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Wimbledon Memories


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Who remembers the prize bingo in the grandstand???

 

 

Who remembers parties in the grandstand??? - once I recall live music.

 

I can recall doing the conga round the back of the greyhound betting windows at the top of the grandstand.

 

Another Eddie (I think) was a guy with a Harley Davidson who used to come with black leathers and (I think) a Belle Vue logo on the back. Spoke in an American accent - but I suspect he wasnt...

 

steve

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Hackney getting a 5-0 in the last heat to win the London Cup in 1989.

 

 

Er Dons fans can probably blame ME for that! :rolleyes: I walked up the passage from the pits to the track with a certain Andy Galvin as the riders started to get ready for that last heat and I said, "We need a 5-1 to draw Andy or better still a 5-0 to win!" He simply replied "Right oh!" The rest is history! :wink:

 

Obviously I felt a tad guilty about that in my subsequent time as Wimbledon's P.R.O. and another interesting angle is that, on one of my trips to Oz myself and Todd were reminiscing over "the good old days" aided by a few tinnies. Todd confessed that Galvini was one rider he always had lots of trouble beating, and he said to me he didn't seem to succeed much in doing that back then! WON'T quote exactly what Todd said as I didn't think he was capable of using such lingo! :lol:

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Here's the details of my first visit to Wimbledon Stadium:

 

Thursday 29th April 1948 Wimbledon Stadium, London

Wembley Lions 52

Belle Vue Aces 31 (National League Division One)

 

Wembley

Freddy Williams 2 3 1 2’ : 8 (1)

Tommy Price 1’ 3 3 1 : 8 (1

Split Waterman 3 1’ 3 3 : 10 (1)

Bill Gilbert 2’ 2 2’ 2’ : 8 (3)

George Wilks 3 3 2 3 : 11

Roy Craighead F 1 0 0 : 1

Bob Wells 2’ 3 : 5 (1)

George Saunders 0 1 : 1

 

Belle Vue

Bill Pitcher 0 0 1 : 1

Jack Parker 3 3 3 2’ : 11 (1)

Wally Lloyd 1 2 1’ 0 :4 (1)

Dent Oliver 0 1 1 F : 2

Jim Boyd E 0 0 0 : 0

Louis Lawson 2 2 1 3 : 8

Bill Rogers 0 2 : 2

Wally Hull 0 2 1 : 3

 

Bonus points in brackets.

 

It was a magical first away trip after only ever seeing speedway at New Cross in 1946 and 1947.

 

 

http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/oldtimespeedway

Edited by speedyguy
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Then there were Alan Cowland, Tony Childs, Geoff Hughes, Steve Chilman, Murray Burt, Leif Soderberg, Garry Middleton etc.  Of course, before them were Messrs Harrfeldt, Nordin, McAuliffe, plus Ronnie Rolfe, Keith Whipp, and Roy Trigg.

 

Steve

 

 

Steve Chilman is still a regular spectator in East Anglia. He still takes an active interest in the sport being spannerman for several of the Russian riders when they are in the UK - numerous of those riders have been known to lodge with him as well. He is also a big supporter of both Grasstrack & Ice Racing

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its me colin richardson and i remember wimbledon with affection and also with some sadness

 

Welcome Colin; it's great to hear from you! Don't you think we're all sad too, though? I still remember you winning the NLRC there 30 years ago, and posting a time of 60 seconds dead in one heat. Can't believe it's that long ago..

 

Steve.

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it was a long time ago 1977 and for me the worst night of my career was at hackney when Steve and Vic had thier accident. the NNL riders championship and the laurels though were high points i justnever knew what made me able to do what i did in 77 until i got tothe point of retirement. odd really came and went so quicky but the club had no ambition just wanted to be middle of the table, win anything and the wage bill shot up lose too many and no crowd.

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it was a long time ago 1977 and for me the worst night of my career was at hackney when Steve and Vic had thier accident.

 

None of us at Waterden Road that night will ever forget it Colin.

 

Bryn

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its funny really my son lee has just had to havean operation on his groin but i rode motor cross against craig my other son a week before xms when i was back in the uk and we took lee's son my gradson josh rode his pw50 as well so we had 3 generations of richardsons together, wouldnt be good to be able to have had the same thing at the plough lane stadium. i also realised its 21 years snce i retired 30 years since the NLRC.

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anyway bryn how are you still enjoying your speedway?

 

Every minute of it Colin! I fell in love with the sport from the very first race I saw at Custom House (will always be grateful to that girl I was dating at the time) and Speedway has enabled me to travel the length and breadth of the UK, Europe, and Australia and meet so many superb people. Good to hear you're still skidding!

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Great to hear from you Colin - and enjoyed the interview with you in Backtrack a while ago. I thought you were very honest there (and on here) about the complacency and lack of ambition that beset the club in your era, although ironically, the '78 season was quite good for the Dons. It would be fascinating to hear more of your memories, such as the riders you got on best with (and perhaps those you didn't!) and also your recollections of particular meetings.

does anyone remmeber Ros the girl with the huge chest!!! oh those winter get together in the stadum bar when i was a lad

 

Do you mean Rizz Lillie, the physiotherapist? I remember Rizz well, although never really knew her as such.

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it was a long time ago 1977 and for me the worst night of my career was at hackney when Steve and Vic had thier accident.

 

Fortunately, I wasn't there, but it still had a profound effect on me, the same as Tommy's tragic death did. I'd been talking to Vic in the Wimbledon pits the night before.

 

Steve

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i remember a girl with a big chest, can't remember her name though.

she used to be friendly with the riders ... she had dark, wavy hair and always had a friend with her too (can't remember her name either).

the lady with the chest used to knit her own speedway jumpers too.

 

that would have been about 1984 - 86 something like that.

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