Bryn Posted June 19, 2011 Report Share Posted June 19, 2011 Received the following sad news from Steve Magro in Australia earlier today: Jimmy Gooch, 83, died peacefully Saturday, 18th June. During his long career Jimmy rode speedway for Wembley, Oxford and Hackney, eventually retiring in 1970. Jimmy was a member of the World Speedway Riders Association and will be sadly missed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBBATH Posted June 19, 2011 Report Share Posted June 19, 2011 Received the following sad news from Steve Magro in Australia earlier today: Jimmy Gooch, 83, died peacefully Saturday, 18th June. During his long career Jimmy rode speedway for Wembley, Oxford and Hackney, eventually retiring in 1970. Jimmy was a member of the World Speedway Riders Association and will be sadly missed. Also Newport 1967 and 1968. When Jim reached World Final in 65-he must have been in his early forties-was he the oldest guy ever to reach the World Final??-great rider who once had a punch up with Ove.Ex paratrooper I think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2ndBender Posted June 19, 2011 Report Share Posted June 19, 2011 Also Newport 1967 and 1968. When Jim reached World Final in 65-he must have been in his early forties-was he the oldest guy ever to reach the World Final??-great rider who once had a punch up with Ove.Ex paratrooper I think Yes Jim had a couple of good seasons with us. As a youngster, I thought he was already past it when he signed for us, but he proved me wrong. RIP Jim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucifer sam Posted June 19, 2011 Report Share Posted June 19, 2011 RIP Jimmy Gooch. One of Oxford's first world class riders. He was part of the treble-winning side of 1964, plus reached the World Final as a Cheetah in 1965. All the best Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 I am so sorry to hear this news. Jimmy also rode for New Cross in 1960 and 1961. He was my first-ever favourite rider. He top scored for New Cross against Norwich at the first meeting I ever saw on 11 May 1960, beating the seemingly hitherto unbeatable Aub Lawson in heat 10, after Eric Williams and Split Waterman had failed to do so. His 11 points that night played a major part in helping New Cross record their first official win of the season after four straight defeats. Until New Cross closed down at the end of 1961 he remained my favourite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 we have two threads going regarding jimmy gooch maybe some clever soul can merge them together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiegal Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 How sad...yet another of my boy-hood heroes gone. An honour to meet him a few years back. Add the fact that he also rode at the 410yd track at Foxhall. I was pleased to hear that he was by all accounts a man who could "look after himself" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Main Man Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 we have two threads going regarding jimmy gooch maybe some clever soul can merge them together. apologies ..I thought I would post it in the main discussions area as thought that might be seen by more people , as like Bryn got the news yesterday via Steve Magro but was in Newport so couldn't post it till today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyMac Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 I'm so glad that at least I had the pleasure of interviewing Jimmy for Classic Speedway magazine just two years ago. What a lovely man and a splendid host he and his wife Everil were that summer's day at their riverside home in Bradwell-on-Sea, Essex, where Jim would cycle around town running errands for those less fortunate than himself. He kept in regular contact with us since then and also sent me a video of him parajumping for charity in Sept 09. When I get a min I will post it on our website or Facebook page to show others what a brave sport he still was at the age of 80+. It's now a regret of mine that I didn't take up Jimmy's kind offer to join for a ride on the boat he built with his own hands. A very humble and likeable man, the world is a worse place for the passing of Jimmy Gooch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBBATH Posted June 21, 2011 Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 Glad you got to interview Jim for Classis Speedway Tony, it was a great article and gave a real insight into Jim, btw as per my previous post does anyone know if Jim was the oldest guy to make a World Final, he must surely have been the oldest to become a World Finalist for the first time being I think 41 when he made his initial and only appearance in 1965. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 (edited) Think you're a little off with your figures, Bob. Jimmy was born in November 1928, which means that he would have been 36 when he rode in the 1965 World Final. Vic Duggan was 39 when he rode in his only World Final in 1950. Steve Edited June 22, 2011 by chunky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frigbo Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 Think you're a little off with your figures, Bob. Jimmy was born in November 1928, which means that he would have been 36 when he rode in the 1965 World Final. Vic Duggan was 39 when he rode in his only World Final in 1950. Steve Which also makes him 82 and not 83 as posted earlier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBBATH Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 Thanx Chucky-I was indeed way off thanks for pointing it out and also the oldest World Finalist- also hope you have avoided the bad weather the mid west has been getting this year. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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