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Antti Pajari - Coventry "Bee"


steve roberts

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On 8/19/2020 at 8:24 PM, f-s-p said:

Pajari wasnt the first Finn in the UK. Who was, rode for Eastbourne?

Intersting comment. I always thought Antti Pajari. BTW I am certain that in this 1950s time era Eastbourne were only in the Southern Area League - no foreign riders allowed there!

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On 8/20/2020 at 6:15 AM, f-s-p said:

An elderly gentleman was met recently who had claimed to be the first Finn ever to ride in the UK. So that would be before Pajari.

Was an interesting encounter I’m told...

I wonder who that claimant was?

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1 minute ago, gustix said:

Intersting comment. I always thought Antti Pajari. BTW I am certain that in this time era Eastbourne were only in the Southern Area League - no foreign riders allowed there!

Like I've stated in this thread, the person in question was an interesting character, said he was the first and Eastbourne was mentioned. His other stories have checked out ok, so we have actually no reason to suspect he's lying on this one.

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On 8/20/2020 at 4:37 PM, chunky said:

That was my first thought, but Yiannari is a Greek name, I believe...

...and he came from King's Cross and rode previously in cycle speedway along with then team mates Bob Andrews and Tommy Sweetman.

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I have checked details re the 1953 season (just one match at Aldershot recorded on Speedway Researcher) and in the 1954 Southern Area League season. All the riders named for Eastbourne were/are known to me. No Finnish rider named for any Eagles team - as previously mentioned a couple of meetings had Dave Yianarri in the side.

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Sadly - and I was directly involved with Eastbourne circa 1953-1959 as was a colleague Al Holliday (machine examiner and part-time team manager) this talk of a Finn riding at Arlington Stadium in the mid 1950s appears to be some sort of wind-up.

Like myself Al Holliday has no recollections of any Finnish riders being involved with Eastbourne from late 1953 to 1959. 

However, if we are wrong we will accept being corrected and updated on this matter.

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10 hours ago, gustix said:

I have checked details re the 1953 season (just one match at Aldershot recorded on Speedway Researcher) and in the 1954 Southern Area League season. All the riders named for Eastbourne were/are known to me. No Finnish rider named for any Eagles team - as previously mentioned a couple of meetings had Dave Yianarri in the side.

Thank you.

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