Courageous Collins At 1977 World Final

[TonyMac]

Remember how courageous Peter Collins was when he rode in the 1977 World Final in Gothenburg...despite having to hobble around the pits on crutches and with his badly damaged leg full of stitches?

 

PC had almost denied himself the chance to defend the world title when he ran into a open drain cover on the inner kerb at Belle Vue, just a week before the World Final in Sweden.

 

In the next issue (20) of Backtrack, the former Belle Vue and England legend recalls the dramatic incident and the pain he went through to not only ride in Sweden, but finish second to Ivan Mauger in terrible track conditions.

 

Do you have memories of watching that final and a remarkable performance by a great rider?

[spin king]

Remember how courageous Peter Collins was when he rode in the 1977 World Final in Gothenburg...despite having to hobble around the pits on crutches and with his badly damaged leg full of stitches?

 

PC had almost denied himself the chance to defend the world title when he ran into a open drain cover on the inner kerb at Belle Vue, just a week before the World Final in Sweden.

 

In the next issue (20) of Backtrack, the former Belle Vue and England legend recalls the dramatic incident and the pain he went through to not only ride in Sweden, but finish second to Ivan Mauger in terrible track conditions.

 

Do you have memories of watching that final and a remarkable performance by a great rider?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Truely brave performance from PC, and to think he went so cl;ose to pulling off another victory, sometimes makes me wonder if had have won that night would it have given him the push to even more titles.

[one of clubs]

I remember the incident like it was yesterday,it was a meaningless second half ride.It virtually ended his attempt to retain the title but to his credit he was second only to Ivan Mauger and in my eyes he deserved the title just for his bravery.Peter's lack of gating ability was the only thing preventing him from winning more world titles.For me no one will ever come close to the genius of Peter Collins.A true legend.

[pcthelegend]

i remember being in the pits that evening and seeing his leg how he rode the following week was a miracle let alone nearly retain his title.Dont know if anyone else recalls but that night the team had been presented with team leathers they were silver coloured funny enough i dont ever recall seeing them again!

[AndyM]

The drain covers on the inside of the track were steel plates about 18 inches square (I think), none were fixed as their own weight kept them in place. Apparently one had moved and was sticking over the kerb by a couple inches or so. As PC came out of the corner on the inside his front wheel clipped the cover and it flipped up and hit his leg.  No one could actually tell what had happened, he had appeared to have hit the kerb or had an engine problem and seemed to lose power. He coasted round towards the pits turn stopped got off his bike and lay on the floor.

 

It was only in the days that followed that the details came out, apart from shattering his leg he had something like 200 stitches in his leg and not only took his place in the meeting but actually finished second.  Incredible. Soon after all the drain covers were cemented into place.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I also remember it like it was yesterday. Didn't see the final, but I was as close as any spectator when the accident occurred on the 2nd bend of a second half race after PC had blitzed to an easy maximum in the match against Kings Lynn.

 

His bravery to go on to finish second in the final, especially in such diabolical conditions, was beyond belief. He was so hot in 1977 that but for the accident a second world title seemed almost a formality. Who knows what he might have gone on to achieve, but for me Peter Collins didn't need to do any more to prove himself - he was my hero, bar none!

[Kryten]

I wish I could have seen PC in his prime. I caught the last 2 seasons of his career.

[Parsloes 1928 nearly]

His bravery to go on to finish second in the final, especially in such diabolical conditions, was beyond belief.  He was so hot in 1977 that but for the accident a second world title seemed almost a formality.  Who knows what he might have gone on to achieve, but for me Peter Collins didn't need to do any more to prove himself - he was my hero, bar none! 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

My favourite Speedway meeting of all time was the 1977 Inter-continental Final at a packed and sun-soaked White City Stadium.

PC was peerless that afternoon and was a cert to defend the title at Gothenberg less than a fortnight later.

 

I remember vividly getting on the Tee-Mill coach in the Plough Lane car-park and settling down with a newly-purchased copy of the Speedway Star for the long overland journey to that World Final in Sweden. Opening the mag I read the terrible news of Peter's injury..: it was a hammer-blow.

 

I also remember so well the antics of PC's number one fan, Solider Boy on the final ferry journey into gloomy Gothenberg. The story was he'd pretended to be one of the Collins brothers in order to get into the hospital to see our fallen hero..?!

At Ullevi the conditions were just awful. Good job I brought two programmes, coz the one I used on the night was a sodden mess by the end.

 

Then there was the drama of both PC and Anders Michanek having to be carried onto and off their bikes. The fall of Egon Muller when last, leading to a red light when the unbelievably brave PC was leading the eventual winner Mauger; Ivan won the rerun.

And then, of course, that fateful, what was it heat 17..??, when either Olsen or Mauger would win the title if they won the race and Mike Lee could force a run-off with PC by a first place himself. Instead the 4th. man in the race Johnny Boulger led; but then fell in what were by now the worse conditions I've ever seen a Speedway meeting continue on in..

Lee was back out on track for the rerun; no sign of the other big two. Surely the two minutes were up..? Then an announcement in Swedish only..: we couldn't translate and the English announcer Bob Radford didn't..: but we knew it was the exclusion under the time limit rule of Olsen & Mauger. I seem to recall Lee, though, turning back from the tapes; and I think this - plus the enormity of the decision - made the ref think again and certainly a decision was made to waive the two minutes. Mauger won the rerun and our dreams were shattered.

 

An incredible performance from PC who - for once - gated superbly on the night; and a moral victory if ever I saw one.

Ullevi September 1977 was THE most dramatic night of Speedway I've ever attended; but I guess I really prefer to remember the conflicting sensations of 12 days earlier in Shepherds Bush: the sunshine; that magnificent Olympic Stadium which I adored; the crowds pouring down Wood Lane; the drama & glory of the proper World Championship system; and PC on top of the world at his brilliant best.

There will never be his like again: he was and is the greatest...

Edited April 23, 2007 by Parsloes 1928 nearly

[spin king]

I wish I could have seen PC in his prime. I caught the last 2 seasons of his career.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

The guy was awsome, and did most of it passing other riders as he was not that hot a gating.

[superdons]

I was at Ullevi that night (having also travelled on a Tee Mill coach!) and it broke my heart to see PC lose a title that should have been his for the taking. I had designed a banner ("Peter The Great", as I recall) and this had its first outing at the inter-continental final at White City. Unfortunately, the red white and blue lettering had been ever so carefully drawn in in felt tip pen and the whole banner became a sodden, indecipherable mess at Ullevi as the rain pelted down.

 

PC was incredibly brave that night and would have undoubtedly won had it not been for his injuries. I had been to Katowice the year before and one of the best memories of my life was seeing him win the World Title in such spectacular style.

 

That night in Sweden showed his qualities as a man, as well as a racer and ambassador for our sport.

 

It was terrible in 1978 when he was knocked out of the championship race at the British Final at Coventry. Like others, I often wondered what might have been had he won in 1977. Nevertheless, PC gave us years of enjoyment. It was never comfortable watching him - he never made it easy for himself, but his ability from the back made him the ultimate racer.

 

I remember his marvellous duels with Anders Michanek and the excitement his arrival on the England scene caused in 1973. I'm pretty sure he could have won at Wembley in '75 had it not been for some injudicious track watering. By 1976, he was indisputably the best rider in the world and he repeated that feat in '77.

 

He was quite simply the best, most exciting rider I have ever seen.

[AndyM]

Absolutely - you can't convey via video footage what poetry in motion he was, particularly in the wide open spaces of Hyde Road. If speedway often seems mundane and pedestrian as a sport, he was one of the rare riders who could transcend all that and create magic out of nothing. Had to be seen to be believed at times by doing things that looked totally impossible, and regularly left crowds open-mouthed with astonishment in the process.

[spin king]

Absolutely - you can't convey via video footage what poetry in motion he was, particularly in the wide open spaces of Hyde Road.  If speedway often seems mundane and pedestrian as a sport, he was one of the rare riders who could transcend all that and create magic out of nothing.  Had to be seen to be believed at times by doing things that looked totally impossible, and regularly left crowds open-mouthed with astonishment in the process. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Yeah and he only won one World title, it is hard to believe and seems so unfair.

[fatface]

I think it was virtually unanimous on another topic that he was the best rider ever to win the World Title once. And, based on TV footage I've seen from that era, there is little doubt that he was "the man" in 77 as well as 76. Mr Mauger might think he was unlucky on some occasions, but in 77 (and 72 for that matter) fortune smiled on him.

 

I only started following the sport in 81 at Belle Vue and PC was probably past his best, but he still could produce a bit of magic when the mood took him. Superb team rider as well, of course him and Mort were dynamite together, but the times he nursed round some young reserves to 5-1s were an absolute joy. One of the true speedway geniuses.

[Canadian Star]

I have seen the trophy that PC would have won for winning the second half final that night. The current owner regards that as one of his best victories away from Saddlebow.

The crowd gave him some stick that night and on subsequent visits, although he insists it was purely a racing incident certainly not caused by any of his actions.

I think the trophy was put up by the leather company, and it certainly is an impressive one.

Can anyone remember what actually happened (i wasn't there obviously) i believe PC was in second place at the time.

Edited April 27, 2007 by Canadian Star

[Jeff.]

I have seen the trophy that PC would have won for winning the second half final that night. The current owner regards that as one of his best victories away from Saddlebow.

The crowd gave him some stick that night and on subsequent visits, although he insists it was purely a racing incident certainly not caused by any of his actions.

I think the trophy was put up by the leather company, and it certainly is an impressive one.

Can anyone remember what actually happened (i wasn't there obviously) i believe PC was in second place at the time.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

The circumstances were as descibed above by drop a cog. It was a qualifying heat for the second half final and PC was tight on the line chasing Ian Turner.

 

Unfortunately during the interval one of the track maintenance staff had dragged the cover a few inches over the track with his hosepipe.

 

PCs front wheel hit this cover, flicking it up and inflicting the most hideous wound to his left leg.

 

Barrow Hepburn were the leather company you refer to, they supplied all the Aces team with a set of leathers during the interval.

Edited April 30, 2007 by Jeff.

[spin king]

The circumstances were as descibed above by drop a cog. It was a qualifying heat for the second half final and PC was tight on the line chasing Ian Turner.

 

Unfortunately during the interval one of the track maintenance staff had dragged the cover a few inches over the track with his hosepipe.

 

PCs front wheel hit this cover, flicking it up and inflicting the most hideous wound to his left leg.

 

Barrow Hepburn were the leather company you refer to, they supplied all the Aces team with a set of leathers during the interval.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I remember seeing in either a book or magazine the state of his leg afterwards, an his leg was a complete mess, you would not thought it would be possible to ride a speedway bike let alone nearly win a World Title with that injury.