Names From The Sixties

[BL65]

Here are Ronnie Rolfe's averages 1960-63. Courtesy of Matt Jackson.. 1960 he rode for CH, 61 for CH and Sheffield, 1962 CH and 1963 for Hackney. For each year listed are the # of meetings and CMA. Here goes 1960; 19-6.32; 1961; 24 -6.60: 1962 ; 24-5.87; 1963 10-3.76 .So for example in 1960 he rode in 19 meetings with a CMA of 6.32. Looks like Ronnie's best year was 1961. One comment -I think these are not just Prov. league matches but also other official meeting like e.g. the KO Cup-they may also include the regional leagues for PL teams e.g. Northern league, these were usually run at the start of the season before the regular PL season got underway. Hope this helps.

The Cradley Heath website records that Ronnie Rolfe moved to Sheffield in 1961 after he started to struggle a little with the track at Dudley Wood. However, his statistics for the time he spent with the Heathens make interesting reading in this regard.

 

From my own records, checked against the Speedway Researcher site, in 1960, Ronnie's record was:

Provincial League

Home meetings - 34 rides, 57 points plus 5 bonus, total 62, giving a CMA of 7.29

Away meetings - 37 rides, 43 points plus 12 bonus, total 55, giving a CMA of 5.95

All meetings - 71 rides, 100 points plus 17 bonus, total 117, giving a CMA of 6.59

 

He also scored 3 points from 4 rides in the KO Cup and 46 points plus 4 bonus from 31 rides in challenge matches.

 

In 1961, his record for Cradley Heath was:

Provincial League

Home meetings - 16 rides, 24 points plus 4 bonus, total 28, giving a CMA of 7.00

Away meetings - 15 rides, 11 points plus 2 bonus, total 13, giving a CMA of 3.47

All meetings - 31 rides, 35 points plus 6 bonus, total 41, giving a CMA of 5.29

 

So, although Ronnie's league average had dipped in the early part of the 1961 season this was mainly due to lower scores in away meetings compared to 1960.

 

He rode one other match for Cradley Heath in 1961, an away challenge at Sheffield, where he scored 9 points from 4 rides. Having also scored 8 plus a bonus from 4 rides at the same track in a PL match a couple of weeks earlier, thereby averaging 9.00 from two meetings at Owlerton, it is hardly surprising that he moved there in May. The Tigers needed to strengthen, having just lost 28-50 at home to Cradley and 20-55 at Edinburgh before Ronnie's signing.

 

In 1961 Ronnie's Sheffield record was:

PL Home 28 rides, 52+3 = 55 points, CMA 7.86

PL Away 32 rides, 47+4 = 51 points, CMA 6.38

PL Total 60 rides, 99+7 = 106 points, CMA 7.07

Including Northern League, KOC and challenges - 128 rides, 190+12 = 202 points, CMA 6.31

 

In 1962, again with Sheffield:

PL Home 40 rides, 63+14 = 77 points, CMA 7.70

PL Away 34 rides, 32+4 = 36 points, CMA 4.24

PL Total 74 rides, 95+18 = 113 points, CMA 6.11

Including Northern League, KOC and challenges - 132 rides, 175.5+34 = 209.5 points, CMA 6.35

 

Finally, with Hackney in 1963:

PL Home 25 rides, 24+4 = 28 points, CMA 4.48

PL Away 9 rides, 3+1 = 4 points, CMA 1.78

PL Total 34 rides, 27+5 = 32 points, CMA 3.76

Including Southern League matches - 40 rides, 35+6 = 41 points, CMA 4.10

Edited February 21, 2017 by BL65

[britmet]

I remember that meeting well. Fred managed a second place in the Rosewood Stakes in the second half, ahead of Ivor Hughes and Dave Schofield, before going on to win the final by beating Derek Timms, Ron Cooper and Errol Brook, who fell. Fred's winning time was only 9 seconds outside the track record. In the next meeting, two days later, he won the Triers Stakes in a time that was more than another 10 seconds slower, beating Errol Brook, the only other finisher.

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Don't forget that Fred P. was given half a lap start for many of his races !

 

I remember too the story of Fred and Ken Sambridge coming back from training at Rye House and running out of petrol on the M1. So they took his bike off the trailer and rode it up the hard shoulder to fill up a can of petrol.

Perhaps they didn't realise that you can use dope in your car if you really do run short, I can testify, - but you needed to play with the choke, in and out, to struggle along. How you'd fair today with automatic chokes i wouldn't like to consider.

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[Guest]

 

Names From The Sixties - how about this Russian (!!!) who turned up at New Cross - Igor Baranov - the man from the 'Red Herring' Fleet' as he was introduced to the supporters!

[Rednine]

Back to Doug Dearden, I recall him as a grass track rider in the 70's. I believe he ran a motor cycle dealership in the Holbury area of Southampton. The business still exists as Dearden Motorcycles Ltd.

Yes, he ran it successfully for about 18 years until he sold it to, I think two brothers who still run it as Deardens. Two other ex Poole speedway riders living in this area are Bernie Leigh and Tim Bungay. Bernie had a Honda dealership in Totton and Tim has recently restored a couple of Norton Commandos, two Trident 150's, one CB 750 and is currently restoring a third Commando, and regularly rides a tweaked Enfield very briskly!!!

[Split]

Names From The Sixties - how about this Russian (!!!) who turned up at New Cross - Igor Baranov - the man from the 'Red Herring' Fleet' as he was introduced to the supporters!

 

There was a previous thread on here about this "Russian". Igor Baranov was in fact, British junior Jack Jones who had been persuaded to take part in another Johnny Hoskins publicity stunt. Red Herring indeed!