Golden Helmet Mystery

[Sidney the robin]

Pretty sure I saw him ride in a later challenge against Dave Jessup at Reading, which may have been his last ever UK meeting.

Was his last meeting at Wolves in the Olympique individual meeting.?

[Grachan]

Was his last meeting at Wolves in the Olympique individual meeting.?

 

Could well have been. I'm only guessing.

[Sidney the robin]

 

Could well have been. I'm only guessing.

I think in 76 Jansson won the Marlboro Southern Championship and also i think the Laurels.??

[Robbie B]

I think in 76 Jansson won the Marlboro Southern Championship and also i think the Laurels.??

 

Sadly Tommy's last meeting in the UK was the Saturday after the Marlboro Southern Championship qualifying round at Wimbledon. As the team had a Gulf British League match at Halifax on May 15 when he scored 12+1 from 5 rides. I have the programme but the second half results are blank in the programme I have.

 

Tommy won the Marlboro Southern Championship in 1975. And the Laurels in 1976 was won by Martin Ashby with a 15 points on a very wet Thursday night, at Plough Lane on October 28.

Edited March 15, 2017 by Robbie B

[lucifer sam]

This query deviates from the actual 'Golden Helmet' title, but it does I think qualify as a match race query - probably norbold will be able to supply the needed answer?

At the time of his fatal accident in 1935, was Tom Farndon the holder of the then match race championship? Following the tragedy the competition was then suspended as a mark of respect to Farndon and not resumed until the first post-war season in 1946?

 

As Norbold has already stated, that's true. It's also worth pointing out in addition that Farndon was holder of the British Individual Championship. It wasn't known as the British Match-Race Championship until post-war. So you could say that Farndon is the perpetual holder of the British Individual Championship.

 

Of course, in 1931, it started off known as The World's Championship. But by the time Jack Parker defeated Vic Huxley at the end of the season, it had been renamed the British Open Championship. And from 1932 to 1935, it was then the British Individual Championship.

 

Here's a little more information about the 1931 competition:

 

Jack Parker claimed to have won the first-ever World Championship in 1931. The match-race competition was originally called ‘The World’s Championship’ and saw Vic Huxley nominated as holder on the basis of his 1930 form. Huxley saw off the initial challenge of Colin Watson. In the meantime, qualifiers took place around the country to decide the next challenger. Parker won both legs of the Southern Final against Tommy Croombs (West Ham 2-1, Southampton 2-0), and then faced Eric Langton in the National Challenge Final. Again, Parker won both legs (Belle Vue 2-0, Southampton 2-0), to earn the right to face Huxley. The first leg at Southampton on October 7 resulted in a 2-1 victory for Parker. Fog threatened to spoil the second leg at Wimbledon on October 12, but Huxley beat Parker 2.5-0.5, in an absorbing contest including a dead heat in the second race, with all three races breaking the old Plough Lane track record. The deciding leg was also contested at Wimbledon, a week later on October 19, and Parker won both races for a 2-0 victory in front of a crowd of 30,000. However, Parker’s claim to be World Champion was undermined by the fact that the name had been changed to the British Open Championship by this time. The title was subsequently re-named the British Individual Championship, before mutating post-war into the British Match-Race Championship and the Golden Helmet.

 

All the best

Rob

Edited March 15, 2017 by lucifer sam

[iris123]

 

 

So that does put a bit of a damper on the Parker record imo.The best rider in the world beat him,then didn't want to keep on riding for the title.Say what you want,but i am not sure that was the case when Olsen won the Golden helmet almost 40 times

Was thinking about this today and do wonder what it was that made Duggan give up the title.Think it well known that Parker was a bit of a dodgy character and was wondering whether there was any pressure put on Duggan in this to maybe lose or take on Parker again relatively soon.Does seem rather quick that Jack got to have another pop at the Helmet as soon as Duggan resigned.

 

One thing is fairly certain and that is if Duggan had carried on it would have been very difficult for anyone to take the title off him.Jack Parker would have had to wait until the next season sometime before he even got a chance and you'd have t go for Vic to have seen him off yet again.So the chances of Parker having so many wins to his name were very small

I think in 76 Jansson won the Marlboro Southern Championship and also i think the Laurels.??

Laurels was normally the end of season meeting Sid

[steve roberts]

I think that Tommy's last meeting at Plough Lane was a Southern Riders Qualifying round?

[BOBBATH]

Just checked it out and in my case it was the 11th of June 1965 at Somerton Park Briggs v. McKinlay which Barry won 2-0. Noticed from the program they also rode in the second half-both won their preliminary heats and then in the Final Barry beat Ken again

[Sidney the robin]

Was thinking about this today and do wonder what it was that made Duggan give up the title.Think it well known that Parker was a bit of a dodgy character and was wondering whether there was any pressure put on Duggan in this to maybe lose or take on Parker again relatively soon.Does seem rather quick that Jack got to have another pop at the Helmet as soon as Duggan resigned.

 

One thing is fairly certain and that is if Duggan had carried on it would have been very difficult for anyone to take the title off him.Jack Parker would have had to wait until the next season sometime before he even got a chance and you'd have t go for Vic to have seen him off yet again.So the chances of Parker having so many wins to his name were very small

Laurels was normally the end of season meeting Sid

I cant remember Iris if Tommy even won the Laurels ? i do think the Marlboro Southern Championship could of been his last meeting.I remember him facing Ashby in the Helmet and Jansson winning the decider at Cradley.I often think could he of became world champion from 76/84 certainly yes also three of them would of been at Gothenberg.

[Sidney the robin]

I remember Michael Lee taking on Phil Crump at Swindon and he was so far in front that he began pulling wheelies down. the straights.

I have never in my time ever seen Crumpie desroyed like that at Swindon Lee was on fire.That performance i would say was up there with Lee's 2.0 win at the Shay against Carter.Going back to Tommy Jansson

Jansson beat Jessup 2.1 (he had a ef) in the helmet then went on to score 15 points and win the Marlboro Southern Championship.His last meeting as mentioned was at Halifax i can remember being at school and hearing about his death a real shock it was even in the national papers.

Edited March 16, 2017 by Sidney the robin

[iris123]

I cant remember Iris if Tommy even won the Laurels ? i do think the Marlboro Southern Championship could of been his last meeting.I remember him facing Ashby in the Helmet and Jansson winning the decider at Cradley.I often think could he of became world champion from 76/84 certainly yes also three of them would of been at Gothenberg.

Tommy did win in 1975.In 1976 Martin Ashby won.Both managed to go thrugh the meeting unbeaten.I think it was a good way to finish that sad season with Martin winning seeing as he was almost a Wimbledon rider the amount of meetings he did for us after Tommys tragic death

 

And talking of the Laurels,the only rider ever to win 3 on the bounce was,guess who?Ole Olsen

Edited March 16, 2017 by iris123

[Guest]

Parker had i think 19 wins in the golden helmet.Seems to have been beaten by Vic Duggan but then Duggan must have been injured and never had the chance to keep the title?

 

On the other hand Ole Olsen won the helmet 33 times between 1970-1972.He also won 19 times on the trot from the back end of 1972 -the start of the 1973 season.Quite some record,but then again Ole was also a multiple world champion,so the golden helmet wasn't the main title to his name

 

 

 

 

Yes, but as you already pointed out above, these were under two different systems. You can't compare them just by numbers.

 

In answer to your previous question I believe the old monthly 2 out of 3 challenge was best. You could build up the excitement, you knew you were going to have two riders worthy of the challenge, whereas under the newer system, the best rider in the world might never get a chance.

 

 

Sadly you cannot equate the two. When Jack Parker won the match race title the competition was only 5 matches per season. When Ole Olen won it there could be 30 matches per season or even more.

The latter competition turned out to be a Mickey Mouse event , then it eventually died out

 

 

You can though say that Olsens record was amazing.Nobody else came close really,at a time when a lot of very good riders were about

 

And nobody seems to be able to answer the Vic Duggan question?

 

Forwarded message sent by Chris Sweetman ==== After Duggan and Kitchen won one leg each the Steward reported that the races may have been fixed to generate a decider and further race fees. Duggan beat Kitchen in the decider leg 2-0, to retain the title then resigned it in protest. He maintained there were no grounds for the enquiry by the Control Board.

Edited March 16, 2017 by Guest

[iris123]

 

From the Harringay moments for Classic Speedway No 33:

 

Vic Duggan won the 1947 London Riders’ Championship at New Cross on May 28 with a 15-point maximum. He also won the coveted British Match-Race Championship during the season, defeating holder Jack Parker. But Duggan and opponent Bill Kitchen were investigated for allegations of match-fixing during his successful first defence. Both riders were cleared, but the inquiry caused resentment, and Duggan resigned the title and made it known that he would not accept an invitation to take part in the competition again.

 

All the best

Rob

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Forwarded message sent by Chris Sweetman ==== After Duggan and Kitchen won one leg each the Steward reported that the races may have been fixed to generate a decider and further race fees. Duggan beat Kitchen in the decider leg 2-0, to retain the title then resigned it in protest. He maintained there were no grounds for the enquiry by the Control Board.

We know many races were fixed back then and even after.The fact is they were both cleared.I do wonder why this was investigated,but many other cases weren't?Or where there many other "fixed races" that were investigated around this time?Even seen a claim that Jack Parker thought other riders fixed races to keep him out of things,all ganging up on him.But i thought Ronnie Moore in his interview with Briggo was hinting that there was an old clique who wanted to have things for themselves.And if my memory is correct i think he hinted that Parker and Tommy Price were part of this clique

[Sidney the robin]

Tommy did win in 1975.In 1976 Martin Ashby won.Both managed to go thrugh the meeting unbeaten.I think it was a good way to finish that sad season with Martin winning seeing as he was almost a Wimbledon rider the amount of meetings he did for us after Tommys tragic death

 

And talking of the Laurels,the only rider ever to win 3 on the bounce was,guess who?Ole Olsen

 

Knew he won it Iris have a photo somewhere,Ashby filled in for the Dons after Tommy's death did a great job.What are your memories of Jansson i know it is hypothetical do you think he would of been a WC you obviously see the Dons in the early seventies. Edited March 16, 2017 by Sidney the robin

[iris123]

Knew he won it Iris have a photo somewhere,Ashby filled in for the Dons after Tommy's death did a great job.What are your memories of Jansson i know it is hypothetical do you think he would of been a WC you odviously see the Dons in the early seventies.

I like to think he would have Sid.I watched him make steady progress over his time with Wimbledon,but he did seem to make a great leap over the winter from 1975 -1976 and was really starting to look like he would become one o the worlds best.You have to say Michael Lee was rocketing up the world list at the time,but i think Tommy was far more set up for a long career at the top rather than the troubled career that Lee had.Lee was you have to say brilliant.A one off,but his mental weakness let him down in the end.I don't think Tommy had that weakness

[847084]

Olsen taking the Golden Helmet from Ivan in 1971 was the first match race I saw. Ole lost it later that year when he was unable to defend it due to injury. If memory serves, Ken McKinlay inherited it at Oxford. Ironically, Ole regained the Helmet at season's end in identical circumstances. In later years, the hardest I saw him ride was against Phil Crump in a third leg at King's Lynn when the format changed. It was the very early days of Phil's 4 valve engine and he was probably quicker than Olsen..... but lost. Perhaps, in essence, why some riders reach the pinnacle of the sport.

 

Great memories in any case.

[iris123]

My one and only visit to Cradley was to see a Cradley v Oxford clash that was preceeded by a Gundersen v Nielsen racing for the Golden Helmet.Think from memory Erik won both heats and then went on to have a bit of a stinker in the main meeting,only getting about 6 points

[steve roberts]

My one and only visit to Cradley was to see a Cradley v Oxford clash that was preceeded by a Gundersen v Nielsen racing for the Golden Helmet.Think from memory Erik won both heats and then went on to have a bit of a stinker in the main meeting,only getting about 6 points

I would have been there also...although I seemed to be at Cradley every other week during the middle eighties when Oxford seemed to be there on a regular basis...and winning more often than not! What was especially pleasing was winning the League Cup fixture at Dudley Wood in 1985 which was televised by ATV. One to saviour and I have it on DVD too!

Edited March 16, 2017 by steve roberts

[Sidney the robin]

I like to think he would have Sid.I watched him make steady progress over his time with Wimbledon,but he did seem to make a great leap over the winter from 1975 -1976 and was really starting to look like he would become one o the worlds best.You have to say Michael Lee was rocketing up the world list at the time,but i think Tommy was far more set up for a long career at the top rather than the troubled career that Lee had.Lee was you have to say brilliant.A one off,but his mental weakness let him down in the end.I don't think Tommy had that weakness

 

A great post. Lee you know my views on him a great rider Jansson had everything looks a great riding style and his temperment was very good.In the 70s Crump,PC.Jansson Lee, were the young ones who to me could take over the mantle of Mauger,Olsen,Michanek they did not quite do it.

[steve roberts]

A great post. Lee you know my views on him a great rider Jansson had everything looks a great riding style and his temperment was very good.In the 70s Crump,PC.Jansson Lee, were the young ones who to me could take over the mantle of Mauger,Olsen,Michanek they did not quite do it.

Super thread...what this forum should be about!