wollongong Posted August 9, 2004 Report Share Posted August 9, 2004 (edited) Hi All, I have recently acquired an autograph book dated 1947/48. It has the title "Bradford Odsal Speedway" with the autographs of Eddie Rigg, Norman Parker, Ernie Price, Norman Price, Aub Lawson, Wilbur Lamoreaux, Arthur Atkinson, Alec Statham, Bill Gilbert, Jack Biggs, Oliver Hart, Arthur Forest, Ron Pearson, Joe Abbott. There are three that I carn't make out and they are B. A. Lovell ?, Jack Hugh ?, George Zilinger ? Any Ideas. I beleive these autographs where obtained at the Odsal Stadium on July 5th 1947, England v Australia - International. Other Autographs under the title "Speedway" are: J Smith, S Roper, R Bell, S Grimshaw, A Boaty, L Metcalfe, T Kirton, M Young, A Robinson, D Allinson, C Hayton, B Morris, D Rumlott, B Yankovich, A Palin, G E Parkinson, J A Sutcliffe, A Janson, D Jackson, Todd, J E Holdsworth, E Phill, W Wheaton, A R Walsh, B R Green, T Rhodes, S Kershaw, J A Ford, L Malpass and J Smitherson ?. If anyone can confirm any of these riders and who they rode for, I would be very grateful. Thanx Wollongong Edited August 9, 2004 by wollongong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini Posted August 10, 2004 Report Share Posted August 10, 2004 NORBOLD!!! Hang on in there and I'm sure you will get a reply when our forum historian sees this. There used to be a Jack Hughes, but I'm not sure if that would have been in the 40's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted August 10, 2004 Report Share Posted August 10, 2004 Thanks Gem! I didn't recognise any of the names on your "other autographs" list, woolongong, so I looked them up in my 1949 "Who's Who in Speedway". Not one of them is mentioned. Maybe they were supporters, track staff, referees, announcers, time keepers, management....They don't seem to have been riders. Incidentally, England won the Test match at Bradford on 5 July 1947, 65-43. Scorers: England: Jack Parker 9, Norman Parker 13, Bill Kitchen 16, Tommy Price 7, Alec Statham 16, Ron Clarke 4, Malcolm Craven (res) 0, Les Wotton (res) 0 Australia: Vic Duggan 16, Max Grosskreutz 10, Lionel Van Praag 3, Bill Longley 6, Frank Dolan 3, Ron Johnson 5, Aub Lawson (res) 0, Ray Duggan (res) 0. There's quite a few different names there to the ones you have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wollongong Posted August 10, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2004 Thank you Norbold for checking it out for me and thanx to gemini for bringing your attention to it. I appreciate it very much. wollongong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim Blanchard Posted August 10, 2004 Report Share Posted August 10, 2004 (edited) Bob Lovell transfered from Birmingham to Bradford in the close season of 1947. Jack Hunt (could be) rode for Newcastle in 1947 originally from New Zealand. The George Zilinger one have drawn a blank on. Can you scan it and post it? Edited August 10, 2004 by Jim Blanchard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted August 11, 2004 Report Share Posted August 11, 2004 (edited) Yes, sorry, I meant to mention those three as well. You're quite right about Bob Lovell and Jack Hunt, Jim. I agree it's more likely to be Jack Hunt as Jack Hughes was later - don't think he was around in 47/48 period. Also drawn a blank with Zilinger. Also, on your main list I don't recognise the name Ron Pearson. All the others were top class riders. Pearson anyone? Edited August 11, 2004 by norbold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peatbog Posted August 11, 2004 Report Share Posted August 11, 2004 I've got a copy of "British Speedway Leagues 1946-1964" and R. Stringer rode for Odsal in 1949, his total points score for the season was '0' so I would think he was a junior. This might be Zilinger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim Blanchard Posted August 11, 2004 Report Share Posted August 11, 2004 I noticed that name to Peatbog but as the christian name was not George, I dismissed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wollongong Posted August 11, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2004 Hi All, Thank you for the input! this site is excellent and may it continue. I did put this in another post earlier and got one reply from kimhomestead who posted: Aug 10 2004, 02:19 PM Can't help with the name Zilinger, but the other two are Bob Lovell and Jack Hughes. (Incidentally Hughes and Arthur Forrest were brothers-in -law) Also the Ron Pearson should be Ron Peace. Do anyone else agree with this. Looking again at the George Zilinger Autograph - It could actually be George Stringer - does this make any difference - it is amongst the big names. The first name is definately George. Thanx Everyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted August 11, 2004 Report Share Posted August 11, 2004 Yes, could be Peace. He rode for Odsal in four matches in 1949 and scored the grand total of one point! On the other hand, I know it's stretching it a bit, but there's no chance it could be Ron Mason is there? He was a regular Odsal rider of the period. Can't find George Stringer in my Who's Who or in any of the Stenner's Annuals of the period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wollongong Posted August 11, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2004 (edited) Hi Norbold, It definately is either Ron Pearson or more likely Ron Peace as the signature is just about right for Peace. The other name is definately George ? could be George Z Lingle or George J Lingle this one letter in the middle seems to be seperated. The three names A Forest, Ron Peace and George are all together on the same page. Maybe that might help? Thanx Edited August 11, 2004 by wollongong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted August 11, 2004 Report Share Posted August 11, 2004 OK, we'll go for Peace then. It looks as though they were all juniors around 1948. Arthur Forrest, of course, went on to become one of England's best (3rd in the World Championship in 1956) but at the time of your autograph book only just starting out. Perhaps poor old Stringer/Zilinger/Linger never made it beyond the second half... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim Blanchard Posted August 11, 2004 Report Share Posted August 11, 2004 (edited) These are the only Georges I can find in my who's who listing for 1947. I guess you could see if any fit your signature. George G. Craig George Frederick Curtis Henry George Tuck George Wilks George Newton I will continue to look though I have some other reference material. Edit: Hang on I found another who rode for Hull: George McGovern and another George Basin (Southhampton) Edited August 11, 2004 by Jim Blanchard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wollongong Posted August 11, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2004 THIS IS GREAT - getting all this help - it really is a fantastic Speedway Forum - to be honest its the best forum I have ever come across. I have left messages in other forums but never got a response. Just shows that there is a lot of interest in speedway history and trying to decifer autographs. Thanx for all the help so far. NORBOLD - so far non of the Georges you have mentioned would fit the autograph, please keep trying - this is so exciting. Look forward to the next installment wollongong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim Blanchard Posted August 11, 2004 Report Share Posted August 11, 2004 That was me I think: Jim - not Norman. Glad to be of service Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wollongong Posted August 11, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2004 SORRY JIM - thank you for your help - the both of you have been absolutely brilliant and for Gemini who statted it all off. THANK YOU - AND PLEASE KEEP HELPING Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted August 12, 2004 Report Share Posted August 12, 2004 That was me I think: Jim - not Norman. Glad to be of service Yes. It's Jim you have to thank, even though it's George Bason not Basin! There's also Alfred George Boyce, George Henry Butler, George Farmer, George Fisher, George (Huck) Finn, George Gower, George Saunders, George Smith and George Wall. Any good? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wollongong Posted August 12, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2004 Thanx Norbold, It definately isn't Mason, but thanx again for your researching - its tops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wollongong Posted August 13, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2004 (edited) Hi Norman and Jim, I have just had a dramatic find in my autographs. This leads me to beleive that the signatures may well of been earlier than 1947, infact around 1943. You experts may well be able to clarify this for me because I have just found out that one of the autographs I couldn't decifer is definately "Mike Erskine" who rode for Wimbledon around 1943. This might help in the George ...? autograph as they are in the same section. Look forward to your explanations. wollongong Edited August 13, 2004 by wollongong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted August 14, 2004 Report Share Posted August 14, 2004 (edited) I don't think that can be right wollongong. There was no speedway in Great Britain in 1943 apart from Belle Vue. Wimbledon certainly didn't have a team in 1943. Mike Erskine joined Wimbledon in 1946 and rode for them in 1947 and 48 so that would still fit in with your original dates. Edited August 14, 2004 by norbold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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