Ross Garrigan Posted March 19, 2009 Report Share Posted March 19, 2009 On Monday March 16, Bob "Bakey" Leverenz passed away. He will be fondly remembered for his fine performances on racetracks in the UK and Australia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBBATH Posted March 19, 2009 Report Share Posted March 19, 2009 How old was Bob??-rode for Norwich and made a World Final I think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Garrigan Posted March 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2009 How old was Bob??-rode for Norwich and made a World Final I think Bob was 84 years of age, and yes, he rode for Norwich and was a World Finalist. In 1949 Bob was one of three Adelaide boys who ventured to the UK for the first time. All three had very successful debut seasons. The other two were Merv Harding and Jack Young. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Templeton Posted March 19, 2009 Report Share Posted March 19, 2009 How old was Bob??-rode for Norwich and made a World Final I thinkBob appeared in the 1951 World Final, which was controversial because of Jack Biggs having the title in the bag, and losing it. Jack Young won, with Split Waterman runner up. Bob Leverenz was eighth with seven points. Tim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sotonian Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 Bob appeared in the 1951 World Final, which was controversial because of Jack Biggs having the title in the bag, and losing it. Jack Young won, with Split Waterman runner up. Bob Leverenz was eighth with seven points. Tim. Why was it controversial? I thought Biggs just blew it under pressure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Garrigan Posted March 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 Why was it controversial? I thought Biggs just blew it under pressure. When I wrote about the 1951 World Final in The Jack Young Story I included the following: - ***************************************** I found some comments Jack Biggs later made concerning his own performance on World Final night most interesting: - “Having made two consecutive races in the fourth and fifth heats I felt a recurrence of a back injury sustained at Fleetwood a couple of months back. As the meeting went on it grew worse and it seemed at one time as though I had been kicked by an elephant. After the 14th race I knew I had only one point to score to win the title. With that one point preying on my mind all the time and my back still aching, by the time the final race came round I was just a bundle of nerves.” Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwoMinuteWarning Posted March 22, 2009 Report Share Posted March 22, 2009 Bob had 4 exccellent seasons for Norwich from 1949 to 1952, finshing both the last 2 seasons with a CMA of over 10. Overall he rode 142 league matches for Norwich, and maximums in 44 of them Disappeared half way through 1952, returning to Australia for personal reasons, and was not seen in the UK again. Just how good could he have been had he returned? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
star ghost Posted March 23, 2009 Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 Bob could well have been World Champion if he had "wanted" it. Bob did in fact come back to the U K in the 1980's when we had a get-together at the home of Phil Clarke to celebrate Max Grosskreutz coming in 1937 to take over and bring Norwich into League racing in 1937. When Bob was at Norwich he was the star among Stars.. The Stars won Division Two in 1950 & 51 with Bob, Fred Rogers, Phil Clarke, Alec Hunter, Paddy Mills, Jack Freeman, Ted Bravery, Johnny Davies, Trevor Davis, Bill Codling, Huck Fynn and Fred Pawson who passed away at Xmas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHALEWAY69 Posted March 23, 2009 Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 I was most fortunate to have been at Bluey Scotts home last September, when Bluey was on the phone to Bob, I was invited to have a few words with him, I was apprehensive, as I knew he was not in the best of health, but he talked in amazing detail of that Wembley final, his memory was as clear as a bell. I really treasure that memory as he was one of my boyhood heroes with that trademark white scarf and spectacular style. Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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