speedyguy Posted November 15, 2011 Report Share Posted November 15, 2011 Joihnnie Hoskins captured in a photo racing on the speedway. That's the claim on http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/oldtimespeedway/message/11504 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olddon Posted November 15, 2011 Report Share Posted November 15, 2011 There's a big error in this link about when Johnnie Hoskins 'brought speedway to England' but to tie in with the 'speedway action photo' of him, it does mention that he was a keen motorcycle racer. So it could indeed be him in speedway action. http://manchesterhistory.net/bellevue/hoskins.html JACK KEEN, ERITH, KENT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted November 15, 2011 Report Share Posted November 15, 2011 Mr Sceptical here.You are a big fan Jack.In all those years,books,interviews etc why didn't he mention it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parsloes 1928 nearly Posted November 15, 2011 Report Share Posted November 15, 2011 Mr Sceptical here.You are a big fan Jack.In all those years,books,interviews etc why didn't he mention it? Â Well this is indeed the clinching point... I somehow think our Johnnie who wasn't exactly reticent throughout his days just MIGHT have mentioned it, don't you..?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olddon Posted November 15, 2011 Report Share Posted November 15, 2011 Mr Sceptical here.You are a big fan Jack.In all those years,books,interviews etc why didn't he mention it? Â If the rider shown is Johnnie Hoskins he looks fairly competent judging by his riding style. I agree, it is a mystery why he never mentioned it - perhaps he was too modest about his speedway riding ability? JACK KEEN, ERITH, KENT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted November 16, 2011 Report Share Posted November 16, 2011 Johnnie Hoskins and modest....hmmmm....let me think about that one..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyMac Posted November 16, 2011 Report Share Posted November 16, 2011 Jack, you are a wind-up. Â Is this the same JSH who invented speedway motorcycle dirt-track racing, the electronic starting gate, shale, leg-trailing, the folding footrest, the laydown engine and leading front forks? Â We should be told. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olddon Posted November 16, 2011 Report Share Posted November 16, 2011 There is now an updated message by moderator Ian Pesslie on oldtimespeedway discussion site where this theme originated that a possibility is the photo is of a pukka speedway rider who used the name 'Johnnie Hoskins' for his continental racing exploits. But this just creates more mystery as to who the rider was and why he chose to use Johnnie's name. JACK KEEN, ERITH, KENT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olddon Posted November 16, 2011 Report Share Posted November 16, 2011 Just to clarify, here's the original ots message link in regard to Johnnie Hoskins Speedway Rider. Just follow the message writer's directions please. And it looks a good historical site IMO. The site is based in Denmark. Note the phrase 'claims to be John on a bike racing.' Â --- In oldtimespeedway@yahoogroups.com, "Tom" <tommarriott13@...> wrote: Â Apologies if this has been already brought up but on reading the following on this web site it shows a photo that claims to be John on a bike racing. Anyone else seen this or has comments? Â http://www.speedwaylife.com/en/index.php?Danish_tracks:Roskildevej_DT Â Scroll down and see the photo. Tom. Â JACK KEEN, ERITH, KENT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted November 18, 2011 Report Share Posted November 18, 2011 Even if we accept the rather jaw dropping assumption that Hoskins was somehow too modest to mention his racing prowess,don't you think it strange Jack that one or two riders when talking about Johnnie didn't say "Oh he was a fantastic man to work for,always put on a great show and of course was quite an accomplished rider himself.....rode against him in Denmark......."? Never ever seen anyone,not Hoskins,nor his son,nor any riders mention the fact that Johnnie was a speedway rider.I mean he was quite famous for his end of season celebrations,but did we see him racing around Wembley,West Ham or Odsal,even in a mechanics race? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedyguy Posted November 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2011 Even if we accept the rather jaw dropping assumption that Hoskins was somehow too modest to mention his racing prowess,don't you think it strange Jack that one or two riders when talking about Johnnie didn't say "Oh he was a fantastic man to work for,always put on a great show and of course was quite an accomplished rider himself.....rode against him in Denmark......."? Never ever seen anyone,not Hoskins,nor his son,nor any riders mention the fact that Johnnie was a speedway rider.I mean he was quite famous for his end of season celebrations,but did we see him racing around Wembley,West Ham or Odsal,even in a mechanics race? Â Â I think everyone is missing the point in this. oldtimespeedway discussion group did not claim that Johnnie Hoskins was/had been a speedway rider nor, as has been evidenced, did Johnnie Hoskins. All that has happened was that the initial post to this thread brought attention to a Danish website where a photo appeared saying that it was Johnnie Hoskins racing on speedway. Since then, there has been a further comment on ots that the rider seen in the poor quality newspaper photo and named as Johnnie Hoskins was/could have been a rider who used the name 'Johnnie Hoskins' when he rode on the continent (early 1930s meetings). To me, that seems a good answer - although no further information has come forward as to who that rider was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennylane Posted November 27, 2011 Report Share Posted November 27, 2011 I think everyone is missing the point in this. oldtimespeedway discussion group did not claim that Johnnie Hoskins was/had been a speedway rider nor, as has been evidenced, did Johnnie Hoskins. All that has happened was that the initial post to this thread brought attention to a Danish website where a photo appeared saying that it was Johnnie Hoskins racing on speedway. Since then, there has been a further comment on ots that the rider seen in the poor quality newspaper photo and named as Johnnie Hoskins was/could have been a rider who used the name 'Johnnie Hoskins' when he rode on the continent (early 1930s meetings). To me, that seems a good answer - although no further information has come forward as to who that rider was. Â There are some still around who seem to think oldtimespeedway was claiming the rider photo was Johnnie Hoskins when a good read of the posts on their site shows this isn't the case and all they were trying to verify was who the said trackman was and why a 1932 Danish newspaper stated it was him. For me I like theory that it was a British based rider who liked to use Johnnie's name when he rode in Europe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olddon Posted December 8, 2011 Report Share Posted December 8, 2011 The previous post and its quote summarises the whole affair. The only suggestion that Johnnie Hoskins was a speedway rider was on a Danish site. No where else. Sadly "experts" chose to try and switch the blame on others and now, as "experts", are too proud to admit they were wrong. JACK KEEN, ERITH, KENT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted December 8, 2011 Report Share Posted December 8, 2011 There's a big error in this link about when Johnnie Hoskins 'brought speedway to England' but to tie in with the 'speedway action photo' of him, it does mention that he was a keen motorcycle racer. So it could indeed be him in speedway action. http://manchesterhis...ue/hoskins.html JACK KEEN, ERITH, KENT The previous post and its quote summarises the whole affair. The only suggestion that Johnnie Hoskins was a speedway rider was on a Danish site. No where else. Sadly "experts" chose to try and switch the blame on others and now, as "experts", are too proud to admit they were wrong. JACK KEEN, ERITH, KENT So are you admitting you were wrong when you said, "So it could indeed be him in speedway action".? Well done, Jack, that's very noble of you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldenGauntlet Posted February 4, 2012 Report Share Posted February 4, 2012 Hoskins raced once on the trotting track at the West Maitland showground in 1923 (before the 15 December event that is sometimes classed as the first speedway meeting), but appears that it was a one-off. To quote him "I was first on the ground and heading the pack of lunatics in a long-cherished chance to race. I was out in front when a monstrous motor-cycle drew level, then another and another. I was surrounded by a mass of speed-mad youngsters. They passed me, they crowded me in, and they scared me so much that I swore to heaven that if I ever got out of this lark alive I would never race again" - from 'Speedway Walkabout'. I very much doubt that he ever rode in a genuine speedway race. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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