norbold Posted July 28, 2019 Report Share Posted July 28, 2019 I've just noticed from your list - it was Split's 96th birthday yesterday. Happy Birthday Squire! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBBATH Posted July 28, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2019 Hi Steve-great list, had forgotten about Cap'n Jim-also thanks for reminder re Stefan Kwoczala. To be honest am not sure about Ray Cresp- my good friend Reg Fearman was certainly in touch with him in recent years and have asked Reg -who has a compendious knowledge of this era and knows probably everybody on this list -to let me know. Thanks for the work you did Steve. P.S. Looks like you've moved from Illinois to Ohio Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky Posted July 28, 2019 Report Share Posted July 28, 2019 I looked back over some of the comments, and thought I would do some checking. Ray Cresp hasn't been mentioned, and as I said, I'd totally forgotten about him. Last I heard, he was still alive, and I wasn't able to find anything online to make me think otherwise. Yeah, I moved - six years ago! Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBBATH Posted August 1, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2019 Just heard from Reg Fearman- you will be glad to know that Ray Cresp is indeed still with us (thanks for mentioning him Steve)-he's 91 but has been ill recently with heart problems-hope he is around for many years to come. A real battler on the track- I recall him for Long Eaton in1965. I think before that he was in the NL with West Ham 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky Posted August 1, 2019 Report Share Posted August 1, 2019 2 hours ago, BOBBATH said: Just heard from Reg Fearman- you will be glad to know that Ray Cresp is indeed still with us (thanks for mentioning him Steve)-he's 91 but has been ill recently with heart problems-hope he is around for many years to come. A real battler on the track- I recall him for Long Eaton in1965. I think before that he was in the NL with West Ham That is good to hear! I was just sure I hadn't heard otherwise... Other than the Archers and Hammers, Ray also rode for Eastbourne, Wembley, Oxford, Ipswich, Poole, Norwich, and St. Austell. Steve 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted August 1, 2019 Report Share Posted August 1, 2019 Yes, that is good news. I remember Ray at West Ham well. Whenever Dave Lanning mentioned him in the programme notes, he would invariably prefix his name with, "droll, leathery-faced slick gating Aussie...." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBBATH Posted August 1, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2019 Bit off topic maybe but went to Maurice Jones excellent book "World Speedway Finals A History from 1929" which finishes with the 1978 WF to see the earliest final which still has survivors-no surprise that all of the 1949 Finalist have passed, however there are two survivors of the 1950 Final -Split Waterman and Arthur Payne, two survivors of 1951 Final-Split of course and Dick Bradley latter had one ride as reserve. Amazing to think that these guys are still with almost 70 years after their first World Finals. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Split Posted August 20, 2019 Report Share Posted August 20, 2019 On 7/28/2019 at 7:46 AM, chunky said: Sad thing is that Stefan Kwoczala (who passed away a couple of weeks ago) should have been on the list (b. 15/6/34), but was never actually named. Stefan Kwoczała was a rider whose career was sadly cut short by injury after suffering a fractured skull in a crash at Kraków in 1961. I saw him ride once and remember being impressed by his spectacular riding style. He was a rider of undoubted world class. Having won the Polish championship in 1959 he reached the World Final in 1960, and finished 7th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBBATH Posted October 8, 2019 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2019 Very sorry to hear of the passing of Split Waterman-as somebody said -a great age for a great rider. Split was the oldest surviving World Finalist for quite a few years.As the last updated list (thanx chunky) indicates Arthur Payne is now the oldest followed by Dick Bradley-hope there are no more changes for a while. RIP Split. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBBATH Posted October 11, 2019 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2019 Any other updates for this very important list- I know for sure Dick Bradley is still with us-but can anyone confirm Arthur Payne is also-Art seems to have disappeared into the ether. Did any forumlander see Arthur ride- I think he was a Division One heat leader with Birmingham in the early fifties.. Reckon he may be living in Oz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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