What Ever Happened To Frank Ebdon?

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

What happend to him after speedway ? Does he still attend ? Is he still alive ? ,I saw a comment on twitter about him last night and wondered ?

[Blackadder]

I spoke with Referee Chris Gay a few months ago about Frank, and he was alive and well at the time.

[Tsunami]

I spoke with Referee Chris Gay a few months ago about Frank, and he was alive and well at the time.

He was the 'fastest referee in the West', that is with the 2 minute button.

[Chris116]

He was the 'fastest referee in the West', that is with the 2 minute button.

Always got home on time and many a time he got meetings over before the rain came when with other refs we would have only seen 8 or 9 races. I wish all meetings were run the way he used to do it.

[cityrebel]

Frank was a former Rayleigh rockets supporter, who understood the sport from a fans point of view. I loved his no nonsense approach to refereeing. No mucking about at the tapes, just get the races run so we can all get home at a decent time!

[steve roberts]

I'm sure that he still gets a Christmas card from Hans!

[NeilWatson]

Frank was referee for my first meeting as Team Manager, he certainly stood for no nonsense. His rider briefing was akin to a military lecture!

[cityrebel]

Frank was referee for my first meeting as Team Manager, he certainly stood for no nonsense. His rider briefing was akin to a military lecture!

maybe some of that is needed today.

[Guest]

I wonder when and why Frank Ebdon gave up being a speedway referee?

[Grand Central]

Of course Frank Ebdon was front and centre at the time of the tape touching rule change in the mid eighties.

When certain riders had great difficulty in making the transition to a different procedure.

 

But the current day issue of unsatisfactory starts that plagued meetings for the last few years, and destroyed the last GP, was just not a feature back then. I wonder how Frank would have handled it.

 

As an aside, when was it actually, that the jumping the start issue really changed.

When did the sport change from accepting 'a flyer' to not accepting them at all.

 

It ruins meetings for me so often.

But I can't quite remember when the changeover in attitude happened.

[BWitcher]

Of course Frank Ebdon was front and centre at the time of the tape touching rule change in the mid eighties.

When certain riders had great difficulty in making the transition to a different procedure.

 

But the current day issue of unsatisfactory starts that plagued meetings for the last few years, and destroyed the last GP, was just not a feature back then. I wonder how Frank would have handled it.

 

As an aside, when was it actually, that the jumping the start issue really changed.

When did the sport change from accepting 'a flyer' to not accepting them at all.

 

It ruins meetings for me so often.

But I can't quite remember when the changeover in attitude happened.

 

Agree with this.

 

You could argue it's to the detriment of the sport, not just when it comes to constant re-runs.

 

Back in the not too distant past I can remember in certain races riders would be told to go for a flyer, if they touched the tapes, so be it, a reserve would come in. Made for some entertaining races when a much lesser rider flew out the gate in front of some of the top boys.

 

Or is my memory playing tricks on me......

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

So what is he doing now ? Does he attend speedway these days ?

[Tsunami]

Frank was referee for my first meeting as Team Manager, he certainly stood for no nonsense. His rider briefing was akin to a military lecture!

I remember him being the referee in the PL Pairs meeting at Newport in mid 00's which was rain affected. The rider were humming and harring about riding with some like Stoney very active. Frank assembled them in the middle of the pits and gave them 'instructions'. Stoney ripped off his race bib and threw it on the ground saying 'I'm not riding'. A few quiet words from Frank and the meeting started with Stoney in about 10 minutes later.

Edited September 12, 2017 by Tsunami

[Grand Central]

I remember him being the referee in the PL Pairs meeting at Newport in mid 00's which was rain affected. The rider were humming and harring about riding with some like Stoney very active. Frank assembled them in the middle of the pits and gave them 'instructions'. Stoney ripped off his race bib and threw it on the ground saying 'I'm not riding'. A few quiet words from Frank and the meeting started with Stoney in about 10 minutes later.

Not entirely sure that says more about Frank Ebdon than Carl Stonehewer, though, to be honest.

[cityrebel]

Regarding tape infringements. When I first started going to speedway as a wee lad in the late 1960's, it was common practice for riders to roll into the tapes in order to get a flyer. The great Ivan Mauger was a master at this.

[Tsunami]

Regarding tape infringements. When I first started going to speedway as a wee lad in the late 1960's, it was common practice for riders to roll into the tapes in order to get a flyer. The great Ivan Mauger was a master at this.

Except in the race off in 1973 in Poland.

Edited September 12, 2017 by Tsunami

[Blackadder]

I wonder when and why Frank Ebdon gave up being a speedway referee?

From memory, he retired from refereeing because of business reasons.

[martinmauger]

Except in the race off in 1973 in Poland.

Think the extremely varied starts that day were too much even for Ivan. Prob significant the the ref that day was the same as in charge of the 1972 World final at Wembley, George Transpurger. Both finals featured interesting starts, but think it was a bit 'off' that the ref spoke to Ivan just prior to the 1973 run off threatening to exclude him if he took his sweet time arriving at the tapes as in '72. Had had he showed a tad more patience he woud no doubt beaten Szczakiel as he was passing for fun on that day, especially round turns 1 & 2. That said Ivan himself recalled "he deserved to win because I fell off and he didn't !"....

[Tsunami]

Think the extremely varied starts that day were too much even for Ivan. Prob significant the the ref that day was the same as in charge of the 1972 World final at Wembley, George Transpurger. Both finals featured interesting starts, but think it was a bit 'off' that the ref spoke to Ivan just prior to the 1973 run off threatening to exclude him if he took his sweet time arriving at the tapes as in '72. Had had he showed a tad more patience he woud no doubt beaten Szczakiel as he was passing for fun on that day, especially round turns 1 & 2. That said Ivan himself recalled "he deserved to win because I fell off and he didn't !"....

Interesting. Ivan said he had a book with details of all international refs, and knew their techniques in terms of holding the tapes.

In the 1973 race off it counted for nothing as the ref was very early with the tapes and Ivan was left and fell trying to catch up. It is possible that the ref did it deliberately just to catch Ivan out. I think Ivan's answer is very diplomatic, and he would not want to sour Szczakiel success as it wasn't his fault that Ivan lost.

[RobMcCaffery]

I believe Frank's day job was as a restaurant owner. I expect people didn't have to wait long......

 

He was an absolute delight to work with, even though he banned me smoking in the box. If only I could have put him on the mic when he explained the reasoning behind his decisions. While supporters were baying for his blood his explanations were clear-cut and expert, but private. He was certainly one of the most intelligent men I've ever known to referee.

 

Frank's early years as a supporter standing in the freezing cold explained his rapid use of the two minute warning, often while I was still reading out the result of the previous race.