Harry Bastable

[Historian]

As reported elsewhere on this forum former Birmingham, Cradley and leicester rider Harry Bastable has passed away aged 93. R.I.P.

Ive watched Harry race many times for Brum and Cradley, never a star more a steady second string but it was reported that back in the day Wembley wanted to sign him.

[Split]

So sad to hear that another of the riders of the past is no longer with us. In the early 60's Harry was much more than a "steady second string" for Cradley in the Provincial League (10.38 average in 1960) and his rivalry with Ivor Brown was well known.

 

[BOBBATH]

R.I.P.  Harry- I recall him as one of CH's heat leaders in 1964 (Prov League) I think-maybe 1965 also- I always thought that the CH heat leaders in 64 were Ivor Brown, George Major and Harry.

Can you say more about the rivalry between Harry and Ivor I didn't know that Of course Ivor was the uncrowned king of Dudley Wood. Also in 1960 Ivor was riding for Yarmouth  and went to CH in 1961 I think. I would have guessed without knowing for sure that Ivor was the top scorer for CH in each year from 61-64.

[norbold]

12 hours ago, Split said:

So sad to hear that another of the riders of the past is no longer with us. In the early 60's Harry was much more than a "steady second string" for Cradley in the Provincial League (10.38 average in 1960) and his rivalry with Ivor Brown was well known.

 

Yes, I agree. I always remember Harry as a heat leader - a top class one at that.

Very sad news. Condolences to family and friends.

[BL65]

4 hours ago, BOBBATH said:

R.I.P.  Harry- I recall him as one of CH's heat leaders in 1964 (Prov League) I think-maybe 1965 also- I always thought that the CH heat leaders in 64 were Ivor Brown, George Major and Harry.

Can you say more about the rivalry between Harry and Ivor I didn't know that Of course Ivor was the uncrowned king of Dudley Wood. Also in 1960 Ivor was riding for Yarmouth  and went to CH in 1961 I think. I would have guessed without knowing for sure that Ivor was the top scorer for CH in each year from 61-64.

Sad news indeed.

Harry was a second string rider at Leicester in the late 1950s, after the closure of Birmingham, with Ivor also attached to the Hunters as an occasional team member, but mainly second half rider.  Harry switched to Cradley Heath early in the 1960 season and achieved a league average above 10.5, the best part of a point a match more than Ivor recorded at Yarmouth.  When Ivor joined the Heathens his league average increased year on year during the Provincial League seasons, from just over 10 in 1961 to 10.39 in 1964, before dipping slightly to 9.27 in the 1965 British League.  His average would probably have been above 10 but for injuries suffered in the Internationale.  At the same time, Harry's average fell each year until his final retirement midway through the 1965 season.  He had 'retired' several times before but immediately responded to help out as the Heathens suffered a regular injury crisis. In 1961 Harry was second in the team's league averages with just under 9 points per match, dropping to below 8 in 1962, although still second behind Brown.  1963 saw Harry drop to third in the team's league averages with a figure just above 6, behind Brown and John Hart.  His figure of 5.33 in 1964 left Harry fifth in the league averages, behind Brown, George Major, Hart and Eric Hockaday.  In 1965 an average of 4.79 saw him drop to sixth at the time of his retirement behind the same 4 riders as the previous year together with Chris Julian.

Harry was certainly a mainstay of the Cradley Heath team in the early Provincial League years and continued to score solidy in the middle order for the last couple of seasons until his retirement.  He topped the Cradley Heath averages in 1952, in just his third season, before moving on when the track closed and he topped the averages when he returned to the reopened track in 1960, a fine achievement.  I am glad I saw him ride.

[jrs]

Very sad news indeed, remember well from the fifties and sixties how Harry always got stuck in, just the sort of opponent you didn't need riding against your team. Rest well Harry you kept us on our toes. Thoughts are with Harrys family and friends.

[Split]

19 hours ago, BOBBATH said:

R.I.P.  Harry- I recall him as one of CH's heat leaders in 1964 (Prov League) I think-maybe 1965 also- I always thought that the CH heat leaders in 64 were Ivor Brown, George Major and Harry.

Can you say more about the rivalry between Harry and Ivor? I didn't know that Of course Ivor was the uncrowned king of Dudley Wood. Also in 1960 Ivor was riding for Yarmouth  and went to CH in 1961 I think. I would have guessed without knowing for sure that Ivor was the top scorer for CH in each year from 61-64.

I think it was in 1961 that Ivor and Harry each decided to wear a white top over their leathers to see who could keep it cleanest by the end of the evening. All very good natured but rivalry none the less.

Edited September 7, 2021 by Split

[BOBBATH]

Thanks for clearing that up-sounds like a good natured competition.

[mikejb]

Ivor started wearing the white top in February 1962 along side Tony Eadon in thet televised best pairs meetings to differentiate between the Cradley Heath pairs the other pair was Harry and John Hart