BOBBATH

There was talk of George coming back in 1965-wish he had would have loved to see him ride-there was similar talk about Ian Williams coming back for Newport

Is Len the oldest speedway rider left?? Anyway many happy returns Len!

Allo witchfinder- and all other Canadian posters. Yup today we are above zero temps-the first time since December 23rd- its been colder than a witches t--, lets just say all the witches have been wearing heated bras!! (Don't think there are witchfinders anymore-(except maybe in Wales!!) Glad you enjoy Murdoch Mysteries -wonderful show-they always manage to introduce some real historical thing e.g. Murdoch doing an investigation in Newfoundland in the early 1900's- runs across a guy fiddling with an electrical wire trying to send messages across the ocean-he says maybe try higher ground like Signal Hill-asks the guy's name and the guy replies " Marconi"-lot of stuff like that in these shows. Back to speedway-even though I emigrated I got my mum to ship over all my personal effects-the most important of which were of course many Speedway Stars(no they are not for sale) and the programmes of every meeting I attended (ditto). For some reason I knew that Jack Parker was a "ladies man"-may7be mentioned in Reg Fearman's book-if you don't have it would highly recommend(also of course anything written by Norman Jacobs!!) As regards the oldest World Finalists, will try and keep it up to date (free of charge)-just thinking of the one time World Finalists who could have achieved more -how about Brian Brett, Terry Betts and Trevor Hedge for starters. I also think , like some others the best ever speedway season was the first year of BL in 1965

Hi Ian, always enjoyed your publication. Take a look at the Oldest Surviving World Finalists list and let us know how many you saw ride- I think the highest number posted by people responding to this site was 13-you might be able to beat that.

Sadly Norbold , I may be a little closer than you (just a little, not a lot)!!!

Question for whiteknight-did you follow any other team after the sad demise of the Saints-or did you give up on Speedway(which I could quite understand). Before I forget the birthdates of the oldest World Finalists are getting uncomfortably close to mine-yours too I think Norbold!!!!!(just learned how to use emoticons)

I know , I know but to me Mike Broadbank is still Mike Broadbanks as I suspect to most of his fans from the sixties-great rider -stood out in his red leathers when most rode in black(with the honorable exception of Booey in blue)!!

Sorry to hear about George White-there was talk of him coming back to ride in BL 65-wish he had as I would like to have seen him ride-sadly I now have to update the list of oldest World Finalists still with us. Here goes 1 Split Waterman 27/7/23 2 Arthur Payne 30/8/24 3 Dick Bradley 28/11/24 4 Chum Taylor 4/4/27 5 Eric Boothroyd 26/4/27 6 Derek Close 13/5/27 7 Henry Long 26/7/27 8 Billy Bales 6/6/29 9 Olle Nygen 11/11/29 10 Rune Sormander 29/11/29 11Jack Geran 10/12/29 12 Ian Williams 4/8/31 13 Per Tage Svensson 16/10/31 14 Peo Soderman 29/10/32 15 Ronnie Moore 8/3/33 16 Ove Fundin 23/5 /34 17 Dan Forsberg 25/3/34 18 Josef Hofmeister 17/6/34 19 Brian Crutcher 23/8/34 20 Mike Broadbanks 25/9/34 21 Barry Briggs 30/12/34 Let's hope I don't have to update this list anytime soon-does anybody know what these guys drank to keep them going???-if you do lemme know so I can order a case for myself

I think he was right-so sorry it ended that way but hope you all are enjoying your life in Oz

As someone asked -re 1972 WF did Bernie Persson and Briggo ever become friends-despite Briggo's fall - I reckon Mauger sould still have won the 72 Final

Glad to hear John is still remembered-he was in the first meeting I ever saw in June 1964 riding at Newport for Long Eaton-anyone know when and why he emigrated to Oz(maybe some of the same reasons why I emigrated to Canada)!!

I will have to have my next order of jellied eels with a side order of Labskaus!!!!

Sorry mate, I am a technopeasant and don't know how to start something on Wikipedia, you can see dstuff about Sverre on John Skinner's excellent website A to Z of Defunct Speedway Sites and also any of the websites dealing with West Ham speedway. THink his best years were mid sixties-finished second in World Final on 14 points behind Briggo-had a terrible accident in 1969 I think and was never the same after that.

Kai Niemi for me

Gotta be Sverre Harrfeldt for me!!

These were two of the guys(Ashby, Betts) I thought could have qualified under the GP system-remember I'm not talking about who would have won the GP series just who would have been included, I would also add the name of Trevor Hedge-reckon these 3 guys could have done it. As regards the foreign riders I reckon Woryna, Pogorzelski and Wyglenda on the basis of a couple of seasons results could also have got into the GP series-although I recognise some of these guys were in more than one World FInal. I'm beginning to forget who was in just one WF!!

Great thoughts folks- Norbold,I would have to stand by Roy Trigg who I reckon was as good as Colin Pratt-so do you think CP might also not have made the GP cut off-also I still maintain Charlie Monk and Tommy MIller should have made it to GP-we may have to agree to disagree on this Do you folks agree with the names I felt wouldn't have made it-Elliott et al.?? Also I have to add to the list who wouldn't have made the Grand Prix-Leo McAuliife

So whaddya think Sid would the guys I mentioned have made it to the GP system. I gotta say -and this may be another thread -would there be riders who never made the one off World Finals who WOULD have qualified under GP rules- I got several names here -e.g. Charlie Monk , Tommy Miller, Roy Trigg, Jim Squibb, Colin Gooddy, Arne Pander (obviously), Ronnie Genz, Bill Andrew, Ivor Brown, Reg Reeves! Any other names? For White Knight- I reckon Jim Airey would have made it to the GP system

Was thinking of this the other day-while I loved the excitement of the one off World Finals , there were definitely some riders who were lucky to get there based on overall season results.Not sure how the modern GP system works but I think riders are selected on the basis of various criteria. I don't think the following fifties/ sixties riders would have been able to enter under the current system. While I mean no disrespect, I think such names as Brian Elliot, Rick France, Jim Lightfoot, maybe Bob Oakley, Ron Mountford and even Wally Green could not have gotten into the current GP system. Would be interested in other forumlanders views on this-again no criticism of the riders mentioned is intended and they all greatly enhanced our enjoyment of speedway -God bless 'em all.

Most interesting comments -on youtube there are a number of entries regarding Kelly and his illnesses-was impressed as to Bruce Penhall's compassionate meetings with Kelly and how he organised his memorials-whatever anyone thinks about Bruce as a rider I think he was a really nice and compassionate guy and deserves credit for that!!

Sidney re more Arthur Forrest-if you go on youtube and enter Arthur Forrest you can see an interview in 1995 with him and some others at a motorcycle show, also if you go to a website called Speedway on Disc which has a lot of old stuff you can see Arthur riding in a Halifax Speedway meeting circa 1949-and he still has his immaculate black leathers. I understand he married Arthur Wright's sister and that family had a very successful bus/transport business so Arthur didn't need the money from speedway anymore-wonder if he could have become World Champion if he'd carried on-but on balance don't think so. Hope this all helps!

Sorry Sidney didn't see WC Semi final you refer to -in fact Southampton had gone before I discovered Speedway in 1964, however a great WC Semi Final meeting was at Poole on July 25th 1965-great surprises in Heat 4 the result was Guasco, Gooch, Briggs, Broadbanks -Guasco ended up getting to the British final and almost made the World Final that year. Great line up. I hitch hiked there with Ian Terrar (later of Newport) -slept overnight in an empty house in Poole.. Through the good offices of a reader of this website (thanks Colin Sutton) I was put in touch with Ian last year. We met up in a pub in Cardiff, had a great evening, hadn't seen each other for 50 years. Told Ian I would wear a Moosehead lager baseball cap so he would recognise me-glad I did otherwise no way we would have known each other. I mentioned this reunion to Reg Fearman who has an incredible memory and indeed he remembered Ian also. Reg had recommended Ian to West Ham but an unfortunate accident ended Ian's promising career prematurely before he was able to take up the offer.

"allo Split, I have to inform you that there has been a meeting of the Speedway Forum Policy Committee and sadly meeting someone on the street like you may have done with Henry Long in Johannesburg does not count the same as seeing him ride. (Speedway Committee article 22 subsection 3). Myself I voted for you but was in the minority- Good try though!! Keep smiling mate

Impressive score Norbold you might even be the champ!! Sidney,as regards Arthur Forrest I sadly never saw The Black Prince-wish I had but I saw my first meeting in 1964 and he'd retired a couple of years earlier-died quite young I think, is it true to say that he never performed to his potential in World Finals although I see he finished third in 1956 -beating Peter craven in a run off no less. What do you reckon re my comments on Arthur-think he finished his career at Coventry

OK Forumlanders-how many of the surviving 16 have you seen ride- I saw just seven- Bradley, Taylor, Boothroyd, Bales, Nygren, Geran and Moore. I don't reckon any of you can have seen all 16-not even Norbold or gustix,or Iris 123, White Knight, BL 65 or any others of you. I mean to say who could have seen Arthur Payne, Henry Long etc. . If anybody saw all 16 I will personally buy you a beer or other beverage of your choice (documentary proof required however-no cheating here)!!!!