frigbo Posted February 12, 2021 Report Share Posted February 12, 2021 Eric Howe has definitely passed away.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBBATH Posted February 12, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2021 Terry Stone still with us-has done a lot for speedway and has kept in touch with many former riders. I recall him coming to Canada and going out of his way to meet Mike Tams, then close to the end of his life. Good on you Terry - a valued member of the speedway family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shrub Posted February 12, 2021 Report Share Posted February 12, 2021 Can't exactly remember my first meeting, my Dad took me during school holidays from 1969, I'd have been 4 for my first one. I count my first one instead from when I was allowed to go every week and that was from July 27th 1972, Ipswich v Leicester: Ipswich 1 Olle Nygren 2 Sandor Levai 3 Tommy Johansson 4 Alan Sage 5 John Louis 6 Tony Davey 7 Billy Sanders Leicester 1 Ray Wilson 2 Norman Storer 3 John Boulger 4 Malcolm Shakespeare 5 Dave Jessup 6 Alan Cowland 7 Malcolm Brown The Witches chucked away an eight point lead to lose 40-38 From the Witches Sandor and Billy are no longer with us and from the Lions, as far as I can find out are all still going apart from Alan Cowland Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shrub Posted February 13, 2021 Report Share Posted February 13, 2021 21 hours ago, Shrub said: Can't exactly remember my first meeting, my Dad took me during school holidays from 1969, I'd have been 4 for my first one. I count my first one instead from when I was allowed to go every week and that was from July 27th 1972, Ipswich v Leicester: Ipswich 1 Olle Nygren 2 Sandor Levai 3 Tommy Johansson 4 Alan Sage 5 John Louis 6 Tony Davey 7 Billy Sanders Leicester 1 Ray Wilson 2 Norman Storer 3 John Boulger 4 Malcolm Shakespeare 5 Dave Jessup 6 Alan Cowland 7 Malcolm Brown The Witches chucked away an eight point lead to lose 40-38 From the Witches Sandor and Billy are no longer with us and from the Lions, as far as I can find out are all still going apart from Alan Cowland Can't believe I post this and within 24 hours the sad passing of Olle Nygren is announced. Olle won the first heat of the above meeting. I was quite young when he rode for Ipswich, what I remember most about him was his winning times were usually 2-3 seconds slower than all the other times, which I later came to realise was due to track craft, the fact you never needed to put on sunglasses to look at his machinery and him and Rick France kicking lumps out of each other down the backstraight at Foxhall during a race, real X-rated stuff. A true speedway legend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted February 13, 2021 Report Share Posted February 13, 2021 48 minutes ago, Shrub said: Can't believe I post this and within 24 hours the sad passing of Olle Nygren is announced. Olle won the first heat of the above meeting. I was quite young when he rode for Ipswich, what I remember most about him was his winning times were usually 2-3 seconds slower than all the other times, which I later came to realise was due to track craft, the fact you never needed to put on sunglasses to look at his machinery and him and Rick France kicking lumps out of each other down the backstraight at Foxhall during a race, real X-rated stuff. A true speedway legend. Recall reading that he was instrumental in Ipswich winning at Sheffield in 1972 when some members of the "Tigers" team were making a nuisance of themselves and Olle decided to get tough with them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shrub Posted February 13, 2021 Report Share Posted February 13, 2021 1 hour ago, steve roberts said: Recall reading that he was instrumental in Ipswich winning at Sheffield in 1972 when some members of the "Tigers" team were making a nuisance of themselves and Olle decided to get tough with them. Again from memory Olle had an easy style that took up a lot of track but as hard as nails when he wanted to be. Regarding the Rick France incident, I was stood by the stock car fence on the third bend looking directly down the straight watching these two blokes genuinely kicking hell out of each other. I think, though my memory may be wrong here, the other Sheffield rider (Reg Wilson?) had been excluded after a fall following a robust challenge from Olle, he then carried out something similar to France in the re-run which lead to the kung-fu, both then fell, France was excluded giving the Witches a 5-0! Olle would have been around 44 years old at the time! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted February 13, 2021 Report Share Posted February 13, 2021 2 hours ago, Shrub said: Again from memory Olle had an easy style that took up a lot of track but as hard as nails when he wanted to be. Regarding the Rick France incident, I was stood by the stock car fence on the third bend looking directly down the straight watching these two blokes genuinely kicking hell out of each other. I think, though my memory may be wrong here, the other Sheffield rider (Reg Wilson?) had been excluded after a fall following a robust challenge from Olle, he then carried out something similar to France in the re-run which lead to the kung-fu, both then fell, France was excluded giving the Witches a 5-0! Olle would have been around 44 years old at the time! Something that John Berry used to refer to whereby he made it very difficult for opponents attempting to pass seemingly covering both the white line and fence! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBBATH Posted March 27, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2022 Was just about to post this topic, then realised I had already done so about a year ago-senior moment. Anyway I called it up and enjoyed re- reading the memories of other posts on the subject. Time seems to pass ever more quickly these days but I still remember stuff from the sixties as clear as yesterday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customhouseregular Posted March 27, 2022 Report Share Posted March 27, 2022 My first meeting was Easter 1960 at Rye House, that’s 62 years ago. I reckon one of our historians could find out how many of the competing riders are still with us. I haven’t a clue I’m sorry to say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frigbo Posted March 27, 2022 Report Share Posted March 27, 2022 On 1/29/2021 at 7:46 PM, frigbo said: Swindon v ipswich 1974. Only Bernie Leigh has passed from the home team. For Ipswich, just Billy Sanders is no longer with us. Norbold mentions Leo McAuliffe still being around. Sadly, he passed away in 2018. Olle Nygren has also now sadly passed away from the Ipswich team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 27, 2022 Report Share Posted March 27, 2022 (edited) My first speedway meeting was at New Cross in April 1946. Sadly no riders from that meeting are still with us. RIP. Edited March 27, 2022 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted March 27, 2022 Report Share Posted March 27, 2022 Not sure what my first meeting was, but fairly sure Olle was riding for the Dons, as i still have his rosette . Great servant to British speedway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andout Posted March 27, 2022 Report Share Posted March 27, 2022 From my first meeting at New Cross in 1959, I think we have two survivors.....Knutsson and Bob Andrews. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted March 27, 2022 Report Share Posted March 27, 2022 On 1/29/2021 at 10:18 AM, Guest compost said: Isn't Billy Bales (Norwich) still alive (he is according to wikipedia) ? He rode in the meeting. Yes. I met up with him in October at the Norwich WSRA Lunch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBBATH Posted March 28, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2022 I am so glad Billy is still with us- I recall him riding for Sheffield in 1965 (I think) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chadster Posted March 28, 2022 Report Share Posted March 28, 2022 My first meeting was Liverpool v Sheffield in 1960 as seen here; http://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/liverpool1960.pdf Maybe someone might know if any of the riders are still with us. As I was only 6 when I went to that meeting I can't remember anything about it. The first meeting I can remember anything about was this one at Belle Vue in 1967; http://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/bellevue1967.pdf Certainly Tommy Roper, Eric Broadbelt and Ove Fundin from the Aces side are still with us. Anyone know about any of the Wasps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frigbo Posted March 28, 2022 Report Share Posted March 28, 2022 4 hours ago, Chadster said: My first meeting was Liverpool v Sheffield in 1960 as seen here; http://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/liverpool1960.pdf Maybe someone might know if any of the riders are still with us. As I was only 6 when I went to that meeting I can't remember anything about it. The first meeting I can remember anything about was this one at Belle Vue in 1967; http://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/bellevue1967.pdf Certainly Tommy Roper, Eric Broadbelt and Ove Fundin from the Aces side are still with us. Anyone know about any of the Wasps? Pretty sure Jon Erskine and John Bishop are still about. Not sure about Roger White. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBBATH Posted March 28, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2022 Liverpool v. Sheffield Reg Fearman is certainly still with us-we exchange texts every couple of weeks. Also last I heard Pete Kelly is still around in NZ I think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBBATH Posted March 28, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2022 Re Belle Vue v. Newport in July- Jon Erskine and john Bishop are alive, not sure re Roger White (I don't recall the latter-may have been a second halfer drafted in is my guess) Hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Split Posted March 30, 2022 Report Share Posted March 30, 2022 On 1/29/2021 at 12:08 PM, norbold said: Mine was back in May 1960. New Cross v. Norwich. I think the only four still alive are three Rangers, Reg Luckhurst, Tommy Sweetman and Leo McAuliffe and one Star, the greatest of them all, Ove Fundin. We didn’t stop to see the second half, but one of those due to ride was Ron Johnson and I certainly know for a fact he is no longer alive! I may be wrong but I think Barry Briggs would have been in that New Cross team and Barry at 87 is still with us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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