BOBBATH

Too young to die these days

Sorry to hear that.

Good and bad news. In the latest edition of Tapes Up (WSRA newsletter), it was mentioned that Arthur Payne had just had his 98th birthday-so still #1 on the oldest list. The bad news is that Derick Close recently passed away-also in his nineties. R.I.P. Derick. Guess we have another name now entering the 16 man (+ 2 reserves) list

Matt tended to be a reserve at CH in the mid sixties-anyone know how he is doing these days??

Some excellent stats here, I enjoyed reading them-once again I have to defer to BL65-I have to agree that Gote Nordin was better in the sixties than Ken McKinlay!! I am trying to think of some other head to heads of the sixties.

I reckon McKinlay was better than Nordin in the sixties!

OGT- I am interested that one of your favourites is George Major-glad to see him mentioned. CH were big rivals of Newport-when we met in the KO Cup Final of the Provincial League in 1964- we (Newport) won on aggregate by 2 points. I have to say we won because of Georges' absence thru' injury in the second leg at CH . My first visit to an away track-I always have had a soft spot for CH ever since. One of the hi-lites of that meeting was Johnny Edwards(CH) scoring 13 points from 6 rides- Ivor Brown of course scored an immaculate 15 point max At the Final Heat (16) Newport needed 2 points- the result was John Hart, Dick Bradley, Alan Totney and Jon Erskine- so Dick came through for us.. Holy Cow that meeting was Oct 24th, 1964-57 years ago. That would be like me meeting an old geezer in 1964 who was telling me about the F.A. Cup Final of 1907!!!. Newport had started the meeting with a 20 point lead and CH whittled away at it so it all depended on the last race. They won the second leg by 18 points and just missed winning on aggregate. I am looking at the program right now -the comments were by Tom Johnson (RIP) of the Express and Star (wonder if that's still published?) The Supporters Club notes were by Irene Pritchard (RIP)- the advert on the back page was a full page for Watney's Red Barrel - I was going to say also RIP -but don't want to be disrespectful to Tom or Irene. BTW after the meeting I and the coachload of supporters I came with went for a beer or three at a pub within walking distance of Dudley Wood. Lots of CH fans -everyone very friendly and a great evening had by all. I'll never forget the friendly CH fans. Wonderful days!!

Sadly I never got to see Brian Crutcher ride-from what I have read ,his nerves before meetings could let him down. Apparently he would get so nervous before big meetings that he would be sick to his stomach. As you know he retired at a very young age from speedway.

yup and underwater too!

I'd have to go with Knutsson also- but here is one from way back- Geoff Pennikett- always looked like he was riding in an armchair. Not a heat leader but one of the original Newport Wasps, before them he rode for Long Eaton and after Newport went to Poole where I think he rode with Gote Nordin-another stylist.

Hi Chunky, Wot's the matter with playing trains? Next you'll be criticising me for playing with my toy ships in the bath!!!!

Yeh, but was it the Crown pub in Great Missenden or Little Missenden- there were pubs called The Crown in both places- just googled it. I really gotta get a life!!!!!!!

You are right Steve , is that near Amersham and was it the pub that Ron How owned in Chunky's post re the Tebby family?

Is the Ron you refer to-Ron How? I know he kept a pub somewhere out there.

I'd have to go with Malcolm also.

Who is Terry Mussett?

Unfortunately John , the only one of those I got to see was Ove Fundin- interesting list though, I wondered why you put Jimmy Gibb, who I think was Canadian on it, though?

No offence taken Steve, actually I started going to speedway only in 1964-so my knowledge of seasons prior to that was from old speedway Star Digests and a few Stenners Annuals that I purchased - I do wonder that if Ron How had completed a full 1965 season whether Oxford could have ended up Champions that year. As I recall they had an awful long tail though-so I think West Ham could still have won out. Also ta for the compliment- Iget a lot ogfpleasure out of reading your posts Steve , as well as many others. For me, w this a wonderful site.

My reference to Oxford as no-hopers concerned the 1950's and early 1960's. I think they often ended up with the wooden spoon in pre 1964 days. Sorry for the confusion.

Great post BL-also Norbold your post was only 7 minutes ago UK time-what are you still doing up at this late hour??? I am staying up tonight to watch the Canada- Mexico World Cup game-assume you must be planning the same --it starts at 1:30 a.m. your time.

I think I agree with Norbold on this.-Ron How led the usual no-hopers of Oxford to be the last ever NL Champs. I saw Ron ride at Somerton Park in his first ever appearance there it was in 1965-he scored a 15 point max on a difficult track that he'd never seen before and who knows how much longer he could have gone if he hadn't had a career ending injury in 1965 (can't recall which track that occurred on)-does anyone recall which it was?

How would forumlanders rank Ken McKinlay v. Ron How??

Hi Split-thanks for posting the British Final 64 stats. One thing I'm confused (not for the first time) about- in Ron How's 4th race you show him finishing 2nd- is that right because in the same race it shows Brett finishing second also, Elliott third and young Trevor Hedge as fourth. Don't think that can be right-should it show Ron as getting three points not two and finishing up with 13- just one point behind Ken McKinlay. I do remember Brett getting two points -after being one of the favourites. There is a famous photo of him sitting on his ass (excuse me) after his fall in his second ride. Incidentally of the 16 riders in that meeting - I think the only ones still with us are Lightfoot, Bales, Broadbank, Briggs, Andrews and Hedge-the other 10 + 2 reserves have passed.

Thanks John

Was Reg Craven any relation to Peter or Brian, or perhaps Malcolm Craven.??