Jackie Biggs

[Brian Hamilton]

I am sure that some of you remember Jackie Biggs that Great Aussie who rode for the Cheetahs and Coventry etc in the early 1960s.

 

He and his wife Sheila used to save programmes for me when was a lad when he was riding in the UK and when he toured the World.

 

A short man but such a brave and great rider who sadly died many years ago.

I understand that Sheil may still be alive and living back in Aus and it would be great to hear that she is well if anyone has contact.

[star ghost]

In the 40s and 50s Jack rode for Harringay, Bradford and West Ham and then, after the opening of the British League in the 60s, he was with Hackney Wick

[Brian Hamilton]

In the 40s and 50s Jack rode for Harringay, Bradford and West Ham and then, after the opening of the British League in the 60s, he was with Hackney Wick

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If I recall the British League started Mid - 60s. It was calle The National League in early 60s + Provincial League and then amalgamation ish.

[Dietbowers]

i`m petty sure he rode for the wasps in the old somerton park days,can`t remember the year though,long time ago.also didn`t he have 12 points from 4 rides in a world final the one year and all he had to do was score a point from his final ride to become world champion,yet sadly for him he finished at the back,or had an e.f.

[norbold]

If I recall the British League started Mid - 60s. It was calle The National League in early 60s + Provincial League and then amalgamation ish.

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National League: 1932 - 1964

Provincial League: 1960 - 1964

British League: 1965 - 1994

[BOBBATH]

Jackie Biggs rode for Newport in first year BL(1965)-he was the top scorer and a real star-exceeded expectations as he was transferred from Bees where he was only a 4 pt score in 64.Newport's first away fixture that year was against the mighty Wimbledon and he top scored for Newport and they lost only by 40-38 I think. Jack rode for Newport a couple of years after that also I think. A piece of trivia-65 was the year Ronnie Biggs the train robber broke out of jail. In a Newport program there was a photo of Jack falling off and there was a competition for best caption for the photo. The winning caption read "Another Biggs Escape"!!! Hope Sheila(who had an unusual maiden name -I think it was Sheila Fairey-) is still alive-a very nice lady.

[Brian Hamilton]

Jackie Biggs rode for Newport in first year BL(1965)-he was the top scorer and a real star-exceeded expectations as he was transferred from Bees where he was only a 4 pt score in 64.Newport's first away fixture that year was against the mighty Wimbledon and he top scored for Newport and they lost only by 40-38 I think. Jack rode for Newport a couple of years after that also I think. A piece of trivia-65 was the year Ronnie Biggs the train robber broke out of jail. In a Newport program there was a photo of Jack falling off and there was a competition for best caption for the photo. The winning caption read "Another Biggs Escape"!!! Hope Sheila(who had an unusual maiden name -I think it was Sheila Fairey-) is still alive-a very nice lady.

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Hi Bobbath,

Yes Jackie did later ride for Wasps and he did/should ahve won the World Title but he actually slid off.

On one of my trips to Wembley, he was knocked off by Chris Pusey in the 2nd half and broke his hip/thigh which really finished his career.

Best wishes

Brian

[norbold]

Hi Bobbath,

Yes Jackie did later ride for Wasps and he did/should ahve won the World Title but he actually slid off.

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He didn't slide off. In 1951, he won his first four races and only needed one point from his last race to win the title. Up against Aub Lawson, Split Waterman and Freddie Williams he was drawn on the outside and was taken out wide by Lawson on the first bend. He never recovered and came in last. He then had another chance in a run-off with Jack Young and Split Waterman. This time he gated first but probably his nerves got the better of him and he was passed by the other two, finishing third. Defeat snatched from the jaws of victory!

Edited June 7, 2007 by norbold

[star ghost]

Jack rode for the following teams from my records

Harringay - 1947, 1948, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954

Bradford - 1949, 1950

Norwich - 1955 (allocated but did not appear due to non-agreement of terms)

West Ham - 1955 (after Stars signed Ove Fundin)

Poole - 1956, 1958, 1959

Oxford - 1957, 1960, 1961, 1962

Ipswich - 1960 (early season only - swap with Colin Goody to Oxford)

Coventry - 1963, 1964

These were all National League teams, I cannot trace him in the Provincial League

Newport - 1965, 1966

Hackney Wick - 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970

These were British League days

Norbold was right about the World Final, Jack has gone down as a rider who snatched defeat from the jaws of World Title fame. On his day he could hold his own with the best but on that night that certain something deserted him

[Knowle]

Regarding Jack Biggs near miss in the world final I seem to remember a story going that some sort of deal was offered but declined regarding the fateful final race. Can anyone elucidate? ALso was not Jack killed in a track accident?

Edited June 8, 2007 by Knowle

[BOBBATH]

Jack was killed in about 1974 in Melbourne I think(could be wrong on the city),much controversy re his last race in WF 51-where he had 12 pts from 4 rides.Story goes Split Waterman went to the other two riders(Williams and Lawson I think) and said I really need these pts -if I win I have 12 also.Gimme a break here. If Jack had done the same thing they might have stayed out of his way also. In the event Jack was shut out trailed in last , Split got 3 pts and was in a three man run off for Champion which ended up Young, Waterman, Biggs. Would be interested in what others in forumland think.

[BigFatDave]

Great rider and I think one of the founder members of the Wasps. Didn't he partner Peter Vandenberg at number 6?

Jack lost his life in an accident at Bendigo Speedway (Vic.) very late in his chequered career on 9.12.1972. Never won an Aussie title being always up against the peerless Aub Lawson in the early days plus other great riders like Jack Parker, Lionel Levy, Ken McKinlay and Keith Ryan then later on against Mike Broadbanks, Gote Nordin, Jimmy Gooch, whotsisname from NZ (G'day Ivan!) and one of my heroes Jim Airey. Just looking back on that lot; what a team you could pick outta that bunch!!

Edited June 9, 2007 by BigFatDave

[Barcroftlad]

I well remember Jack Biggs riding for Odsal Boomerangs in 1949-50. A slight tidy build,he rode with a straight back and was always immaculate in his appearance. He apparently had a favourite saying which was quoted a lot in the Odsal programmes of "going like a blue pencil bomb". He brought another Aussie with him in 1949, Frank Dolan, but he never did as well as Jack.I think he was 50 or just over when he was killed in a race in Victoria. I'm pretty sure I still have his autograph and a photo or two in my souvenir box(or as my wife describes it "Junk box".) Jack Biggs was a very popular rider at Bradford in those days.Paired with skipper Ron Clarke they produced lots of 5-1 scores to start the night.Cheers.

[norbold]

Jack was killed in about 1974 in Melbourne I think(could be wrong on the city),much controversy re his last race in WF 51-where he had 12 pts from 4 rides.Story goes Split Waterman went to the other two riders(Williams and Lawson I think) and said I really need these pts -if I win I have 12 also.Gimme a break here. If Jack had done the same thing they might have stayed out of his way also. In the event Jack was shut out trailed in last , Split got 3 pts and was in a three man run off for Champion which ended up Young, Waterman, Biggs. Would be interested in what others in forumland think.

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That's interesting, BOBBATH as the story I have heard is that Aub Lawson went to the other two (Williams and Waterman) and asked them if Biggs had "said anything to them", meaning had he asked them to stay out of his way as he only needed one point. When they said that he hadn't they decided to "deal" with him for being too arrogant to ask for help. I have never heard that story about Split Waterman before.

 

Of course the fact of the matter was that Biggs had made four lightning starts in his first four races and did not feel the need to ask anyone for help, especially as Lawson and Williams were not having the best of nights. If he'd got the same sort of start that he'd been experiencing all evening it wouldn't have mattered what the others did as Biggs would have been away. Unfortunately, for him, this time he was drawn on the outside and gated slower than Lawson (in no. 3) who took him out wide. Whether the story about the others "fixing" him or not is true, I think nerves had more to do with his defeat that night that anything else.

 

P.S. Even if Lawson and Williams tried to help Waterman by staying out of his way, Biggs only needed one point to win the title, so it wouldn't have mattered if Waterman had won if Biggs had come 2nd or 3rd.

Edited June 9, 2007 by norbold

[BOBBATH]

Norbold you are right and I am wrong on the WF story-further research confirms your understanding. BFD:Jack joined Wasps in their second year-1965 and yes he did partner Peter Vandenberg(strong pairing)-other heat leaders were Alby Golden and Dick Bradley.After Dick was injured Jack would ride with others e.g. Geoff Penniket or Jon Erskine usually. Original Wasps were the team of 64 in PL(Golden,Erskine,Bradley,Vandenberg, Vic White, Ray Harris). Piece of trivia-Jack used to often suffer from stomach ailments which adversely affected his riding on any given night.

[BigFatDave]

Piece of trivia-Jack used to often suffer from stomach ailments which adversely affected his riding on any given night.

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I think from memory he had hernia problems during the latter part of his career.

[BOBBATH]

That's right BFD -it was hernia -I'd forgotten that.

[BigFatDave]

That's right BFD -it was hernia -I'd forgotten that.

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I can supply you with the address of my Alzheimers' Specialist - now, where did I put it?

[star ghost]

A slight error has crept in there as Jack Biggs did not bring Frank Dolan here. Frank was with Harringay together with the Duggan Brothers in 1947 and had, in fact, been here pre the 39-45 War also

[Barcroftlad]

A slight error has crept in there as Jack Biggs did not bring Frank Dolan here. Frank was with Harringay together with the Duggan Brothers in 1947 and had, in fact, been here pre the 39-45 War also

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You are quite right there star ghost. I just didn't express it right and realised it later. What I meant to say was that Jackie Biggs brought Frank Dolan BACK from Aussie with him to ride for Odsal.At least we were led to understand that Frank came to Bradford because of Jack.Thanks for correcting that.