daveallan81 Posted January 8, 2017 Report Share Posted January 8, 2017 I was compiling a list of all riders who took part in official (league, KOC, 4TT) matches at the salubrious Craighead Park during it's years of operation, 1982-86. Once completed I found that only one rider was unbeaten, winning all 4 rides in his sole appearance. Checking further I found he also won both his second half heats. One match, full house, wages in the pocket, never to return. Further checking found a second rider. Shawn Moran won all six races (and took the track record) during Jim Beaton's testimonial meeting. But as it wasn't an 'official' match it wasn't considered so the winner of the King of Craighead Park title is...you wouldn't guess this in a million years...Paul Woods. Aye. Really. All of which got me thinking. Is Woods a reasonably unique case? How many other riders made just one official appearance at a track, cleaned up, and never returned? Obviously 2nd half races might be hard to confirm but I think any rider who banged in a maximum is worthy of mention. The logistics of this has me wondering if it is quite a rare case, although that is tempered by the feeling I could also be hit with a mammoth list. Anyway, official matches only, no individual events. Full internationals are ok (might throw up a few names). One ride wonders considered. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted January 9, 2017 Report Share Posted January 9, 2017 David Shields scored 9+2 from four rides at Newcastle in 1978 (don't know about the second half) and to the best of my belief never rode there again. Okay not a maximum but a good effort for a rider who turned up at Cowley in 1978 as an unknown and scored well wherever he went before disappearing at the end of that season. He re-appeared in 1982(?) for Cradley Heath riding as a reserve cum second string but his early potential wasn't really built upon in my view. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveallan81 Posted January 9, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2017 (edited) David Shields scored 9+2 from four rides at Newcastle in 1978 (don't know about the second half) and to the best of my belief never rode there again. Okay not a maximum but a good effort for a rider who turned up at Cowley in 1978 as an unknown and scored well wherever he went before disappearing at the end of that season. He re-appeared in 1982(?) for Cradley Heath riding as a reserve cum second string but his early potential wasn't really built upon in my view. Edited because I'm getting my David's mixed up. Shields returned in 1981. Decent shout, just missing the maximum. Edited January 9, 2017 by daveallan81 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triple.H. Posted January 9, 2017 Report Share Posted January 9, 2017 Dave Shields What a rider he was, John Hack and him at reserve for the Cheetahs I did hear that he still has the black leathers with the yellow handprint on the bum and they still fit him ! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted January 10, 2017 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 (edited) Let us cast our minds back to Camberley, 7 May 1927. C. Harman won the 350 and 500 cc events as well as the sidecar race at the only meeting ever held there as a 440 yard track as it was later lengthened to 1,056 yards. So he came, saw and conquered but never came back (although nor did anyone else!) But was it a real speedway track? Sand surface, clockwise racing....If it counts as real speedway, there is no question he was the first! . Edited January 10, 2017 by norbold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BL65 Posted January 10, 2017 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 (edited) Ron How (Oxford) made one visit to Somerton Park, Newport, in official matches (i.e. excluding challenge matches), scoring a 15 point maximum on 14th May 1965, although he was beaten in the Kings of Oxford challenge match on July 2nd. He was also heading for a 12 point maximum on his one visit to Cradley Heath on 26th June 1965 when he suffered machine failure in his fourth ride. Edited January 12, 2017 by BL65 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salty Posted January 10, 2017 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 David Shields scored 9+2 from four rides at Newcastle in 1978 (don't know about the second half) and to the best of my belief never rode there again. Okay not a maximum but a good effort for a rider who turned up at Cowley in 1978 as an unknown and scored well wherever he went before disappearing at the end of that season. He re-appeared in 1982(?) for Cradley Heath riding as a reserve cum second string but his early potential wasn't really built upon in my view. Dave was a terrific reserve for us in 1981 and played a key role in securing the league title. Averaged 6.12 from reserve in the league, one wonders how far he would have gone in the sport if he had returned in 1982. As far as the OP is concerned - tough one. I guess you're looking for tracks that may have only had short spells in a particular division? I seem to remember Dave Younghusband had a long spell unbeaten at Dudley Wood at the start of the British League era (about 4 visits I think), unfortunately when he returned as a Heathen for a short spell, following a bad injury, he was almost the polar opposite of unbeaten. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BL65 Posted January 10, 2017 Report Share Posted January 10, 2017 Dave was a terrific reserve for us in 1981 and played a key role in securing the league title. Averaged 6.12 from reserve in the league, one wonders how far he would have gone in the sport if he had returned in 1982. As far as the OP is concerned - tough one. I guess you're looking for tracks that may have only had short spells in a particular division? I seem to remember Dave Younghusband had a long spell unbeaten at Dudley Wood at the start of the British League era (about 4 visits I think), unfortunately when he returned as a Heathen for a short spell, following a bad injury, he was almost the polar opposite of unbeaten. Dave Younghusband scored three successive 12 point maximums for Halifax in league matches at Dudley Wood in 1966/7/8, but the 1965 fixture was not staged. In his other appearance at the track in 1966 (World Championship British Semi Final) he was beaten in two of his 5 rides (a last place and a second) and was then last in a third place run-off between 4 riders. We had value for money at that meeting as there was also a run-off between Trevor Hedge and Colin Pratt for first place. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveallan81 Posted January 11, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2017 I've had another confirmed - Torbjorn Harrysson 12 from 4 for Newport at Glasgow White City in 1967. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyMac Posted January 11, 2017 Report Share Posted January 11, 2017 Brilliant idea, Dave. Please keep us all informed of your findings - and good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky Posted January 11, 2017 Report Share Posted January 11, 2017 (edited) Long Eaton's Tony Lomas scored a 12-point maximum on his one visit to Doncaster (BL2) on 27th July, 1969. Exeter's Len Silver scored a 12-point maximum on his one visit to Bradford Greenfields (PL) on 1st June, 1962. Almost, but not quite... Also at Greenfields in 1962, Eric Boothroyd made three official appearances; a 15pt max (PL) on 4th May, a 12pt max (PL) on 25th September, and a 14pt return (from a possible 15) in the PL Riders' Championship QR. On 8th May, 1948, Wally Green scored a 12pt maximum for Hastings at Hull's Hedon Stadium in a National League Div 3 contest. Steve Edited January 11, 2017 by chunky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BL65 Posted January 11, 2017 Report Share Posted January 11, 2017 (edited) Johnny Hole scored a 12 point maximum for Bristol at Yarmouth on 28th June 1960 on what I believe was his only visit in an official fixture. Edited January 11, 2017 by BL65 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted January 11, 2017 Report Share Posted January 11, 2017 Great stuff chaps.Is there any chance that someone got a max at Shelbourne and never returned? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BL65 Posted January 11, 2017 Report Share Posted January 11, 2017 Great stuff chaps.Is there any chance that someone got a max at Shelbourne and never returned? Derek Close recorded a 12 point maximum for Newcastle at Shelbourne on 10th June 1951. Unfortunately, he fell in the All Star Scratch Race in the second half. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BL65 Posted January 11, 2017 Report Share Posted January 11, 2017 (edited) The achievement of Southampton's Alf Bottoms against Wombwell in 1948 is worthy of a mention here. 13th April at Southampton (National Trophy) paid 18 point maximum (17+1) 23rd April at Wombwell (National Trophy) 18 point maximum 22nd June at Southampton (National League) 12 point maximum 9th July at Wombwell (National League) 12 point maximum 24th September at Wombwell (National League) 12 point maximum 12th October at Southampton (National League) 12 point maximum George Bason was the team-mate who finished ahead of him on 13th April, in a meeting which Southampton won 89-19. Harwood Pike took second place in the final heat to prevent a complete whitewash. I have no record of any other appearances by Alf Bottoms at Wombwell. Edited January 11, 2017 by BL65 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BL65 Posted January 11, 2017 Report Share Posted January 11, 2017 (edited) Newcastle's Jeff Lloyd recorded a 12 point maximum on his single visit to Wigan's Poolstock Stadium in a National League meeting on April 26th 1947. In another season of open meetings at Wigan's Woodhouse Lane track in 1952 Junior Bainbridge recorded a 12 point maximum for Glasgow on 30th May and Ronnie Moore replicated the feat for a New Zealand team on June 20th. Weymouth had two one-time visitors from Coventry in 1955 who were unbeaten by the opposition, Tommy Miller scoring a 15 point maximum in the National League match on April 15th and Bob Mark recording 14 plus a bonus point when second to Miller in the final race. Poole's Ken Middleditch also scored a 15 point maximum in the League meeting at Weymouth on 6th May. On April 29th Bob Roger gained a 15 point maximum for Swindon in the league meeting at Weymouth and was the only rider to finish ahead of team-mate George White who scored 14 plus a bonus. Both Swindon riders had been beaten in a challenge match in September 1954 however. Unbeaten riders at Sunderland were Charlie Monk (12 points for Glasgow on 12th May 1964), George Hunter (12 for Edinburgh on 28th April 1964), Eric Boocock (12 for Middlesbrough on 19th May 1964) and Ivan Mauger (12 for Newcastle on 26th May). Ivan also scored a maximum 12 points in a challenge meeting and in the Cock of the North Trophy. Bluey Scott scored 11 and a bonus point for Middlesbrough, beaten only by team-mate Boocock, Edited January 11, 2017 by BL65 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
False dawn Posted January 11, 2017 Report Share Posted January 11, 2017 How do you find this information? I mean, it's one thing spotting maximums in the stats. It's quite another working out that it was that rider's only appearance ever at that track. I'm amazed 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BL65 Posted January 11, 2017 Report Share Posted January 11, 2017 (edited) How do you find this information? I mean, it's one thing spotting maximums in the stats. It's quite another working out that it was that rider's only appearance ever at that track. I'm amazed It is easier if you have been accumulating speedway stats for well over 50 years for the period covering the 1950s and early 1960s, have a good memory, particularly of the meetings attended, have a huge number of completed programmes and collections of the various magazines for that period and the time to look back at the available information. Coventry's Derek Tailby paid one visit to Cardiff, in 1951 when he won a World Championship Qualifying Round with a 15 point maximum. Edited January 11, 2017 by BL65 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveallan81 Posted January 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2017 I've been sent a few more from a non-BSF member: At Liverpool 1960 Alan Kidd 10+2 Poole Cliff Cox 12 Bristol Reg Reeves 11+1 Rayleigh Eric Hockaday 12 Rayleigh Yarmouth 1960 Reg Reeves 12 Rayleigh Johnny Hole 12 Bristol Yarmouth 1961 Stan Stevens 12 Cradley (Challenge) Some from Open licence tracks: Barry Duke 15 at Plymouth 1970 Phil Crump 15 at Ashington Individual 1972 Russ Dent 12 at Cowdenbeath for Newcastle 1965 Russ Dent 15 at Cowdenbeath WCR 1965 Tim Swales 15 at Motherwell 1972 for Teesside And a possible: Hans Nielsen 18 at Powderhall for Young Denmark (doesn't think Nielsen re-appeared at Powderhall) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky Posted January 12, 2017 Report Share Posted January 12, 2017 (edited) Unbeaten riders at Sunderland were Charlie Monk (12 points for Glasgow on 12th May 1964), George Hunter (12 for Edinburgh on 28th April 1964), Eric Boocock (12 for Middlesbrough on 19th May 1964) and Ivan Mauger (12 for Newcastle on 26th May). Ivan also scored a maximum 12 points in a challenge meeting and in the Cock of the North Trophy. Bluey Scott scored 11 and a bonus point for Middlesbrough, beaten only by team-mate Boocock, I think you can add Alan Wilkinson to that group, with a 12-point max for Rochdale on 4th June, 1971, followed by a Silver Helmet defeat of George Barclay. While we're on the subject of Rochdale, Vaclav Verner made an appearance at the track on 9th August 1970, and top-scored for Young Czechoslovakia with an 18-point max. He never went back... Only a challenge, I know, but Willie Templeton posted a 15-pointer at Dunmore on 8th July, 1968, for Scotland against Belfast. Steve Edited January 12, 2017 by chunky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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