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Your memories of Americans in British League (1970-90)


TonyMac

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It was a bold and brave move for Ipswich to switch direction from largely local based riders to bringing in Sigalos and Cook.

Chalk and cheese in many ways with Sigalos silky smooth and stylish whilst Cook seemed rough around the edges and was all hustle and bustle.

Sigalos for me was only prevented from reaching the very top by injury and could easily have been a worthy world champion at individual level.

Cookie was a fans dream with his all action style and flair and often could pull off moves that defied physics!

I recall him decked out in camoflauge leathers breaking the track record in his opening ride. In his 2nd outing he appeared to be even quicker and destined to smash his newly set time only to bail out spectacularly.

There are not many times when a rider leading so comfortably in race could be so exciting.

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9 hours ago, dontforgetthefueltapsbruv said:

It was a bold and brave move for Ipswich to switch direction from largely local based riders to bringing in Sigalos and Cook.

Chalk and cheese in many ways with Sigalos silky smooth and stylish whilst Cook seemed rough around the edges and was all hustle and bustle.

Sigalos for me was only prevented from reaching the very top by injury and could easily have been a worthy world champion at individual level.

Cookie was a fans dream with his all action style and flair and often could pull off moves that defied physics!

I recall him decked out in camoflauge leathers breaking the track record in his opening ride. In his 2nd outing he appeared to be even quicker and destined to smash his newly set time only to bail out spectacularly.

There are not many times when a rider leading so comfortably in race could be so exciting.

Sigalos was a real class act and was good anough to be World Champ a great style really  fast   Cook improved no end from being a four pointer into a world class rider.Looking back to Siggy    IF  Siggy, Penhall,  Gundersen,Lee,Nielsen,Sanders,Carter, had stayed around what a era that would of been.

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  • 8 months later...

The first American rider I saw was Wilbur Lamoreaux in June 1948. He was riding for Wembley at New Cross and making a return to British racing for the first time since 1939, when he was then a Wimbledon rider. Originally I have been under the impression that I first saw Lamoreaux ride for Wembley in a home match against Belle Vue at Wimbledon the previous month but now find such was not the case.

The second Anerican rider I saw, also around the same time, was Charles 'Peewee' Cullum who rode for Belle Vue. This happening was also at New Cross.

I apologise for the fact that both of my sightings were outside the terms of the thread title which is specified as Your memories of Americans in British League (1970-90)

 

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On 4/10/2018 at 10:39 PM, andout said:

Too bad DeWayne Keeter just misses out (1969).....

I was going to mention him as he was the first american rider I recall seeing.

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Unless my memory is playing tricks I was at white City when Penhall rode his first meeting in Britain. He was totally outclassed but got the hang of it pdq.

Have I got my wires crossed?.

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1 minute ago, customhouseregular said:

Unless my memory is playing tricks I was at white City when Penhall rode his first meeting in Britain. He was totally outclassed but got the hang of it pdq.

Have I got my wires crossed?.

I was there too.

It was Penhall and Mike Bast in an Inter Continental Final (I think). Both were out of their depth, although it could have partly been down to machinery. I think it was Penhall who scored the lone point they scored between them by beating Bast.

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11 hours ago, iris123 said:

I am another who was at White City to see Bruce and Mike Bast

Me too, and I was at Plough Lane when they had a practice before the I-C Final...

Steve

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7 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said:

Rick Miller was a rider who really turned his career around at first he struggled bigtime but stuck at it and ended up World class.

And, of course, famously achieved the required 12 point maximum for a 6.00 average in his final match against Sheffield and the Moran brothers.

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Actually,it was just Shawn,Kelly wasn't with us then.From what I read,Shawn did some excellent team riding that night !

Sheffield's American's in this time period were,

Tommy Morley several meetings in mid 1979

Shawn late 1980/88

Kelly  86/88

Randy Green mid 1988

 

Dougie Wyer recommended the then Sheffield Management in the late 70's to give a young unknown  American called Bruce Penhall a go,they didn't...

Another rider linked for 1982 or 1983 was Keith Crisco,I think he was with Birmingham?

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On 1/16/2019 at 3:21 PM, Grachan said:

I was there too.

It was Penhall and Mike Bast in an Inter Continental Final (I think). Both were out of their depth, although it could have partly been down to machinery. I think it was Penhall who scored the lone point they scored between them by beating Bast.

I was there in 1977 i remember hearing Bast / Penhall did not get the practice sessions that  they required and were promised.Penhall scored 3 points beating Bast, Keith White, Crump(ef).I  cant think of anyone believing that day that Bruce would go on and be favourite in 1980 and win his first title in 81.I do recall  Dan McCormick saying when Cradley signed him that he was a future world champion.

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On 1/25/2019 at 7:35 AM, Sidney the robin said:

I was there in 1977 i remember hearing Bast / Penhall did not get the practice sessions that  they required and were promised.Penhall scored 3 points beating Bast, Keith White, Crump(ef).I  cant think of anyone believing that day that Bruce would go on and be favourite in 1980 and win his first title in 81.I do recall  Dan McCormick saying when Cradley signed him that he was a future world champion.

...I recall that there was talk that he may have have joined Halifax prior to Cradley stepping in. Can you imagine a team tracking Penhall & Carter together in the same team!

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36 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

...I recall that there was talk that he may have have joined Halifax prior to Cradley stepping in. Can you imagine a team tracking Penhall & Carter together in the same team!

Totally right Steve Halifax could of signed Bruce but it never happened.But before the infamous incident 82 both Kenmy/Bruce got on well after were both respectful of each other's ability.

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