Guest Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 (edited) Any information on the 1949 Junior League would be appreciated. From what I recall it was only for National League Division One clubs. Initially, teams were to have been four aside with matches over four heats. The teams were to be made up with the two reserves from the senior competing in the preceding National League match and two junior riders. That format was hastily changed after a couple of matches to two heats and only two junior riders in a team. A main reason was that 'too many experienced riders' were possible candidates for the match. The happening that triggered the change of team format was when West Ham's Bob Harrison lost his place in his club's top six and was relegated to one of the senior team's reserve berths. Officialdom 'was horrified' at Harrison (seen in the photo) riding in the Junior League - largely because as a pre-war rider with Belle Vue he had also been capped several times for England against Australia. Offhand - I need to further research this - I do not think the Junior League survived the 1949 season, while attempts to reincarnate it for the 1950 season never came about. Edited February 23, 2017 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest compost Posted February 24, 2017 Report Share Posted February 24, 2017 The NL Junior League survived into 1951 with a hiatus in 1952 before reviving in 1953 - though on a regional basis. PM me with an email address and I'll send you a results matrix for 1949 along with rider score charts (all details culled from the individual track files on the researcher website). Harringay won the League in 1949 from Belle Vue by 10 points. Teams racing each other two or three times both home and away - the number of meetings seem to have depended on whether the junior match could be fitted in when the senior teams raced each other (which in 1949 for NL1 sides was thrice home and thrice away). Harringay juniors raced 33 matches, BV 31. West Ham raced most (34) whilst last placed Birmingham rode the least (26) You are correct regarding the number of heats. The greater number of matches being raced over 2 heats but a few (I make it to have been 12) were raced over 4 heats. Two heat matches had 2 riders per side, 4 heat match had 4. Notable riders per team - BV : Ken Sharples, Bob harrison Bradford : Joe Abbott Harringay : Geoff Pymar, Danny Dunton New Cross : Bert Roger West Ham : Reg Fearman, Wally Green, Bob Harrison (though this may have been the 'other' Bob Harrison who rode for Aldershot in the '50s) Wimbledon : Reg Trott, Wal Morton, Archie Windmill and a N.Piquet. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 24, 2017 Report Share Posted February 24, 2017 The NL Junior League survived into 1951 with a hiatus in 1952 before reviving in 1953 - though on a regional basis. PM me with an email address and I'll send you a results matrix for 1949 along with rider score charts (all details culled from the individual track files on the researcher website). Harringay won the League in 1949 from Belle Vue by 10 points. Teams racing each other two or three times both home and away - the number of meetings seem to have depended on whether the junior match could be fitted in when the senior teams raced each other (which in 1949 for NL1 sides was thrice home and thrice away). Harringay juniors raced 33 matches, BV 31. West Ham raced most (34) whilst last placed Birmingham rode the least (26) You are correct regarding the number of heats. The greater number of matches being raced over 2 heats but a few (I make it to have been 12) were raced over 4 heats. Two heat matches had 2 riders per side, 4 heat match had 4. Notable riders per team - BV : Ken Sharples, Bob harrison Bradford : Joe Abbott Harringay : Geoff Pymar, Danny Dunton New Cross : Bert Roger West Ham : Reg Fearman, Wally Green, Bob Harrison (though this may have been the 'other' Bob Harrison who rode for Aldershot in the '50s) Wimbledon : Reg Trott, Wal Morton, Archie Windmill and a N.Piquet. Cheers It was THE Bob Harrison who rode for West Ham Reseves in the league. It created a mini-row at the time because he was one of the sport's pioneer riders and had a distinguished pre-war career and rode mainly for the legendary Belle Vue team and was also capped for England. He was allocated post-war to West Ham where he spent several seasons before rejoining Belle Vue. Later he became the Aces team manager before emigrating to Australia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest compost Posted February 24, 2017 Report Share Posted February 24, 2017 (edited) It was THE Bob Harrison who rode for West Ham Reseves in the league. It created a mini-row at the time because he was one of the sport's pioneer riders and had a distinguished pre-war career and rode mainly for the legendary Belle Vue team and was also capped for England. He was allocated post-war to West Ham where he spent several seasons before rejoining Belle Vue. Later he became the Aces team manager before emigrating to Australia. So he rode for both Belle Vue and West Ham juniors ? The dates of the matches that 'Bob Harrison' rode in for both teams are not mutually exclusive (one appearance for the Hammers at Wimbledon on 4th April, 3 appearances for the Aces on the 18th and 22nd April - and yes two dates for 3 matches, the Aces rode home and away against Bradford on the 18th April). Actually checking the senior results Harrison rode one League match (as a reserve) for the Hammers at Wimbledon on the 4th April (as well as riding in the Junior match). Otherwise 'he' rode in the 1-6 for the Aces on the 9th April home match against New Cross. I suspect that the West Ham Bob was indeed the junior and not the Bob with the distinguished record. Hope this helps. Footnote : Looking at the 'complete a-z of post war BL riders' files you are indeed correct so please ignore this post. Edited February 24, 2017 by compost Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 24, 2017 Report Share Posted February 24, 2017 (edited) It was THE Bob Harrison who rode for West Ham Reseves in the league. It created a mini-row at the time because he was one of the sport's pioneer riders and had a distinguished pre-war career and rode mainly for the legendary Belle Vue team and was also capped for England. He was allocated post-war to West Ham where he spent several seasons before rejoining Belle Vue. Later he became the Aces team manager before emigrating to Australia. So he rode for both Belle Vue and West Ham juniors ? The dates of the matches that 'Bob Harrison' rode in for both teams are not mutually exclusive (one appearance for the Hammers at Wimbledon on 4th April, 3 appearances for the Aces on the 18th and 22nd April - and yes two dates for 3 matches, the Aces rode home and away against Bradford on the 18th April).P Bob Harrison moved from West Ham to rejoin Belle Vue early in the 1949 season, after the Junior League had started. As I recall one reason for his move was that he was unhappy at being relegated from the actual six-rider team squad to a reserve berth at Custom House. Edited February 24, 2017 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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