ch958 Posted February 22, 2015 Report Share Posted February 22, 2015 my speedway life started in 1968 and i can not for the life of me remember British League riders racing in foreign leagues. Did they in fact do this? Or was the BL so busy and lucrative that this wasn't done. Or was it because there were there fewer full time racers? I ask this because on Facebook there is an old time speedway group and occasional photos appear of, say Ken McKinlay, in a Swedish team's race jacket. TWK I know you are a Facebook refusenik but you would love this group! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted February 22, 2015 Report Share Posted February 22, 2015 (edited) Some rode in the US league,like Bert Harkins and some rode in the German Bundesliga(Mouncer,Cusworth and Cowland I think ) all in the early 70s.Not sure about earlier than that.Most rode in open meetings in Europe in the 20s,30s,40s,50s etc Edited February 22, 2015 by iris123 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foamfence Posted February 22, 2015 Report Share Posted February 22, 2015 I remember Mike Broadbank saying he once rode in Sweden and travelled with Briggo, who was apparently a frequent visitor. I remember Mike Broadbank saying he once rode in Sweden and travelled with Briggo, who was apparently a frequent visitor. I should add that I think these were open meetings, rather than league. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 22, 2015 Report Share Posted February 22, 2015 British-based riders were very much a feature of an exceptionally strong Dutch League (Holland) that ran in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Matches mainly took place on Sundays with the main centres in Amsterdam and Rotterdam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
britmet Posted February 22, 2015 Report Share Posted February 22, 2015 . Those were the days of the Iron Curtain, so with the exception of mtgs like the Czech Golden Helmet there was no way riders could flip into communist countries every other Sunday. And although British grass & speedway riders were invited to the exceptional big mtgs, after 1971 East Germany (at least) stopped inviting Westerners in a political retalitary move.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted February 22, 2015 Report Share Posted February 22, 2015 Or was the BL so busy and lucrative that this wasn't done. Don't think there was ever a time when a rider didn't try to maximise his earnings.That means if there was an opportunity on a day off he would willingly fly over to places like Germany and take on a booking.Even back in the 1920s they were doing this .Ginger Lees,Clem Beckett and Eric Langton etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch958 Posted February 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2015 yes i remember in the 70s the riders resisted Sunday speedway in GB (at least in Div 1) because this was the day they rode abroad i dont remember, for example, riders appearing in the Swedish league in the 70s though thats kind of what i'm getting at - i know they rode in open meetings, grass and long track etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiheke1 Posted February 22, 2015 Report Share Posted February 22, 2015 I would imagine, given that bl ran as now basically 7 nights a week, that committing to a foreign league that paid less than the bl to be problematic. Much easier, and no doubt lucrative, to pick and choose open meetings around the bl schedule. interesting question, hopefully someone may have some specifics of riders who did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sotonian Posted February 22, 2015 Report Share Posted February 22, 2015 Not sure if it was the 70's or 80's but I seem to remember John Davis riding in the German league. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiheke1 Posted February 22, 2015 Report Share Posted February 22, 2015 Not sure if it was the 70's or 80's but I seem to remember John Davis riding in the German league.according to wiki he won four leagur titles in germany, one in poland and also rode in sweden for malilla. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted February 22, 2015 Report Share Posted February 22, 2015 I would imagine, given that bl ran as now basically 7 nights a week, that committing to a foreign league that paid less than the bl to be problematic. Much easier, and no doubt lucrative, to pick and choose open meetings around the bl schedule. interesting question, hopefully someone may have some specifics of riders who did. I just doubt whether promoters in those days would have stood for it.But I do think there started to be problems with continental clashes by the 70s.Maybe Briggo or Mauger for instance.And wasn't it part of Ivans deal that he was picked up by helicopter and taken to Exeter or a Monday ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phlipphlopp Posted February 22, 2015 Report Share Posted February 22, 2015 (edited) I just doubt whether promoters in those days would have stood for it.But I do think there started to be problems with continental clashes by the 70s.Maybe Briggo or Mauger for instance.And wasn't it part of Ivans deal that he was picked up by helicopter and taken to Exeter or a Monday ? Yes , but not a 'copter . John Richards (joint promoter with Wally Mawdsley) who had a car dealership in Bishops Lydeard let Ivan have use of his private plane. Not a modern day jet , but a decent turbo-prop which enabled Ivan to ride on the continent and be picked up at Exeter airport ready for Gulf BL racing on Monday nights. Edited February 22, 2015 by phlipphlop 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chadster Posted February 22, 2015 Report Share Posted February 22, 2015 In the 19 strong BL from 1966, you'd have 36 league matches, at least 1 KO Cup match, 3 World Championship qualifiers and then there were Challenge matches, Individual meetings, in London and the Midlands there were regional cup competitions, Midland Riders/Northern Riders qualification meetings. That probably adds up to about 50 without guest appearances. Given that many of the riders were not full-time that was more than enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phlipphlopp Posted February 22, 2015 Report Share Posted February 22, 2015 Yes , but not a 'copter . John Richards (joint promoter with Wally Mawdsley) who had a car dealership in Bishops Lydeard let Ivan have use of his private plane. Not a modern day jet , but a decent turbo-prop which enabled Ivan to ride on the continent and be picked up at Exeter airport ready for Gulf BL racing on Monday nights. I'd just like to mention 1974. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted February 22, 2015 Report Share Posted February 22, 2015 (edited) I'd just like to mention 1974. :D Bayern Munich,what a team Wondering if it was the continental bookings that made Ivan decide to leave Belle Vue? Edited February 22, 2015 by iris123 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phlipphlopp Posted February 22, 2015 Report Share Posted February 22, 2015 Bayern Munich,what a team . Who ? Wondering if it was the continental bookings that made Ivan decide to leave Belle Vue? Possibly. Speedway riders are mercenaries , same then , same now. Oh sorry they do it purely for our entertainment lol ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusky Posted February 22, 2015 Report Share Posted February 22, 2015 I just doubt whether promoters in those days would have stood for it.But I do think there started to be problems with continental clashes by the 70s.Maybe Briggo or Mauger for instance.And wasn't it part of Ivans deal that he was picked up by helicopter and taken to Exeter or a Monday ? Growing up watching the King's Lynn Stars on a Saturday night at Saddlebow Road, there were riders who never seemed to turn up. Maybe my memory was playing tricks, but there were 2 who never seemed to come, namely Barry Briggs & Ivan Mauger, yet they always seemed to make an appearance in Germany on the Sunday afternoon. There were also a significant number who did not take part in the second half on the flimsiest of excuses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldace Posted February 22, 2015 Report Share Posted February 22, 2015 Bayern Munich,what a team Wondering if it was the continental bookings that made Ivan decide to leave Belle Vue? Ivan didn't decide to leave Belle Vue , in facy he was prepared to give Britain a miss rather than be forced to go to Exeter where rider control allocated him. Of course when John Richards tripled his salary and still gave him the opportunity to race the lucrative Sunday scene on the continent he changed his mind but he had sat out the first few weeks of 1973 before it all got resolved Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arnieg Posted February 22, 2015 Report Share Posted February 22, 2015 By my reckoning Sweden opened up to foreigners in 1987 and Poland 1990. 1987 Swedish league featured Erik Gundersen and several other Scandanavians. Kelvin Tatum in 1989 was the first rider from outside of Scandanavia in the Swedish League Poland opened up in 1990 and several riders appeared, including Hans Nielsen, Toni Kasper, Christer Rohlen and Zdenek Tesar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 22, 2015 Report Share Posted February 22, 2015 Not sure if it was the 70's or 80's but I seem to remember John Davis riding in the German league. So did my old pal Ray Morton. Possibly. Speedway riders are mercenaries , same then , same now. Oh sorry they do it purely for our entertainment lol ! No. Like any professional sportsman they race wherever they can to maximise their earnings. Remember an injury can end a career when it's in its prime, so they need to earn as much as they can while the opportunity to do is there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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