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Oldest Surviving World Finalists


BOBBATH

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11 to 18 to include reserves I think will be

 

11. Derick Close - 13.5.27

12. Geoff Mardon - 24.11.27

13. Jimmy Gooch - 16.11.28

14. Billy Bales - 6.6.29

15. Olle Nygren - 11.11.29

16. Jack Geran - 10.12.29

 

17. Ron How 23.12.29

18. Ron Johnston 31.12.30

 

The others who I'm not sure about (living or not) are Ray Cresp who would come between Geoff mardon and Jimmy Gooch (25.8.28) and Rune Sormander who would be between Olle and Jack (29.11.29)

 

 

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Tigerowl-thanx matt that is amazing I am sure Ray Cresp has passed away but think Rune Sormander is still with us-can anyone help???. BTW my comment "An Anorak too Far" of course refers to the second world war movie starring Dirk Bogard, Sean Connery ,Ryan O' Neill etc etc about Arnhem!!!!!!!!!!

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  • 2 weeks later...
Hi Old Saint, thank you for your birthday wishes I will pass them on to Dad on his birhday on Saturday,

kind regards, Yvonne.

 

Thank you, Yvonne.

 

Your dad is a link to some great memories I have. I am glad that I had the opportunity of watching him ride in a magnificent team at a magnificent stadium - Banister Court.

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  • 1 year later...

I reckon the oldest surviving World Finalist field would look like this:

 

1. Cyril Roger 89 - born 27.12.1921

2. Split Waterman 88 - born 27.7.1923

3. Danny Dunton 87 - born 13.5.1924

4. Arthur Payne 87 - born 30.8.1924

5. Dick Bradley 86 - born 28.11.1924

6. Fred Brand 86 - born 3.2.1925

7. Freddie Williams 85 - born 12.3.1926

8. Chum Taylor 84 - born 4.4.1927

9. Eric Boothroyd 84 - born 26.4.1927

10. Derick Close 84 - born 13.5.1927

11. Geoff Mardon 83 - born 24.11.1927

12. Billy Bales 82 - born 6.6.1929

13. Olle Nygren 81 - born 11.11.1929

14. Rune Sormander 81 - born 29.11.1929

15. Jack Geran 81 - born 10.12.1929

16. Ron Johnston 80 - born 31.12.1930

 

17. George White 80 - born 24.5.1931

18. Ian Williams 80 - born 4.8.1931

 

Unless I have missed someone or unless Bryan Elliott (12.4.1930) is still with us.

 

Arthur Wright is a 'mere' 78 by my reckoning - born 14.10.1933

Edited by tigerowl
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I reckon the oldest surviving World Finalist field would look like this:

 

1. Cyril Roger 89 - born 27.12.1921

2. Split Waterman 88 - born 27.7.1923

3. Danny Dunton 87 - born 13.5.1924

4. Arthur Payne 87 - born 30.8.1924

5. Dick Bradley 86 - born 28.11.1924

6. Fred Brand 86 - born 3.2.1925

7. Freddie Williams 85 - born 12.3.1926

8. Chum Taylor 84 - born 4.4.1927

9. Eric Boothroyd 84 - born 26.4.1927

10. Derick Close 84 - born 13.5.1927

11. Geoff Mardon 83 - born 24.11.1927

12. Billy Bales 82 - born 6.6.1929

13. Olle Nygren 81 - born 11.11.1929

14. Rune Sormander 81 - born 29.11.1929

15. Jack Geran 81 - born 10.12.1929

16. Ron Johnston 80 - born 31.12.1930

 

17. George White 80 - born 24.5.1931

18. Ian Williams 80 - born 4.8.1931

 

Unless I have missed someone or unless Bryan Elliott (12.4.1930) is still with us.

 

Arthur Wright is a 'mere' 78 by my reckoning - born 14.10.1933

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Thanx Tigerowl-have added another thread on Bryan Elliott to see if anyone knows whether he is still with us(I hope so)- also am still not sure about Arthur Payne , altho in recent correspondence with Reg Fearman, Reg thinks Arthur is still around.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I reckon the oldest surviving World Finalist field would look like this:

 

1. Cyril Roger 89 - born 27.12.1921

2. Split Waterman 88 - born 27.7.1923

3. Danny Dunton 87 - born 13.5.1924

4. Arthur Payne 87 - born 30.8.1924

5. Dick Bradley 86 - born 28.11.1924

6. Fred Brand 86 - born 3.2.1925

7. Freddie Williams 85 - born 12.3.1926

8. Chum Taylor 84 - born 4.4.1927

9. Eric Boothroyd 84 - born 26.4.1927

10. Derick Close 84 - born 13.5.1927

11. Geoff Mardon 83 - born 24.11.1927

12. Billy Bales 82 - born 6.6.1929

13. Olle Nygren 81 - born 11.11.1929

14. Rune Sormander 81 - born 29.11.1929

15. Jack Geran 81 - born 10.12.1929

16. Ron Johnston 80 - born 31.12.1930

 

17. George White 80 - born 24.5.1931

18. Ian Williams 80 - born 4.8.1931

 

Unless I have missed someone or unless Bryan Elliott (12.4.1930) is still with us.

 

Arthur Wright is a 'mere' 78 by my reckoning - born 14.10.1933

 

Cyril Roger, Dick Bradley, Chum Taylor and Olle Nygren all rode for Southampton and I think they could have all appeared in the same team in the early 60's. It's strange that they all appear in this list.

Edited by Split
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Cyril Roger, Dick Bradley, Chum Taylor and Olle Nygren all rode for Southampton and I think they could have all appeared in the same team in the early 60's. It's strange that they all appear in this list.

 

 

I think we can also add Geoff Mardon to that list as he also rode for the Saints around that time.

I don't think they ever all actually rode together in the Southampton team.

 

1959: Mardon, Taylor and Bradley

1960: Nygren, Taylor and Bradley

1961: Roger and Bradley

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  • 3 weeks later...

I reckon the oldest surviving World Finalist field would look like this:

 

1. Cyril Roger 89 - born 27.12.1921

2. Split Waterman 88 - born 27.7.1923

3. Danny Dunton 87 - born 13.5.1924

4. Arthur Payne 87 - born 30.8.1924

5. Dick Bradley 86 - born 28.11.1924

6. Fred Brand 86 - born 3.2.1925

7. Freddie Williams 85 - born 12.3.1926

8. Chum Taylor 84 - born 4.4.1927

9. Eric Boothroyd 84 - born 26.4.1927

10. Derick Close 84 - born 13.5.1927

11. Geoff Mardon 83 - born 24.11.1927

12. Billy Bales 82 - born 6.6.1929

13. Olle Nygren 81 - born 11.11.1929

14. Rune Sormander 81 - born 29.11.1929

15. Jack Geran 81 - born 10.12.1929

16. Ron Johnston 80 - born 31.12.1930

 

17. George White 80 - born 24.5.1931

18. Ian Williams 80 - born 4.8.1931

 

Unless I have missed someone or unless Bryan Elliott (12.4.1930) is still with us.

 

Arthur Wright is a 'mere' 78 by my reckoning - born 14.10.1933

 

This is a really interesting thread and I love to see all the names of real speedway greats who are still with us. Any idea where I can find a chart to show when these riders made their first and last appearances in the 'real world final' please? And was it confirmed that Brian Elliott is still alive - I think he was last heard of living in Australia about two years ago. I guess these world championship appearances were all between 1949 and about 1966?

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Cyril Roger, Dick Bradley, Chum Taylor and Olle Nygren all rode for Southampton and I think they could have all appeared in the same team in the early 60's. It's strange that they all appear in this list.

And don't forget that Split Waterman also rode for the Saints during the 1958 season.

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Any idea where I can find a chart to show when these riders made their first and last appearances in the 'real world final' please?

There is a chart showing just that in Maurice Jones's book "World Speedway Final". I don't know if there is an on-line equivalent. But I can copy out the firsts and last of all of them from the book if you would like to see it.

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There is a chart showing just that in Maurice Jones's book "World Speedway Final". I don't know if there is an on-line equivalent. But I can copy out the firsts and last of all of them from the book if you would like to see it.

 

I actually have a spreadsheet with all this information, so it's easy for me to list them. I have included all finals for each rider.

 

Cyril Roger - 1949, 1950, 1952, 1955, 1959

Split Waterman - 1950 - 1954 (inclusive)

Danny Dunton - 1950

Arthur Payne - 1950, 1952, 1953 (Res)

Dick Bradley - 1951 - 1953 (inclusive)

Fred Brand - 1954

Freddie Williams - 1950-1953 (inclusive), 1954 (Res)

Chum Taylor - 1960

Eric Boothroyd - 1956

Derek Close - 1952

Geoff Mardon - 1951 (Res), 1953, 1954, 1959

Billy Bales - 1955

Olle Nygren - 1953, 1954, 1955, 1958, 1959

Rune Sormander - 1953, 1957 - 1962 (inclusive)

Jack Geran - 1957, 1958

Bryan Elliott - 1960

Ron Johnston - 1955, 1956, 1958, 1960

George White - 1957, 1959

Ian Williams - 1957

 

Steve

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There is a chart showing just that in Maurice Jones's book "World Speedway Final". I don't know if there is an on-line equivalent. But I can copy out the firsts and last of all of them from the book if you would like to see it.

 

hank you for the offer. And I see there's also now a message detailing all this information.

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