....

Just about the earliest strike I have found happened at the so called by some, birth place of the sport West Maitland in February 1926. Apparently just as the meeting was supposed to start the riders left the pits and marched over to the secretary's office and demanded more money or they wouldn't ride. "We want 50 pounds or nothing", was their demand. The officials were taken by surprise and also said there was an official way to make a complaint and that none had been made and the prize money was known at the time each rider had agreed to enter the meeting, but as the crowd was waiting after a debate agreed to up the prize money from the 'agreed 40' to 50 pounds and the bikes started up almost immediately Just to add Mr Hoskins had left Maitland by this time Did actually find a strike by motorcycle riders at Brooklands in 1924, because neighbours of the track had complained about the noise and so motorcycles were ordered to have silencers fitted !!!!

Gone for an 18 rider format with a quali to find the last 2 riders now ?

Got that wrong. If you look at speedweek it explains he is looking for a mechanic because he is first reserve for the GPs and wants someone to boost his team. As I stated a few days back he has also just bought Jan Andersson’s tuning business , so has plenty to do. No way will he be in the UK

Yes, but also put he could change his base from Germany to CZ or PL.... now that means Czecho or PL(Poland), I reckon

I think it could. If you look at the full post he say’s his main base is in Olching Germany but could be changed to CZ or PL ......

Yer. He’s a nice young man. Maybe he will personally drive a golf cart to shuttle the disabled to the track from the car park . Nice. !!!