London Racer Posted November 14, 2020 Report Share Posted November 14, 2020 37 minutes ago, racers and royals said: Sorry that i cannot give a current update but have found this photo of Hans on the right with his mechanic and long time friend Dougie Harris on the left(Dougie passed away in January 2014). What a great Photo, Dougie was an absolute lovely man who I had the pleasure of knowing for years and classed his as a top friend. Funniest man you could meet at times and the fact that all the top riders in the world respected him and always went to speak to him when they came to Reading showed a lot about him. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shrub Posted November 14, 2020 Report Share Posted November 14, 2020 I was at the meeting at Ipswich which ended Hans' career. As has probably been mentioned on here before it was the most innocuous looking gentle slide into the fence but his back hit one of the small wooden supports that held up the collapsible safety fence. The fans on the terraces were wondering what was going on, shouting 'get up' as they usually do when it looks like a rider's making a meal of it but that soon changed when the ambulance was called on. Still considered as the accident with the worst outcome at Ipswich on the 'new' track inside the old one. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HenryW Posted November 14, 2020 Report Share Posted November 14, 2020 12 hours ago, compost said: Anyone know what happened to Hans Wasserman (Reading Racer 77-78) after his bad accident ? Always thought he was going to be the top German at Speedway until that accident but have never seen an update on his condition. Thanks A bit before my time, so I don't really know of Hans, but have seen him mentioned online...assuming there wasn't any other Hans Wassermann who was a star of German speedway in the past! I believe that after the initial recovery from his crash he stayed involved with speedway, doing coaching for his local club and was instrumental in bringing Gerd Riss into the sport. Gerd and him still seem to be close, or at least in contact with each other. There were photos from Herxheim last year where Hans and Gerd brought an old bike of Hans' along and Gerd went out on track with it. The album of pics was on facebook but looks like it can be viewed without an account. Photo of Gerd and Hans together that day: https://www.facebook.com/MSVHerxheim/photos/a.2079089285543407/2079091315543204 Video of Gerd on Hans' old bike: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkLuXhZaiJM 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HenryW Posted November 14, 2020 Report Share Posted November 14, 2020 12 hours ago, steve roberts said: Perhaps he was also the referee in charge when Hans Nielsen literally fell over the tapes during one individual meeting? Ah...That was actually the same meeting, and in fact the same race as the one I mentioned, just the restart after PC had fallen. Rather blurry quality, but this video starts with the race in question: https://youtu.be/PZT2okwsw-g 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted November 15, 2020 Report Share Posted November 15, 2020 7 hours ago, HenryW said: Ah...That was actually the same meeting, and in fact the same race as the one I mentioned, just the restart after PC had fallen. Rather blurry quality, but this video starts with the race in question: https://youtu.be/PZT2okwsw-g Thanks for that...quite bizarre! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest compost Posted November 15, 2020 Report Share Posted November 15, 2020 10 hours ago, HenryW said: A bit before my time, so I don't really know of Hans, but have seen him mentioned online...assuming there wasn't any other Hans Wassermann who was a star of German speedway in the past! I believe that after the initial recovery from his crash he stayed involved with speedway, doing coaching for his local club and was instrumental in bringing Gerd Riss into the sport. Gerd and him still seem to be close, or at least in contact with each other. There were photos from Herxheim last year where Hans and Gerd brought an old bike of Hans' along and Gerd went out on track with it. The album of pics was on facebook but looks like it can be viewed without an account. Photo of Gerd and Hans together that day: https://www.facebook.com/MSVHerxheim/photos/a.2079089285543407/2079091315543204 Video of Gerd on Hans' old bike: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkLuXhZaiJM Thanks for the info Henry. So the injury wasn't as bad as reported in the UK at the time - it was reported as permanently wheelchair bound (as Joe Owen & Graham Miles). The Riss connection is also very interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bavarian Posted November 15, 2020 Report Share Posted November 15, 2020 (edited) 10 hours ago, compost said: Thanks for the info Henry. So the injury wasn't as bad as reported in the UK at the time - it was reported as permanently wheelchair bound (as Joe Owen & Graham Miles). The Riss connection is also very interesting. It was quite bad, he never ever fully recovered from it. Hans escaped the wheelchair but he could never properly walk again, just limping. And of course this injury ended his very promising speedway careeer. Edited November 15, 2020 by Bavarian 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest compost Posted November 16, 2020 Report Share Posted November 16, 2020 12 hours ago, Bavarian said: It was quite bad, he never ever fully recovered from it. Hans escaped the wheelchair but he could never properly walk again, just limping. And of course this injury ended his very promising speedway careeer. Thanks for that. Good to find out, after all this time, that it wasn't a wheelchair (but sad that the injury ended his career and the after effects). Was going to Smallmead regularly when he rode for us and, after, Bernie Leigh, Hans was the Racer I admired the most. An exciting style he could/should have gone further. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted November 16, 2020 Report Share Posted November 16, 2020 3 hours ago, compost said: Thanks for that. Good to find out, after all this time, that it wasn't a wheelchair (but sad that the injury ended his career and the after effects). Was going to Smallmead regularly when he rode for us and, after, Bernie Leigh, Hans was the Racer I admired the most. An exciting style he could/should have gone further. Remember him taking part in the World Pairs Final at Belle Vue when paired with Egon Muller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostwalker Posted November 18, 2020 Report Share Posted November 18, 2020 Magnus "Zorro" Zetterström has also joined the car salesman career. https://www.facebook.com/151054941442/posts/10158373775826443/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedtiger Posted November 19, 2020 Report Share Posted November 19, 2020 I think Joe Screen top Ace rider runs a pets home in Warrington area Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted November 19, 2020 Report Share Posted November 19, 2020 2 hours ago, Speedtiger said: I think Joe Screen top Ace rider runs a pets home in Warrington area I'm sure you are correct...I recall an article in "Backtrack" some years ago where he had stables with some horses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Thumper Posted November 20, 2020 Report Share Posted November 20, 2020 On 11/19/2020 at 4:19 PM, Speedtiger said: I think Joe Screen top Ace rider runs a pets home in Warrington area Joe actually runs Daresbury Boarding Kennels and looks after my dogs when I am away. I was at his place a couple of week ago and he was telling me that he had attended Alan Wilkinson's funeral and there weren't many there. Joe is a top guy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OveFundinFan Posted November 20, 2020 Report Share Posted November 20, 2020 56 minutes ago, Little Thumper said: Joe actually runs Daresbury Boarding Kennels and looks after my dogs when I am away. I was at his place a couple of week ago and he was telling me that he had attended Alan Wilkinson's funeral and there weren't many there. Joe is a top guy. There wouldnt be many there bex=cause of the covid-19 rules. This shouldnt detract from the fact Wilkie was a popular guy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Thumper Posted November 20, 2020 Report Share Posted November 20, 2020 53 minutes ago, OveFundinFan said: There wouldnt be many there bex=cause of the covid-19 rules. This shouldnt detract from the fact Wilkie was a popular guy. I witnessed Alan's accident in 1978 at Hyde Road and all I can say is that thankfully, the way fallen riders are now dealt with means that they are considerably less likely to suffer such life-changing injuries. I spoke to Alan a couple of times in the pits when he visited the Dog Bowl and whilst not the easiest person to talk to, his courage was immense. If you live anywhere near Warrington, this is the place for your next dog's holiday http://daresburyboarding.co.uk/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OveFundinFan Posted November 20, 2020 Report Share Posted November 20, 2020 Well, I live near Warrington, probably 15 mile from Daresbury, but, I don’t have a dog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Thumper Posted November 20, 2020 Report Share Posted November 20, 2020 5 minutes ago, OveFundinFan said: Well, I live near Warrington, probably 15 mile from Daresbury, but, I don’t have a dog. If you have a pussy they are most welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OveFundinFan Posted November 20, 2020 Report Share Posted November 20, 2020 Ah, love dogs but cats are the best. 10 years ago we moved from Warrington, where we live now near Chester we could take the two cats we then had (usually had three at a time) but when they died we couldn’t replace them. Long time since gone and don half miss them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArthurRudge Posted November 24, 2020 Report Share Posted November 24, 2020 What ever happened to the Blackbirds there was a few of they Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post screm Posted November 24, 2020 Popular Post Report Share Posted November 24, 2020 40 minutes ago, ArthurRudge said: What ever happened to the Blackbirds there was a few of they Four and twenty of them were baked in a pie. 1 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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