norbold

When we discuss (as we do from time to time) best rider never to win the world championship, I do think that Cordy Milne should probably head this category as he was almost certainly the best rider in the world in 1939 and 1940.

Years Gone By; August 26, 2008; Un-official World Finals; Page 1. Sadly, I do not know the time.

I never went to Norwich. It closed before I managed to get there! I left school in 1965 and the year before I applied to go to Keswick Hall College of Education, near Norwich, for the simple reason that I would be able to go to Norwich speedway, but sadly Norwich closed at the end of 1964, so although I went to Keswick Hall and had three jolly good years in Norwich - A Fine City - I never did get to see speedway there!

I mentioned this in August 2008 on a thread about World Championship competitions and you replied to it!

And, of course, there was Ron Johnson unless he was 'the Flying Scotsman'.

Good question, Bavarian. Lionel Wills, a Cambridge undergraduate and keen motorcyclist, visited Australia in 1926 and witnessed speedway first hand at the Sydney Royal track. He was so enthused by what he saw that he asked Johnnie Hoskins, the promoter at Sydney Royal, if he could have a go himself. After his first outing he wrote home to the motor cycle press in this country describing his own experiences and recounting the hair-raising exploits of the likes of Charlie Datson, Paddy Dean, ‘Cyclone’ Billy Lamont and the American, Sprouts Elder, urging motor cycling clubs to take up the sport. What is not clear however is whether Wills took part in the programmed meeting or whether he just had a practice. Either way though, it seems likely he was the first domiciled Briton to ride speedway. Edit: Just found the article I was looking for. This is the part where Lionel Wills recounts his encounter with speedway racing.

As a good friend of mine, Norman Jacobs once told me that he has had 27 books published but made more money from one TV Quiz show than all his books put together!

Yes indeed. We often discuss greatest riders ever, greatest Britons and so on. Now whether Tom Farndon could be reckoned the greatest ever is, of course, open to speculation and there are many rivals for both accolades (greatest ever and greatest Briton), but what I think is not in doubt is the legendary reputation Farndon left behind him due to his personality and, to use a word that probably wasn't around in his time, sheer charisma. He was idolised in his day in a way that no other rider before or since has been. I think that has much to do with why his memory lives on.

He wasn't the promoter. He owned Wembley Stadium.

Ron How!

None of those riders appeared in GB in the 1933 season

So, in the two "normal" size speedway tracks, Tom Farndon is rated as top Briton!

Very sad news. Doug Templeton was one of the first Provincial League riders I saw. He rode in the 1960 World Championship Qualifying Round at New Cross, scoring four points. I have always loved the story Stan Stevens told me once about the time he raced Doug Templeton up in Edinburgh: "We [Rayleigh] were away against Edinburgh in the Provincial League in 1961. We were one of the favourites for the title that year as we had a strong heat leader trio of Reg Reeves, Harry Edwards and me, so we were expected to beat Edinburgh. But with one heat to go, the scores were level and I was out in the last heat with the unbeaten Reg Reeves, against George Hunter and Doug Templeton. George very soon got the better of Reg, but we were both comfortably ahead of Doug and it looked for all the world as though it would be a 3-3 and a draw. But I can still vividly recall what happened then. As I rode into the fourth bend on the last lap, thinking we had the draw, I could see the whole crowd in the main stand rise to their feet as one and it was because of this that I knew that Doug had got me. He had made an amazing manoeuvre to cut through on the inside of me. Although I came last and in effect lost the match for my team, I will never forget the sight of that crowd rising as one to cheer their own rider home."

That is an absolutely fantastic find, iris. Surely, it must put the final nail in the coffin of the idea that Johnnie Hoskins "invented" speedway. Your article is dated 3 November 1923 and the West Maitland meeting was held on 15 December 1923!

Thanks. Looks likely, though the photo is captioned April 1933 and the International is dated 3 May - but close enough I suspect.

Any ideas on this one, iris?

Absolutely Split. It is really impossible to name a greatest seven ever. Different times, different styles, different bikes, different tracks. Do we mean the greatest in the sense of over a long period of time or riders who shone briefly but really shone in that brief period? There are all sorts of issues to consider. Here is a list of 20 great riders who dominated their period (and even this is not exhaustive as I am sure people can readily come up with other names). How do you decide a top seven out of this lot? Frank Arthur, Vic Huxley, Tom Farndon, Bluey Wilkinson, Jack Parker, Vic Duggan, Freddie Williams, Jack Young, Ronnie Moore, Peter Craven, Ove Fundin, Barry Briggs, Ivan Mauger, Ole Olsen, Anders Michanek, Peter Collins, Hans Nielsen, Erik Gundersen, Tony Rickardsson, Greg Hancock.

I've found this: http://www.speedwaymuseumonline.co.uk/alechunter.html It doesn't say where Alec Snr was born, but does say he was a pioneer rider at Sydney and Newcastle from 1927, so presumably that was him and, even if born in England, he had apparently become domiciled in Australia before he took to speedway.

I have never come across that name before in relation to speedway in Australia prior to its introduction to this country nor with regard to 1920s speedway in this country.

Yes, it's never been very clear whether Billy Galloway knew about the intention to start speedway in Great Britain before he boarded the ship and worked his passage as a barber or whether he found out by accident from Keith MacKay, who happened to be on board.

Yes, me too. In the freezing cold!

He did beat Malcolm Simmons though!

I messaged my good friend, Ross Garrigan, one of Australia's leading speedway historians, to see if he knew the answer to your question. I don't think his reply is of much help really! But this is what he said: "I don't think there was too much organization competitors-wise with the staging of Australian Championships back in those days. Vic Huxley spent some time racing in Adelaide before heading to England in 1928. I seem to recall he returned to Brisbane to say farewell to his parents and then left again to head south at the time Hunting's party was about to leave Brisbane to head to England. Another thing, I think Huxley went back to South Australia after his brief return to Brisbane because he had met a girl there. Probably to say goodbye to her before leaving for England."

Crickey, Sidney, that's a difficult one. But if forced to, I suppose the three riders I liked watching most were Sverre Harrfeldt, Christer Lofqvist and Peter Craven.

Yes, and Vic Duggan, both of whom were never world champion but won the equivalent trophy of the time.