When Uk Snubbed South Africa

[Guest]

IN the early 1950s, for a variety of reasons, a bid by former Hastings and Liverpool rider Buddy Fuller to being a South African team to England for the 1951 season was rejected by British promoters.

But Fuller, never a man to be put off by officialdom, still went ahead and brought a team to Europe where, during a 10-week tour, they raced in Holland, Denmark, Norway, Germany and Sweden.

Apart from Fuller, the only other rider in the squad with British track links was Toby Boshoff, who had been with Rayleigh and Leicester in the 1949 and 1950s season. At the same time, a surprise exclusion from the side was the formidable legtrailer Doug Serrurier who had been a spectacular favourite with Liverpool in the 1949 and 1950s seasons. Seemingly, despite Serrurier's distinguished British racing pedigree Fuller regarded his form as being inconsistent. Others with established British track reputations surprisingly also left out of Fuller's team were Belle Vue's Henry Long and another former Liverpool star Fred Wills.

The South Africans won 10 of their 17 matches but lost a four match test series 3-1 to the Dutch. Surprisingly, the tour was never recorded in the British speedway press at the time.

Edited November 9, 2015 by Guest

[Split]

This made interesting reading for the forum's self-appointed South African correspondent - me! Buddy Fuller died a few years ago and I seem to remember reading about this tour in his obituary which appeared in one of the South African Sunday papers. There must have been a good reason why Henry Long was not included in that team. Along with Doug Davies he is one of the few truly world class riders that this country has produced

[Bavarian]

Quote: "Although Buddy Fuller was quoted at the end of this 1951 tour as expressing disappointment that the tourists only won 10 of their scheduled 17 matches, losing the Test series against the Dutch, the team performed creditably, especially as they were without four of South Africa's top riders: Henry Long, Bob Serrurier (both riding for Belle Vue), Fred Wills and Doug Serrurier (unavailable). In fact, only Fuller and Toby Boshoff had any overseas experience, and then only in British Division 3."

 

 

... more and all the stats of the Springboks' 1951 tour of Northern Europe can be found here http://www.internationalspeedway.co.uk/extra4.htm

[Guest]

 

IN the early 1950s, for a variety of reasons, a bid by former Hastings and Liverpool rider Buddy Fuller to being a South African team to England for the 1951 season was rejected by British promoters.

But Fuller, never a man to be put off by officialdom, still went ahead and brought a team to Europe where, during a 10-week tour, they raced in Holland, Denmark, Norway, Germany and Sweden.

Apart from Fuller, the only other rider in the squad with British track links was Toby Boshoff, who had been with Rayleigh and Leicester in the 1949 and 1950s season. At the same time, a surprise exclusion from the side was the formidable legtrailer Doug Serrurier who had been a spectacular favourite with Liverpool in the 1949 and 1950s seasons. Seemingly, despite Serrurier's distinguished British racing pedigree Fuller regarded his form as being inconsistent. Others with established British track reputations surprisingly also left out of Fuller's team were Belle Vue's Henry Long and another former Liverpool star Fred Wills.

The South Africans won 10 of their 17 matches but lost a four match test series 3-1 to the Dutch. Surprisingly, the tour was never recorded in the British speedway press at the time.

 

 

 

Quote: "Although Buddy Fuller was quoted at the end of this 1951 tour as expressing disappointment that the tourists only won 10 of their scheduled 17 matches, losing the Test series against the Dutch, the team performed creditably, especially as they were without four of South Africa's top riders: Henry Long, Bob Serrurier (both riding for Belle Vue), Fred Wills and Doug Serrurier (unavailable). In fact, only Fuller and Toby Boshoff had any overseas experience, and then only in British Division 3."

 

 

... more and all the stats of the Springboks' 1951 tour of Northern Europe can be found here http://www.internationalspeedway.co.uk/extra4.htm

It woud appear I was in error n stating the British speedway press ignored the tour (first quote) as in his reference (second quote) Ken MacLeod acknowledges the 'Speedway News" as an information source.

Edited November 9, 2015 by Guest

[Guest]

Quote: "Although Buddy Fuller was quoted at the end of this 1951 tour as expressing disappointment that the tourists only won 10 of their scheduled 17 matches, losing the Test series against the Dutch, the team performed creditably, especially as they were without four of South Africa's top riders: Henry Long, Bob Serrurier (both riding for Belle Vue), Fred Wills and Doug Serrurier (unavailable). In fact, only Fuller and Toby Boshoff had any overseas experience, and then only in British Division 3."

 

 

... more and all the stats of the Springboks' 1951 tour of Northern Europe can be found here http://www.internationalspeedway.co.uk/extra4.htm

 

Thank you Bavarian. That's a most interesting Link.

[Bavarian]

Thank you gustix,

 

here is another most interesting link for South African speedway history

 

http://www.speedway-sa.com/history-border.php

 

 

and a link to the "Henry Long Story" with plenty of old pictures of South Africa's greatest speedway rider

 

http://www.speedway-sa.com/the-henry-long.php