Gil Blake

[BOBBATH]

In a previous thread someone mentioned Stan Bradbury(now the doyen-like that word??-) of Canadian speedway).Talking to Stan last year about the "old " days-he mentioned that Gil was one of the best-if not the best-of riders he was partnered with at Stoke. I think Gil has passed away but it sounds like he was one of the top Div 2 riders in the fifties-anybody know anything about his career? And when he passed away??

[frenchy]

Looking through my records I've got the following career details (cannot guarantee 100% accuracy I'm afraid but should be close) -

 

1947 Stoke (Hanley) in National League Division 3 38 matches league average c5.3 1 full & 1 paid maximum

1948 Stoke (Hanley) in National League Division 3 59 matches league average c8.92 6 full & 4 paid

1949 Stoke (Hanley) in National League Division 3 59 matches league average c9.19 8 full & 2 paid

1950 Stoke in NL Division 2 50 matches League average c6.22 7 full

1951 Stoke in NL Division 2 47 matches League average c6.65 2 paid

1952 Stoke in NL Division 2 48 matches League average c5.16 1 paid

1953 Liverpool in NL Division 2 10 matches League average c6.1 no maximums.

 

Last match I've got him listed as riding in, is for Liverpool at Glasgow (WC) on the 20th May 1953

 

For more details on his Stoke career you could try the 'potted history of Stoke Potters' sold via Speed-away (I think).

 

Hope this helps (if you want bonus point figures I can get them for you, let me know) ?

[Guest]

I do know that during WW2 Gil Blake was in the RAF. And one of his fellow airmen was Mike Tams who post-war rode for Eastbourne, Santry, Belfast, Newcastle, Southampton and Ringwood.

[BOBBATH]

Thanx  frenchy for the info on Gil Blake, looks like Gil understandably had a tougher time in Div 2 when Stoke moved up from Div 3. Was interested that Mike Tams was also in RAF in WW@. I met Mike only once in later life, at Paris Speedway in Ontario a couple of years before he passed away.