norbold

My nos 1-5 were: 1. Peter Craven 2. Freddie Williams 3. Split Waterman 4. Brian Crutcher 5. Ken McKinlay The first four more or less picked themselves. It was much closer for the next four places with Hurri-Ken and the Black Prince just shading 5 & 6 over Alan Hunt and Tommy Price. Oh, P.S., I had Ron How at no.11. I think his best years were the early 60s. In a similar article I put him at no. 6 in the 60s.

Well, I can't tell you from personal experience, sidney, as he retired in 1959 and I started going to speedway in 1960. However, from his record he was certainly very good indeed. Between 1955 and 1965, only four riders managed to break the "big 5" dominance of the World Championship rostrum places and Arthur was one of them, so that must say something. Back in 2010, Tony McDonald asked me to write an article on the Top 20 British riders of the 1950s. I placed him 6th.

Well, they've named their team for 2015......http://www.mildenhallfentigers.co.uk/index.php/news-centre/570-fans-favourite-completes-lineup

Youngsters! 11 May 1960. New Cross v. Norwich. Ove Fundin scored an 18 point maximum, but, happily, New Cross won the Britannia Shield match.

I'm a historian, LH, I never throw anything away! I've also still got all my Speedway Worlds and Speedway Stars from 1960!

I've kept my programmes from every meeting I've ever been to from 1960 onwards.

Thank you, BOBBATH. You're a gentleman and I agree with you! Me too.

Do you know something we don't?

There was a viable track in place in 1968. Jimmy Gooch had leased it in 1967 to run a training school and resuscitated the track. It was this track that was used at the 40th anniversary meeting in 1968. Many former riders gave demonstrations on the track including Roger Frogley, Wal Phillips, Jack Barnett and Syd Edmonds. So I did see speedway at the track, albeit not a match or individual trophy. The last time High Beech was used for matches was 1939. It was used as a training track in1947, 49 and 50 and then that was it till 1967.

The meeting I went to at High Beech was actually in 1968, celebrating the 40th anniversary of the first meeting. In fact the last meeting at High Beech was later than the last meetings at New Cross and Harringay. P.S. And Southampton!

I didn't venture much out of London but just looking at the tracks I went to there and are not around any more is enough to make you cry!!! New Cross Harringay Hackney West Ham Wimbledon White City Wembley Romford and (just outside) High Beech Rayleigh. I did get to some others like Cradley Heath and Hyde Road, but just looking at London tracks is bad enough!

That's not an easy answer at all. Of course, records will go on being broken, though you haven't mentioned Don Bradman's Test match record, however, as you say yourself about boxing, football and rugby for example, the fitness levels and training are much greater today. Transpose those old champions to today's regimes and what would they achieve? That's the point of the question.

All heat leaders, apart from the Big 5, were on 10 yards.

The only thing I know is that Peter Craven beat Ove Fundin more times in all encounters than Moore or Briggs did, but Fundin won the most. I would be fairly certain that Fundin would be the dominant rider in that selection. Certainly Fundin was by far the most dominant in the Golden Helmet.

I can't help thinking the greats of any period would be great in any other. It's something about them as individuals, their skill, their dedication, their ruthlessness, their determination, whatever the track preparation or equipment or technical advances.

Who knows, chr, who knows?

Now that would be a story!

I don't know but why has Darcy Ward tweeted that he is out of the 2015 Melbourne GP?Darcy Ward has just tweeted, "@D_Dublu_racing: Reading highest placed non gp rider is Aussie tittle gets wild card" (sic)

Given the length of time it's taking to hold the hearing and the possible ramifications if he is cleared, I would have thought the FIM must be quite confident they will win the case

Er....no...His name is Ken Taylor.

Ah, right, sorry, sidney. My mistake. Yes West Ham was used in the 1960s, but it moved around a bit. 64 was Wembley; 65 West Ham; 66 Wimbledon; 67 West Ham; 68 Wimbledon; 69 West Ham; 70 West Ham; 71 Coventry

King's Lynn's not defunct.

West Ham closed in 1972.

Not necessarily. I know someone who was at the first meeting at High Beech in 1928 and he's still going strong. Mind you, he was only 4 months old at the time.

Now I'm feeling my age, moxey. I was brought up in the 1960s with Ove Fundin, Ronnie Moore, Peter Craven, Barry Briggs, Bjorn Knutson...sigh....