Robbie B

Just looking through some old papers online and found regarding a potential British speedway strike in a Daily Mirror from 27 July 1937 I know from reading several Speedway News papers form the time that there was a lot of ill feeling towards American riders at the time, from taking British riders jobs not just from the riders but also in the letter pages from supporters. Regarding poor US riders when a British would have ridden much more better for their team. Shamke that I do not possess a full collection of pre-war Speedway News, but I found this in the editional of the 8 August 1937 The 3rd July 1937 Speedway News reported that Lionel Van Praag of the Riders Association was given a place on the Speedway Control Board from a recommendation from the Auto Cycle Union Track Committee. I'am currently back onto my computer copies of pre-war Speedway News that might hopefully add some more information to his news story and your excellent topic iris123

iris123 were there any strikes in pre-war British speedway that you have come across?

Sorry about the misspelling of the names iris123 watching darts when typing and never noticed I will change them.

Same here Steve I also wished I was born to watch the birth of this sport. In the Daily Mail from May 1928 from a meeting at Stamford Bridge there is news story where the reporter called speedway no-more than a circus with no thrills whatsoever. But the following moth in 10 July the same newspaper report plenty of thrill from a meeting at Stamford Bridge. With Art Peacher in a neck-and-neck race breaking the track record at 43.38 mph, beating the mile rolling start record, at Stamford Bridge. In this Stamford Bridge meeting "cyclone" Billy lamont of Harringay won the handicap 'silver wheels' prize of scratch beating Vic Huxley's record averaging 34.45 mph. Fay Taylour beating L.Barker at Hove speedway by 10 lengths averaging nearly 33 mph in a mile match. With Crystal palace Roger Frogley won the handicap in this meeting at Hove in 1 min 34 2-s secs thereby beating the standing start record for the 1 mile course averaging 38.14 mph. Not bad att for all these records in 1 newspaper report. I also found a meeting at Wimbledon in 1928 with Malcolm Seagrave presented a trophy to Vic Huxley in front of a 12,000 crowd the biggest so far at Wimbledon.

From The Daily Mirror 20 February 1928 (page 22) Th news report of the meeting at High Beech in 1928 SIX HOURS OF RACING THRILLS Skidding Feats in Dirt Track Motor-Cycling CRQWD 30,000 Huge Success of Sport New to This Country FROM OUR SPECAL. CORRESPONDENT LOUGHTON (Essex), Sunday. Over 30,000 people flocked here today to watch the first dirt-track motor-cycle races held in this country. This sport has proved such a tremendous success in Australia that it equals the popularity of greyhound racing in that country, and if yesterday's crowd is any criterion it should arouse equal enthusiasm over here. There were thrills in plenty motor-cyclists tearing around the track, and, in some cases, landing on their heads with their machines skidded from under them. But the enormous size of the crowd which gathered at King’s Oak speedway provided the greatest surprise of them all. The races were time to be run from 10:30 a.m until 1:20 p.m. and there were to be eight events with several “heats” in each race. Crowds Across Track With such a fest of thrill offered, motor-cyclist turned up in their thousands while motorist and other rolled up throughout the day. Considerable difficulty was found in accommodating the large crowd, as all spectators, owing to the danger of being ran into by the machines, are supposed to be confined to the inside of the track only. As this was impossible, even the hundreds of stewards present could not restrain the euthanistic crowd from crossing the track and watching races from the outside. Those who desired a “grandstand” view climbed trees, where, both in climbing and swinging from the branches, they supplied as many thrills as the motor-cyclists. Two Australian “cracks” Mackay and Galloway, were competing, all the others being Englishman wo have never ridden on a dirt track before. “CORNERING” CHEERS They made a brave show skidding round the bends in a cloud of cinders and with their machines leaning over at a precarious angle to the accompaniment of tremendous cheering form the crowd. Although there is little actual danger for the contestants, many of the women spectators of whom there were thousands with the “pillion girl” well to the fore could not repress screams as some of the riders subsided gracefully on to the cinders, while their sporting machines careered away like wild horses. To minimise the danger all the riders wore crash helmets and special steel-shoed left boots which took the brunt of any scrapping when cornering. In addition, Mackay who is very tall, wore a special pad on his knee in case the later touched the ground. When the English riders have attained a sufficient skill in the sport, speeds will increase and send up the thrills by leaps and bounds, for the whole art of the sport is experience.

Here is some lovely pre-war speedway related information. Taken from the first report of Dirt Track racing in the Daily Mirror from 1928 From The Daily Mirror 13 February 1928 (page 2) NEW SPORT FOR MOTOR-CYLISTS Britain's First Dirt Track Race Meeting GREYHOUNDS RIVAL? Skidding Thrills When Taking Bends at High Speed Dirt Track racing, the motor-cycling sport which thrills Australia, is being introduced into England. The first meeting in this country will be hold at King's Oak speedway, near Loughton, Essex, next Sunday. Two crack riders from Australia, Billy Galloway and Keith McKay, will compete against some of the leading South of England motorcyclists. The Englishmen are particularly looking forward to the meeting, for it will be their, experience" in a, sport which is claimed to be one of the most exciting in the world.

And of course there was the 1968 World Pairs Final at Kempton, West Germany on 1 September when FIM medals were awarded to riders. http://www.speedwayplus.com/WorldPairs1968.shtml

Many thanks for all the information Steve it does not surprise one bit that they might have been would about litigation in case the cheetahs got lose with the inedible effect of injurious to health to those attending the meeting. The funniest race I personally saw was at Wimbledon during the second half interval of league match against Coventry in the British League I think 1978 when Ole Olsen (and i'm sure a wimbledon rider - I have to check my programmes) whilst riding a very young child's bicycle had a one-lap race against some bunny girls who were wearing their full bunny costumes.

I have been busy looking at some online old newspapers archives and in the Daily Mirror dated Friday 8 April 1938 on page 34 it reported on a spectacular Johnnie Hoskins event that was due to take place on Tuesday 3 May when a speedway rider at West Ham would race against a cheetah. The rider as normaill would be on the track being pursued by the animal on the greyhound track with a large piece of meat attached to an electric hare. Bluey Wilkinson, when asked by the paper if he would race against the cheetah for £5 as most of the West Ham rider were shy of racing against the beast and he replied "no, I'll let him have it". The Daily Mirror then stated that the speedway riders place would be taken by a animal trainer who happens to be a speedway rider, but sadly they did not mention his name. Although, I have checked further Daily Mirror's for the race result unfortunately I could not find it.

The SGB statement is now live at https://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/news.php?extend.37693

Hi pardons According to a New Cross v Wimbledon (National League) match programme I have dated 25 September 1946 it states on the front cover that the New Cross official track length was 262 yards. I have also just added this information onto the New Cross page on Wikipedia as it was missing. Result of the match was New Cross 45, Wimbledon 30 in a 14 heat encounter despite a 12 maximum from Wimbledon's number 1 Norman Parker.

My first live meeting was at imbled Stadium on Thursday 17 March 1976 when the Dons lost at home against Reading in a challenge match 32-46. but I did watch speedway on Tv prior to this match dating back to the late 1960s. The first race result was Dave Jessup, Barry Crowson, Bernie Leigh, Edgar Stangeland 65.1 secs. Strange but True Roger Johns was the first Wimbledon rider to win a race home and away in 1976 as he won heta 2 of this match and the following week at White City's opening meeting on 24 March a challenge match against Wimbledon he won 2 again.

Thanks Steve for providing the link to Spilt's obituary in The Telegraph I have now referenced this on his wikipedia page, so they will now not have any reason to remove the sad news of his passing.

Personally norbold I think has to do with which moderator is dealing with an issue. As before this league season started my account was blocked by Wikipedia for updating speedway pages as the previous year I have put links on the British speedway pages directly to Speedway GB and they mistakenly thought that I was associated with them by providing these links to their websites. So for this season I have linked everything to club websites, although this is useful, but unlike the Speedway GB links these will disappear in time as clubs close, or when they change their website, but nowadays Speedway GB achieve their web pages along with the page names.

I have keep the British pages updated on Wikipedia for about 3 years and that the message I received, so maybe there now clamping down on items relating to someone's passing.

I think that we will have to await an official and reliable source of information such as Speedway GB or the Seedway Star to publish something relating to this sad news on their website and I can referenced it from there directly to Wikipedia before they will accept the posting someone's passing. I can fully understand Wikipedia policy asit can be edited by anyone and they do know who we are, and whether the information we post is true.

Hi Gustrix I have found the reason why it keeps disappearing. Under Wikipedia policies edit relating to someone's passing must be supported with reference to their passing ie a website news story. As I cannot find a website reporting the sad news regarding Spilt Waterman yet Wikipedia will keep removing this oticfaction until it is supported with evidence.

I have just added Spain as he location of his passing, if you want me to add anything else then please do inform via a PM and I will add this later on today. The previous date might have been removed by Wikipedia because it may not have been coded correctly.

Hi Gustix, ad others this is very sad news about Split and i have just updated his Wikipedia page with his date of passing hopefully this time the date will remain.

I totally agree with your comment Mark the generosity is from R&R.

Many thanks to R&R Bookies for running this competition and congratulations to Mark for sharing toop spot with me. I totally agree with Panthers89 have said that to finish the GP season with money in your pocket is an achievement and this is the first I have ever mentioned this, so gratulations also for those players achieving this especially when you look at rider partaking in the SGP this years and R&R Bookies extremely clever odds to beat. I must admit that after seeing Kolodziej mess up his chances in heat 18 of scoring points for everyone that I thought Laguta had in the bag in heat 19 only for him to finish last. But it goes to show that in sport anything can happen and my rider failed just like Kolodziej, but such is life. Hope you like my new logo to celebrate my joint-victory.

Best of luck to everyone and what will be will be let's go racing!!!!!!

Many thanks for putting right Ghostwalker I never these meetings live but only recordings of the live meeting, as I was in hospital at the time, and missed both meetings live. This is where my confusion must have came from. many thanks for the links

us Wimbledon fans that remember Tommy Jansson, Bo Jansson and Stefan Salomonsson riding fro Wimbledon have great affection for Smederna. And our clubs will always be linked with love our Tommy. Great video Ghostwalker I remember watching the 2017 final on TV in the UK ad brilliant team riding by the Smederna and their never give-up attitude in the second leg against Elit Vetlanda wh rarely lost at home was incredible. Their 2018 title after losing at home was also special. But 2019 to win both legs by such a maargain against a quality Dackarna team was sensational. The Smederna gold ahts I think are brilliant and I want one.