norbold

As you know, Jim, my view is that the reason the West Maitland meeting is accepted as the first speedway meeting, in spite of there being others before, and High Beech the first in Great Britain, although there had been others before, is that because it was from those two meetings that speedway "took off" in their respective countries.

Mark Loram has also won it three times and, in the days when it was open to Australians and New Zealanders, Barry Briggs won it 6 times and Ivan Mauger 4. Look at the company that puts Smudger in though - three World Champions.

Three more South Africans: Toby Boshoff Bob Quick Fred Wills

Why have you got ??? after Dick Campbell - he was definitely a Kiwi - unlike Jimmy Tannock and Doug Templeton who were both Scottish. Two more Kiwis: Danny Calder Jack Hunt

Harold Bull (aka Frank Richards) Norman Clay Keith Cox (George) Huck Finn Gruff Garland Merv Harding Cecil Hookham Alec Hunter Doug Ibles Norman Lindsay Syd Littlewood Doug MacLachlan Jack Martin Dick Seers Bonnie Waddell Buck Whitby

It's not Ron Bainbridge Jun. His real name was Ron Bainbridge but he was known as Junior Bainbridge.

Yes, you're right about Gary Guglielmi and we've already had Andy Menzies. Another pre-War Aussie: Bill Rogers

Robert Baker Ron Cooper Andy Cowan John Howell Brenton Langlois John McNeill Peter Michelides Geoff Mudge Geoff Snider Peter Thompson John Wilkins

Aaaarrrrggghhhh!!!!!

Talking of getting killed, there was Dave Wills, Australian youngster who rode for West Ham Talking of West Ham, there was Ray Cresp.

I've only just seen this! But I can confirm that Ron's birth certificate is in The British Museum as the oldest known example of a birth certificate anywhere in the world. On the subject of Smudger, I've always admired him. He has been a great servant to the sport. His long run in the Grand Prix against all the odds is surely testament to this...Maybe never up there with the best of all time, but certainly, for other reasons, deserves to be right up there as one of the all-time greats of speedway.

Cliff Watson was a New Zealander. Born in Christchurch. However he had his first rides at Sydney and rode for Australia in Test matches...He was a bit like Ronnie Moore in reverse!

He was on Wolverhampton's retained list in 1974... It was just that he was unable to fulfill any fixtures. It happens sometimes.

Does this posting give you a clue, speedyguy?

Yes, I thought I'd gloss over 1974....

I think Steve Langton may have been the first Australian to use the foot forward method of riding. He was certainly an early exponent of it.

It's still Sticpewich!

The name is Sticpewich

Right, let's go back pre-War again. Sorry if any of these have already been mentioned... Max Grosskreutz Jack Sharp Jack Chapman Vic Duggan Ray Duggan Arnie Hansen Ron Johnson Tiger Hart (Both of the above were born in Great Britain but emigrated to Australia at a young age and were counted as Aussies) Bill Longley Charlie Spinks Bert Spencer Col Stewart more later....

His name was Sticpewich. He also rode for Wembley 1929-30 Some other Australians who rode for Wembley pre-War: Stan Catlett, Lionel Van Praag, Billy Lamont, Aub Lawson, Dicky Smythe, Dicky Case, Wally Little, Ken Kirkman, Jack Millward, Andy Menzies, Frank Woodroffe. But no A's, so I won't mention them yet...

Definitely an Aussie

Tony Clarke spent quite a few years in the sport. I remember his team debut for West Ham at Wimbledon in the Knock-Out Cup quarter final replay on 14 August 1965, now immortalised as chapter 10 in that fine book, Speedway's Classic Meetings. For the rest of that year whenever he rode in the West Ham team, the Hammers never lost. He became a sort of lucky mascot. He moved to Oxford in 1966, returned to West Ham in 1967 where he stayed until 1970. He then moved to Wembley in 1971, Newport in 1972, Wimbledon for the start of 1972 before going on to Wolverhampton later in the season, remaining there until 1975. I'm not sure what happened to him after that, or where he is now.

Well, let's start at the beginning then... Frank Arthur

Of course Bluey Wilkinson's name was Arthur so I suppose he counts....