Guest Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 (edited) The Canadian speedway rider Eddie 'Flash' Barker with West Ham in 1938 and 1939 and also on loan to Crystal Palace in 1939 was a wrestler before turning to speedway. He was also back in the UK in 1946 and 1947 - as a wrestler. I think he was involved with Dale Martin Promotions from south London in the UK wrestling world. You can see some photos of Eddie Barker at http://londonspeedways.proboards.com/thread/1115/eddie-barker-jimmy-gibb Edited February 25, 2014 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldace Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 The Canadian speedway rider Eddie 'Flash' Barker with West Ham in 1938 and 1939 and also on loan to Crystal Palace in 1939 was a wrestler before turning to speedway. He was also back in the UK in 1946 and 1947 - as a wrestler. I think he was involved with Dale Martin Promotions from south London in the UK wrestling world. You can see some photos of Eddie Barker at http://londonspeedways.proboards.com/thread/1115/eddie-barker-jimmy-gibb Mmm interesting!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 Before my time gustix. Wasn't it Dale Martin Productions that put the Wrestling on Telly on World of Sport. Kent Walton the Commentator. Those were the days - Speedway was better then too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldace Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 Before my time gustix. Wasn't it Dale Martin Productions that put the Wrestling on Telly on World of Sport. Kent Walton the Commentator. Those were the days - Speedway was better then too. I thought we were discussing Eddie "flash" Barker. Why does every thread have to go off topic, and only the second post in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 I thought we were discussing Eddie "flash" Barker. Why does every thread have to go off topic, and only the second post in Because Wrestling was mentioned in the OP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldace Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 Because Wrestling was mentioned in the OP. Better check that out with Gustix if it can be allowed on that rather flimsy pretext. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 (edited) I thought we were discussing Eddie "flash" Barker. Why does every thread have to go off topic, and only the second post in Sorry - I just spotted this on another Thread Oldace. I do hope you don't mind me quoting YOU. "How do you go on down the pub? Does your group pick subjects to talk about with the only conversation allowed to be on that subject or does conversation naturally flow from one subject to another. It is exactly the same in a forum/chat room". SEE WHAT I MEAN!!! Edited February 25, 2014 by The White Knight 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 And there's more: http://www.wrestlingheritage.co.uk/B/Ed%20Flash%20Barker%202%20200.jpg His nickname Flash came from his resemblance to the comic book hero, Flash Gordon. He was also known as Blondie Gordon in the ring. http://www.wrestlingheritage.co.uk/Posters/1947%20Fri%206%20Jun%20Fleetwood.jpg He only rode twice for Crystal Palace scoring a grand total of three points! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 And there's more: http://www.wrestlingheritage.co.uk/B/Ed%20Flash%20Barker%202%20200.jpg His nickname Flash came from his resemblance to the comic book hero, Flash Gordon. He was also known as Blondie Gordon in the ring. http://www.wrestlingheritage.co.uk/Posters/1947%20Fri%206%20Jun%20Fleetwood.jpg He only rode twice for Crystal Palace scoring a grand total of three points! Didin't he join the Palace a couple of weeks before they closed? There is a suspicion that Barker had never been on a speedway bike until persuaded to take up the sport at West Ham by Johnnie Hoskins during the 1937-38 winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 He was signed up towards the end of May. Crystal Palace had their last match on 1st July. His two matches were English Trophy matches away at Norwich and then home to Hackney. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 I first heard of Eddie Barker in the late spring of 1947. I was reading an advert for some wrestling at Camberwell Baths, South London, and one of the contestants was named as 'Flash' Barker In the details under his name it said something about 'former pre-war West Ham speedway rider.' The matter somehow just went into the old memory bank. It was only years later when I was talking with Mike Tams, the Canadian rider who rode for Southampton between 1952-54 and in mention of pre-war Canadians one he mentioned was Eddie Barker. I then checked out the West Ham rider lists for the various pre-war seasons and Barker came up as a member of West Ham's second team the Hawks in 1938, then as a second-half rider at Custom House in early 1939, followed by his appearances for Crystal Palace. My understanding is that after returning to Canada, Barker continued for many years as a wrestler both in his home country and on the USA's East Coast. He passed away in his early 90s just two or three years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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