Memories Of Al Sparrey

[Guest]

Does any BSF member recall Al Sparrey, a former grass track rider, who rode for Rye House, Yarmouth and Swindon in the late 1950s and early 1960s? Here's what I recall about him:

 

By JOHN HYAM

AL SPARREY was a colourful character who rode for Swindon in the years overlapping the 1950s into the 1960s. He was a 'hustling, bustling trackman' and, by appearance, looked what might be termed a 'hard nut.'

But, at heart, he was a really kind fellow who would go out of his way to help anyone who sought assistance from him. Sparrey loved his speedway and would go out of his way to get to meetings. In his early days, he couldn't afford a car and used a sidecar combination to take his speedway bike to meetings. He was a former grass tracker from the Essex area who in the mid 1950s tried his hand on speedway and became a second-half rider at Norwich.

His big chance in speedway came in 1959 when I persuaded then Swindon boss Bert Hearse to give Sparrey a trial. He had a couple of impressive second half rides at Blunsdon, and then became a team regular. But his stay in the sport was all too short, and after a couple of seasons he retired, in my opinion before he had fulfilled his potential.

Probably my most enduring memory of Sparrey was on a journey to a meeting at the old Belle Vue track. We got caught up in slow moving traffic on a very narrow two-lane road. We became locked in behind the cars in front and those passing the other way. It unfuriated Sparrey and he virtually exploded when the car in front - a Morris Mini - came to stop and could not be restarted.

The other car's driver did all he could to get going, and took good heed of the gesticulations of Sparrey who saw the road ahead clearing, while he was jammed in as the second car in a bottle-neck. The Mini motorist admitted defeat - only to become a victim of an incredible physical feat on Sparrey's part. The Swindon rider started to bump-move the car up on to the pavement - with a bewildered driver still at his wheel. From the safety of the Sparrey vehicle, I made out that I couldn't see what was happening. I anticipated a nasty scene - it didn't happen.

Instead, the driver of the Mini also got out of his car, heard more from Sparrey about how he would miss the meeting at Belle Vue, then lent a hand in moving the Mini on to the pavement. Eventually, there was enough space for Sparrey to squeeze by and head to Manchester. Sparrey made no further comment other than a laconic, "That was easy to settle."

[BOBBATH]

Never saw Al Sparrey ride (before my time) but at one time had a pile of 1950's Speedway Stars so am familiar with his career--quite a character. Is Al still with us or if he has taken the great checkered flag when did he pass away? Thanx for this post gustix-he was another character that should never be forgotten.