Tim Templeton Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 Post War, I know that the Sunday Dispatch sponsored the first World Individual Speedway Championship with the iconic trophy in 1949, won by Tommy Price. I believe they also sponsored the previous events in '46, '47 and '48, which I think were the British Rider's Championship, which were World Championships in all but name. The Sunday Dispatch trophy was then contested every subsequent year until 1957, when Barry Briggs won, and he has kept this trophy ever since. The Sunday Pictorial then introduced the perhaps even more iconic winged wheel trophy in 1958, again won by Barry Briggs. This was then contested for every year until Ivan Mauger won, and kept it in 1977. In 1978, the Sunday Mirror then provided the trophy, won by Ole Olsen. This was for one year only. Does he still have that trophy? In 1979, a new trophy was introduced, won by Ivan Mauger, and then contested until, I think, the last one-off Individual World Championship in 1994, won by Tony Rickardsson. Who provided this trophy, and did it have a title? Was it kept by Mr Rickardsson? Finally, has there been a trophy for subsequent World Champions for the Grand Prix Series that is passed on each year, or a new trophy of some sort at the end each Series? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trees Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 The Sunday Pictorial then introduced the perhaps even more iconic winged wheel trophy in 1958, again won by Barry Briggs. This was then contested for every year until Ivan Mauger won, and kept it in 1977. He shouldn't have been able to keep it, as you say it was iconic, a historical treasure, was it falling apart so they let Mauger keep it or what? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Templeton Posted January 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 He shouldn't have been able to keep it, as you say it was iconic, a historical treasure, was it falling apart so they let Mauger keep it or what? I think he has allowed it to be displayed in the museum in New Zealand at Canterbury for everyone to enjoy, together with a large selection of bikes, race jackets etc. Perhaps it could do a tour over here in the future. I think, in hindsight, that after his sixth World Title in 1979, it's final destination with Ivan has probably been earned, don't you? But I agree, it's an iconic, historical treasure, that should be spread around for all to appreciate. I'm sure Ivan would agree with these comments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Templeton Posted January 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 I'm always overwhelmed at the amount of latent knowledge within these pages. I posted about the World Individual Speedway Championship Trophy a few days ago, thinking I would be overwhelmed with replies, but nothing at all. This post will bring the point back to the top. Come on you chaps, read post 1, and help me! Tim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DW Posted January 23, 2011 Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 Going by the photographs of Gollob and Crump in the last 2 years it looks like they have different trophies but not sure if there is a further trophy presented every year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Templeton Posted February 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2011 Post War, I know that the Sunday Dispatch sponsored the first World Individual Speedway Championship with the iconic trophy in 1949, won by Tommy Price. I believe they also sponsored the previous events in '46, '47 and '48, which I think were the British Rider's Championship, which were World Championships in all but name. The Sunday Dispatch trophy was then contested every subsequent year until 1957, when Barry Briggs won, and he has kept this trophy ever since. The Sunday Pictorial then introduced the perhaps even more iconic winged wheel trophy in 1958, again won by Barry Briggs. This was then contested for every year until Ivan Mauger won, and kept it in 1977. In 1978, the Sunday Mirror then provided the trophy, won by Ole Olsen. This was for one year only. Does he still have that trophy? In 1979, a new trophy was introduced, won by Ivan Mauger, and then contested until, I think, the last one-off Individual World Championship in 1994, won by Tony Rickardsson. Who provided this trophy, and did it have a title? Was it kept by Mr Rickardsson? Finally, has there been a trophy for subsequent World Champions for the Grand Prix Series that is passed on each year, or a new trophy of some sort at the end each Series? I don't want to be a bore, but can I bring this subject back, in the hope that some of you well informed guys missed the original post. Tim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucifer sam Posted February 10, 2011 Report Share Posted February 10, 2011 (edited) Hi, you've forgotten one trophy: The pre-war trophy won in 1936-1938 by Van Praag, Milne and Wilkinson. This was later re-used as the National Trophy, last won by Oxford in 1964. I wonder where that one went? All the best Rob Edited February 10, 2011 by lucifer sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frenchy Posted February 11, 2011 Report Share Posted February 11, 2011 Hi, you've forgotten one trophy: The pre-war trophy won in 1936-1938 by Van Praag, Milne and Wilkinson. This was later re-used as the National Trophy, last won by Oxford in 1964. I wonder where that one went? All the best Rob Rob, If you are referring to the Daily Mail National Trophy then an article I read a couple of years back (possibly in a VSM) said the trophy was kept in the vaults of the sponsoring newspaper and so was still in existence. Since reading that article I've often thought that it was a shame that the competition hadn't been reinstated and the trophy reused. As an aside, after reading through old records and yearbooks I'd been wondering what becomes of the trophy that the riders win - things like 'Second City Trophy', 'Laurels', 'Scottish Riders Championship' et al. What does become of the prizes (kept, sold/pawned, returned) ? Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted February 11, 2011 Report Share Posted February 11, 2011 I've just received this email from John Chaplin: "The Daily Mail still has the original National Trophy. I managed to persuade them to bring it out when I made the first of the History Of Speedway videos. We filmed in the Mail buiding and a security man was always within arms length because they told me the trophy is worth £30,000. Then I almost got it on loan for the Barry Briggs museum at Doningto Park, but the plug was pulled on that as you know, so I never got it. I have continually tried to ask where the original trophies are. You may know that the one they foist on us as the British Championship trophy is actually the orginal World Championship trophy." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parsloes 1928 nearly Posted February 11, 2011 Report Share Posted February 11, 2011 I've just received this email from John Chaplin: "The Daily Mail still has the original National Trophy. I managed to persuade them to bring it out when I made the first of the History Of Speedway videos. We filmed in the Mail buiding and a security man was always within arms length because they told me the trophy is worth £30,000. Then I almost got it on loan for the Barry Briggs museum at Doningto Park, but the plug was pulled on that as you know, so I never got it. I have continually tried to ask where the original trophies are. You may know that the one they foist on us as the British Championship trophy is actually the orginal World Championship trophy." Bloody hell, that seems a very high valuation..! And didn't a previous poster suggest THIS was the original 1930s World Championship trophy... Mr. Chaplin is saying differently... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted February 12, 2011 Report Share Posted February 12, 2011 Bloody hell, that seems a very high valuation..! And didn't a previous poster suggest THIS was the original 1930s World Championship trophy... Mr. Chaplin is saying differently... Another email from John: "The Daily Mail National Trophy IS valued at £30,000. I had it in my hand and the security man was on my elbow. I was told by Lord Rothermere himself so have no reason to doubt it. "The so-called 'national trophy' given to Oxford in 1964 was not the National Trophy at all but a 'league championship' trophy. It was/is in fact the original 1936 World Championship trophy of which both Jack Milne and Bluey Wilkinson were given a replica (I have seen them both) and I remember Jack was very put out because he didn't get the full sized trophy. Now that trophy is given as the British Championship trophy which, in my opinion, is sacrilege. If you like I can put pictures up of the 1936 and 1938 presentations - if I knew how to do it." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucifer sam Posted February 12, 2011 Report Share Posted February 12, 2011 (edited) Another email from John: "The Daily Mail National Trophy IS valued at £30,000. I had it in my hand and the security man was on my elbow. I was told by Lord Rothermere himself so have no reason to doubt it. "The so-called 'national trophy' given to Oxford in 1964 was not the National Trophy at all but a 'league championship' trophy. It was/is in fact the original 1936 World Championship trophy of which both Jack Milne and Bluey Wilkinson were given a replica (I have seen them both) and I remember Jack was very put out because he didn't get the full sized trophy. Now that trophy is given as the British Championship trophy which, in my opinion, is sacrilege. If you like I can put pictures up of the 1936 and 1938 presentations - if I knew how to do it." Norman, that's clarified things; so there were actually, at least, two different trophies used for the National Trophy. But John has confirmed what I thought - that the trophy presented to Oxford in 1964 was the original World Championship trophy. I didn't realise that it was still in use today, though. Are the names of Van Praag, Milne & Wilkinson still on the trophy somewhere? All the best Rob Edited February 12, 2011 by lucifer sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trees Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 The Daily Mail own that old trophy, we oughta raise funds to buy that off them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 Latest from John: "Let's get this straight. There were never two National Trophies - only one, the Daily Mail one. "I believe that there was a rather deep plinth on the original World Championship trophy, which would have contained the names of the pre-war winners. I have inspected it at a British Championship event, and the original plinth is not there, so no original names, though all the other markings on the upper trophy remain. "The trouble with the BSPA is that they do not seem to have any sense of history. Not only that, they don't seem to care at all." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parsloes 1928 nearly Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 Latest from John: "Let's get this straight. There were never two National Trophies - only one, the Daily Mail one. "I believe that there was a rather deep plinth on the original World Championship trophy, which would have contained the names of the pre-war winners. I have inspected it at a British Championship event, and the original plinth is not there, so no original names, though all the other markings on the upper trophy remain. "The trouble with the BSPA is that they do not seem to have any sense of history. Not only that, they don't seem to care at all." When John talks about the 'British Championship', he means what used to be called the 'British Final' yes..? Surely whatever anyone feels, this IS the major indiv. title contended for yearly here in the UK so I can't see why he (John) is so anti this famous old trophy being the one given out each year to the winner..? And I'm still confused, what's the (very expensive) trophy sitting in the vault at the Daily Mail HQ then..?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 I presume it's the REAL original National Trophy and not the one given to Oxford in 1964, which was the pre-War World Championship Trophy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 Judging by the Daily Mail Trophy quoted to be worth £30,000 these old Speedway Trophies must be quite valuable. Are the 'Golden Helmet' and 'Silver Helmet' Match Race Trophies still around from way back. I can't remember seeing them in the Speedway Museum. Could be me though My memory is dreadful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parsloes 1928 nearly Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 I presume it's the REAL original National Trophy and not the one given to Oxford in 1964, which was the pre-War World Championship Trophy. Nope I am STILL confused... When pressed on this before Mr. Chaplin came back as follows (as you retold..): Latest from John: "Let's get this straight. There were never two National Trophies - only one, the Daily Mail one. So I repeat if the Daily Mail is under lock and key, what's this other one being hawked around as the British (indiv.) Championship trophy..?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedwayondisc Posted February 14, 2011 Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 Perhaps it would help to remove the confusion if we saw a few pictures! The impressive National Trophy presented by and still owned by the Daily Mail was a (bronze, I believe) statue of a Dirt Track Rider in full broadslide and is shown here being presented to Jeff Lloyd of Harringay in 1952 This trophy has never been used for any other purpose that for the winners of the National Trophy when it was sponsored by the Daily Mail; I presume it was not used for the years after they did not sponsor it and another trophy had to be found. Below is the iconic British Championship Trophy that we have seen held aloft every year at Coventry during the seventies, eighties, niineties and even later (Here by Malcolm Simmons in 1976). This is clearly the same trophy as that used for the winners of the first three world Finals (1936 Lionel Van Praag, 1937 Jack Milne and 1938 Bluey Wilkinson). It was never used for post war World Finals I presume that it was this trophy that acted as substiutute in 1964 and was presented to Oxford, although I have no photos to confirm this. However, just to muddy the waters more I did find that this same trophy had already been used in 1962 for the presentations to Southampton when they won the National League! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted February 14, 2011 Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 Nope I am STILL confused... When pressed on this before Mr. Chaplin came back as follows (as you retold..): So I repeat if the Daily Mail is under lock and key, what's this other one being hawked around as the British (indiv.) Championship trophy..?! What John meant was that the trophy awarded to Oxford was an imposter. Thanks for the info and pics, speedwayondisc, that's brilliant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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