Grosskreutz + the Golden Helmet Controversy

[iris123]

Davies Park, Brisbane, November 1928

Max Grosskreutz, possibly one of the most under-rated of the pre-war stars was yet to reach the top, but was on his way. Often stated by Australian historians that he started out at Townsville, but I have my doubts. We will get to that later, but the scene is set in Brisbane as some of the top riders have recently returned from their venture to the UK to start the sport in Europe.The Golden Helmet was one of the main trophies at the track and the holder received a wage for the period they held it. This is how one newspaper reported the meeting

Max Grosskreutz has long been a favourite with the speedway crowd, but his dashing victory in the Golden Helmet last made him more of a 'hero' than ever. He beat Taylor and Hastings pointless, and covered the 4 laps in a faster time than has ever previously been recorded, 76s 

The Northern boy rode a beautiful race, and it is doubtful whether even Frank Arthur would have beaten him. Unfortunately Arthur's back tyre came off in the second lap, and deprived him of any chance. Grosskreutz won by virtue of his ability to ride the white line. On the turns he was rarely more than two feet out.

The only fly in the ointment of Grosskreutz's win was the fact that he did not actually finish in the semi-final, and it is questionable if he had the right to start in the final. After his engine failed in the semi final, he pushed it around on the inside of the track, and did not actually cross the finishing line. Pearce apparently won the right to start in the final, but he sportingly handed it to Grsskreutz, according to the announcer.

But Pearce himself also finished on a 'busted' engine on the inside of the track.

So where are we?

Grosskreutz rode a wonderful race in the final, in record time, and it is a pity he should win in such circumstances

Results

ht 1, M.Grosskreutz, Harry Mangham, Ben Unwin, Len Percival

ht 2, F.Pearce, Jock Binney, Cyril Anderson, Bruce Richmond

ht 3, F.Arthur, Harold Hastings, Arthur Yenson, Bert Jones

ht 4, A.Taylor, D.Case, Les Lawrence, Bruce McCallum

semi 1, H.Hastings, M.Grosskreutz, F.Pearce, D.Case

Grosskreutz took the lead until 3rd lap when his engine failed.Pearce fell on 2nd lap, but remounted, but also had problems.

semi 2, F.Arthur, A.Taylor, J.Binney, H.Managham

It was then suggested Grosskreutz and Pearce have a run off to decide who goes into the final, but as Pearce's bike was knackered, Pearce gave a walk over to Max

In the final, Taylor was on the inside with Max next to him and Hastings on the outside. Taylor went into the lead with Grosskreutz following close behind. On the 2nd lap, Arthurs back tyre came off and he was out. Then Groskreutz passed Taylor on the inside and they had a great battle for the last lap, but Max won by 4 lengths 'amid a roar of cheering. It was the most popular win ever seen on the track'

Then the fun and games began

Two days later the ACU ruled Grosskreutz was not eligible to compete in the final on 3 grounds

Firstly he had not finished,plus he was not the fastest second place(it having been stipulated in the programme that only the two semi final winners,plus the fastest second would start in the final) and lastly, he had pushed his motor from a greater distance than the red post.

The Clerk of the Course , it was claimed then decided that he could start in the final, and the stewards agreed under protest. On Monday the union officials informed the speedway management that the pay for the prize should go to Alby Taylor, who was therefore the winner of the Golden Helmet and second place was awarded to Harold Hastings

The came the problem with the qualification to the final. Apparently recent Golden Helmet meetings had been run with 3 heats with the winners and the fastest second going through. But due to 3 top riders returning from the UK it had been decided to run 4 heats and then two semi finals, so the first and second in each s/f should go through. The information in the programme had been misleading

Then a statement came from Alby Taylor saying he 'is not satisfied to retain his trophy for the usual period of 4 weeks, because of the controversy raging around the decision, and the fact Grosskreutz rode so remarkably well'. In deference to Taylors request the speedway management announced the Golden Helmet would be at stake at the next meeting, with the same riders in the same line up

A record crowd turned up and perhaps the best nights racing seen on a Brisbane speedway was witnessed

In the end Harold Hasting ran out the winner with Max in second place.....Taylor didn't get past the semi final

[iris123]

As a follow up, acouple of days later, Grosskreutz's motorcycle suppliers wanted to celebrate the Golden helmet win and new track record with a rather unfortunate advert. A drawing of a bike and underneath in big bold letters...

 

76

Dead

Edited January 23, 2020 by iris123

[iris123]

Great rider. I would say they all( Case excluded) had a period when they were arguably the best rider in the world , Sid. Grosskreutz retired and came back a few times, so his career was longer than most. 

Not sure what happened there, but I was answering a question from Sid, which seems to have disappeared !!!!

 

Edited January 24, 2020 by iris123

[norbold]

11 hours ago, iris123 said:

Great rider. I would say they all( Case excluded) had a period when they were arguably the best rider in the world , Sid. Grosskreutz retired and came back a few times, so his career was longer than most. 

Not sure what happened there, but I was answering a question from Sid, which seems to have disappeared !!!!

 

Yes, I saw that question and was going to reply much along the same lines as you. Case excepted, I would say there wasn't much in it between them.

[iris123]

I was reading the report on the Farndon v Grosskreutz 1934 clash for the British Individual Championship, which was said to be the best ever up to that point, with nothing between the two 

[norbold]

1 hour ago, iris123 said:

I was reading the report on the Farndon v Grosskreutz 1934 clash for the British Individual Championship, which was said to be the best ever up to that point, with nothing between the two 

I hope you were reading it in Tom Farndon's biography.....

[iris123]

19 minutes ago, norbold said:

I hope you were reading it in Tom Farndon's biography.....

I read a longer version , but did check back to see how it was described in that excellent book 

One vital mistake on the last lap of the last race from Max was enough to hand Tom the victory, but it was said if the finishing line was a few yards further on then it would have been a dead heat as Max had the speed coming out of the last bend !!!

Edited January 25, 2020 by iris123

[iris123]

This is the press report I have seen on the 3 legs of the Farndon v Grosskreutz match race 1934

The most magnificent piece of match racing the championship has ever produced. Yes, even better than the never to be forgotten match when Jack parker won the title from Vic Huxley at Wimbledon in 1931. Farndodn eventually retained his title literally by no more than 12 inches

New Cross

Farndon won the toss and drew the inside position for the first race, but he drifted ever so slightly coming out of the first turn and Max crossed behind him like a flash to pass inside and take a short lead, which by record breaking riding he managed to hold to the end. Max's time was 57.6 s, which beat the existing record, held by Farndon by 1/5 s

Pulling up 4 yds on the last bend to win by inches, Farndon turned the tables in the next heat and in the 3rd knocked a second off his old record and 4/5 s off Max's new to win in 56.8 s

Belle Vue

On his own home track, Belle Vue, the Townsville rider slid down when leading on the bend in the first heat, but gained a reprieve by winning the 2nd and 3rd heats

Wembley

Farndon won the toss for the inside and after 1 false start.they went away dead level. Max tried a straightforward run around and emerged from the turn leading by no ore than his front wheel: he increased his lead to 3/4 of a length up the far straight, but when he shut off for a split second to lay the bike over into the next bend, Farndon left everything turned on and catapulted his way through on the inside. Although rough the move was fair enough, but it knocked Max out of his stride and he was content to trail around 12 lengths behind

By winning the first race in 75 s, Farndon knocked a 1/5 s off Ron Johnsons existing record

From the inside position, Grosskreutz  won the second heat in the astounding time of 74.6 s !!

So the championship was to be decided on the last race of the last round. Well, considering the two men and the fact they posses perhaps the two fastest engines in the speedway game at the moment it was not surprising that the challenge would go to its utmost limit before the title could be decided

Max won the toss and took the inside. This time Tom did not waste time trying to  get inside at the first bend, but opened flat and stayed so, and by the end of the first lap he was 3 lengths ahead. The pace was terrific. Both men seemed to realise that there was nothing to choose between them, and both seemed to realise that the only way to win was to risk everything and remain on full throttle.

And so it went on until the last lap Max was now about 5 lengths ahead, but his slide out of the bend was so terrific that he fetched up against the fence at the beginning of the far straight at an angle. For an instant the contact slowed him slightly, but it was enough for Farndon to draw level, and on the inside ! Neck and neck the pair raced up the far straight , and neck and neck they came round the last bend. Farndon on the line, appeared to be forging ahead slightly, but obviously he would have slightly less traction and speed out of the bend than Max who was running wide and giving his rival ample room. As the pair entered the straight they were just overlapping, with the Queenslander overhauling Farndon to the extent of about an inch per yard. If the finishing line had been a few yards further on, it would have been a dead heat. As it was Farndon retained his title by less than 12 inches !!!

 

[norbold]

Thanks for that. Phew! For a minute there, I thought Tom might lose.....

[iris123]

Seems Grosskreutz was technically minded and designed his own frames, and similar to Cordy Milne at least had a smaller frame than the norm......then during the 1938/39 winter break sent a 4,000 word report to the ACU on how bikes should be standardised to help the sport. In his opinion the best riders spent too much money on improving their machines and others couldn't keep up, which meant the racing had become boring and was often over after the first bend. The ACU said they were setting up a sub committee to look into his ideas. Not sure if anything ever happened or the war got in the way and it was all forgotten ?

Edited January 28, 2020 by iris123

[norbold]

When Max Grosskreutz launched the Norwich team in 1937, one of the things he did was to build all the team's bikes.

[iris123]

I did see that he had plans to train up his own riders at Norwich. Not sure how successful that worked out and if he launched the career of any English riders. But I think in the mid 1930s he and another rider, possibly Huxley, started a scheme to take one rider and try to help them out. A few other riders took up the idea a year or so later. Something that Finnish riders tried fairly recently with their 'godfather' scheme 

[norbold]

2 hours ago, iris123 said:

I did see that he had plans to train up his own riders at Norwich. Not sure how successful that worked out and if he launched the career of any English riders.

The 1937 Norwich team consisted of Jock Sweet, Alec Peel, Dick Wise, Wilf Jay, Paul Goodchild, Bill Birtwell, Jim Millward, Alan Smith, the Australian Bert Spencer and, of course, Grosskreutz himself. Over the next couple of years he brought in Wal Morton and Fred Strecker as well as the South African, Keith Harvey.

[iris123]

To get back to something hinted at in my opening post, and somewhat similar to Vic Huxley, it seems Max came from a sporting family

I contacted a couple of Australian historians, Brian Darby and Peter White and neither knew anything on this subject, but it seems Max had one,probably two brothers that also rode a bit with him at the start of his career.

From research it seems Max's Grandparents, his father( 13 years old) and uncle arrived in Australia in 1873 from a small village in Pomerania, which is now situated in Poland, abut 73 miles east of Szeczin. Mackay(Queensland) seems to have been their first port of call, and some of the family stayed there. The family seems to have quickly integrated into local social life, joining the Protestant Alliance Friendly Society,the Brittania Lodge and one member fairly active in local Athletics. They acquired farmland, which I imagine was their plan having left an agricultural area of Germany and think Max's father it is becomes the President of the local Farmers and Settlers Assoc, by the turn of the century.

Significantly, he also become a founding member of the local Rifle Association and himself and a couple of his sons (Max had 5 brothers and one sister) started competing in shooting carnivals. One brother, 'Eddie', became good enough to represent Australia at the annual President's Cup at Bisley, England as well as another tournament in Scotland. Quite amazingly his grandson has now competed at Bisley the past 7 years and is currently 3rd in the all time list of Australian representatives !!!

Sadly, in 1921 Max's eldest brother commited suicide, hanging himself from a tree on their farm

But in early 1927 Max competed in a local Carnival that included motorcyle races, as did one brother listed as 'E.Grosskreutz. Confusingly Max had a brother mentioned above known as 'Eddie', but another 'Ernest', so I am not sure which it was. Then a while later the headline for another local Carnival was 'Grosskreutz brothers were the heroes of the afternoon.' Max in one of his races fell while leading and damaged his Indian motorcycle. In the re-run he borrowed his brothers Harley and won the race.

Another brother, 'F.Grosskreutz' also   raced in one meeting. This must have been Frank, who in 1928 was bitten by a snake on their farm and another brother(no name given) was jut coming home and took Frank into town to receive medical attention. Snakes must have been  a constant danger, as the boys father was also involved in helping someone who had been bitten

Another sporting link, was that later when Max had settled in Manchester and was making a name for himself he met and eventually married the daughter of a former Manchester City player

[Guest]

I saw Max Grosskreutz riding for Bradford at New Cross in 1947. As I recall he won four races.

Also in the same match riding for New Cross was the first recognised world champion (1936 vintage) his fellow Australian Lionel Van Praag.

Edited February 10, 2020 by Guest

[Guest]

I find this thread on Max Grosskreutz absolutely fascinating. Great dedicated work on your part iris123.

[iris123]

That’s quite a turnaround Gustix. Last week you was laughing at everything I posted. Still I’ll enjoy it while it lasts. Thanks 

[iris123]

Max Grosskreutz (1906 – 1994) - A Legend in the History of the Speedway Machine

From a very early age, Maximillian (Max) Grosskreutz had a yearning to become a speedway rider. Max was born at Foxdale in 1906, the youngest of eleven children of William Grosskreutz, a German who had emigrated to Australia as a child in 1873 and eventually purchased a sugar cane farm in Proserpine in 1897.  

When not helping in the cane fields, Max would be off riding his motor cycle, much to the annoyance of the neighbours. But that did not faze him. Nor did a serious accident when he rode into a barbed wire fence. He began his motor-cycle career on a makeshift grass track at the showgrounds in Bowen, riding his Indian Scout road bike to win his first race with the prize money of £10.

In 1928, Max moved to Brisbane where, as a 22 year old, he won the Australian Title at Davies Park (becoming the first official Australian Champion). Thus began a meteoric rise to fame and he became the greatest idol the Brisbane speedway-going public had ever had, known to fans as “The Northern Flash”.

In 1929, he was signed up to ride in England. For ten years, Max raced for several British clubs regularly returning for the Australian season. In 1930, Max rode in the first official Test against England and then made forty-one consecutive appearances against England, over seven years. In 1935, he finished third in the Star Riders’ Championship – the forerunner to the Speedway World Championship. In 1936, he won both NSW and Australian Championships.

When war broke out in 1939, Max and his family secured a passage on the last ship to leave England, settling in Sydney. But once hostilities ceased, Max returned to racing on Friday nights at the Sydney Sports Ground. In 1946, he was again NSW Champion. This success persuaded him to return 

to the UK for the 1947 season, again proving a great drawcard. In 1948, he broke three track records in a week, however after a serious crash on August 2, at the age of 42, he decided to call it a day.  

The “pudding basin” helmets, heavy black belted armour and bulky cumbersome machines made the speedway circuit no place for the faint-hearted. But Max was not of the faint-hearted – he rode with an injured neck, jaw, cracked ribs and even a chipped skull. Twice he was reported dead! Max once said, “You haven’t got to be mad to be a speedway rider, but it helps.”

Max Grosskreutz was not just a successful speedway rider; he was also a pioneer in the sport. In 1934, when he inspired an Australian Test victory over England, Max had ridden a machine of his own design built from pieces discarded by fellow riders - the prototype of the now famous Grosskreutz frames.

Max was offered substantial amounts of money for his secret. In an interview in 1992, he recalled – “It was easy because the bike was much lighter. My engine was put back in the centre. They were all forward, that was their problem. They didn’t wake up for a long time. They started to catch up when I sold my bike to Bluey Wilkinson.” In 1936, when Wilkinson won all of the world final races mounted on one of Max’s frames, orders poured in and so it was that the Grosskreutz frame generated the standard design of frames to follow.

Proserpine salutes your memory, Max Grosskreutz, a world-beating sporting hero from our small town.

Story courtesy of Proserpine Historical Museum and photos from “Speedway Past Australia”

https://www.mackayandwhitsundaylife.com/article/from-the-bush-to-the-big-time

[chunky]

You know, out of all the early stars of the sport, I probably know less about Max Grosskreutz than any other rider! As a kid, I certainly knew of him, alongside Farndon, Kuhn, Huxley, Johnson, Milne etc, but funny thing is, I have no idea where he should fit in status-wise. He was obviously a class act - but to what level?

His best finish in a Star Championship was 3rd, never reached a World Final, and was "only" Aussie Champion twice. His league averages generally nothing to write home about, and his highest average came well into his career - in the second division. Yet he is often classed as a "legend".

There doesn't seem to be a great deal of info about him readily available, and what there is, doesn't really answer any questions. Can anyone help? Doug? Norman?

I do find stuff like this fascinating...

[Humphrey Appleby]

12 hours ago, iris123 said:

In 1928, Max moved to Brisbane where, as a 22 year old, he won the Australian Title at Davies Park (becoming the first official Australian Champion). Thus began a meteoric rise to fame and he became the greatest idol the Brisbane speedway-going public had ever had, known to fans as “The Northern Flash”.

I lived for a while near Davies Park - which still exists as a Rugby League ground. I had no idea that it had staged speedway.