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Peter Collins Book


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17 hours ago, JC! said:

Here you are, attempting to take the moral high ground - fooling nobody. Oh, and I'm not here to answer your questions so you'll have a long wait. 

What's gone wrong? - mislaid your thesaurus of insulting words or simply unable to justify/substantiate your points of view?

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34 minutes ago, Vic Meldrew said:

What's gone wrong? - mislaid your thesaurus of insulting words or simply unable to justify/substantiate your points of view?

Again, not here to answer your questions. You made a cheap shot and got called on it, get over it, your life will go on.

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The commentary was by dick bott . Who was also Peter Collins manager and wrote for various national newspapers.

That race was definitely the greatest race ever . I have followed belle vue for 65 years seen speedway all over the world . 

The other thing I remember about that night is my dad had his car stolen . We kept ringing the police to  ask if they had found it but they kept saying no.. I had to go past Gorton police station and my dad's car was parked outside. The police were no better in the good old days.

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21 hours ago, mikebv said:

Post...

Well done....

No one will know what impact such things will have...

I don’t think for one minute that anyone would suggest PC illness had no effect on his wellbeing BUT I can not and will not accept that should excuse his disgraceful behaviour at the book signing and his disrespectful treatment of Mr Casey who actually bought his book only to have defaced with an insulting message. PC issue was with BV not with Mr Casey! 

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4 minutes ago, noaksey said:

I liked his tapes but he was a bit Stanley Unwin

I remember Colin Martin (?) who used to cover "Tape-o' Sport" (I think that was the brand name?) and his commentary style was constant...okay for audio but when he transferred that style to DVD I found it nauseating!

Edited by steve roberts
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2 hours ago, Speedtiger said:

I don’t think for one minute that anyone would suggest PC illness had no effect on his wellbeing BUT I can not and will not accept that should excuse his disgraceful behaviour at the book signing and his disrespectful treatment of Mr Casey who actually bought his book only to have defaced with an insulting message. PC issue was with BV not with Mr Casey! 

You might even think that someone who had had a life-threatening and life-changing illness might have some sympathy for someone else with a terminal illness...

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5 hours ago, Speedtiger said:

I don’t think for one minute that anyone would suggest PC illness had no effect on his wellbeing BUT I can not and will not accept that should excuse his disgraceful behaviour at the book signing and his disrespectful treatment of Mr Casey who actually bought his book only to have defaced with an insulting message. PC issue was with BV not with Mr Casey! 

I hate to say it, but I have to agree with you. I personally know - and have known - many, many indivduals who have suffered major strokes and other life-changing events. I will admit that quite a few of them are a "little different" to what they were pre-stroke, but not one of them has turned into such a totally bitter and unpleasant individual.

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On 2/17/2023 at 9:35 AM, Vic Meldrew said:

Perhaps I have missed something here - please remind me of Mark Lemon's achievements during his riding career.

Under his "watch" the abysmal Belle Vue programme for last year's Peter Craven Memorial Trophy did not make one mention of Peter or his achievements.

The Peter Craven Suite still has no pictures or mention of the late, great Peter Craven.

Just to correct the last paragraph - I was in the Peter Craven Suite last night for the amazing celebration of Steve Casey’s life so checked. At the top of the stairs, outside the suite, in gold letters, it says “Peter Craven Suite”. Below that, there is a photograph of the “Wizard of balance” himself. So yes there is a mention and yes there is a photo

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On 2/17/2023 at 12:30 PM, PotteringAround said:

You're correct.  Obviously lots of Peter Craven in the Peter Craven Memorial meeting programme (and a big photo of him on the cover

 

On 2/17/2023 at 12:30 PM, PotteringAround said:

Are you saying there was no mention of two times world champion Peter Craven in the programme

As I have pointed out previously there is no mention of Peter Craven in last year's programme (21 March 2022) apart from being listed as World Champion in 1955 and 1962 plus British Champion in 1962, 1963. No biographical information about Peter Craven whatsoever. A new spectator to the meeting would wonder who was this rider they were holding the memorial meeting for. Yes, there is a portrait photo of Peter on the front cover but that is it. A very poor effort.

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30 minutes ago, Vic Meldrew said:

 

As I have pointed out previously there is no mention of Peter Craven in last year's programme (21 March 2022) apart from being listed as World Champion in 1955 and 1962 plus British Champion in 1962, 1963. No biographical information about Peter Craven whatsoever. A new spectator to the meeting would wonder who was this rider they were holding the memorial meeting for. Yes, there is a portrait photo of Peter on the front cover but that is it. A very poor effort.

If you were there, you will know there were plenty of mentions of Peter Craven on the night and acknowledgements of his achievements. Surely that’s more important than a write up in a programme that less than half those attending would see, some of who would be the “new supporters” you mention? Or they could Google him….

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14 minutes ago, Gordon Pairman said:

If you were there, you will know there were plenty of mentions of Peter Craven on the night and acknowledgements of his achievements. Surely that’s more important than a write up in a programme that less than half those attending would see, some of who would be the “new supporters” you mention? Or they could Google him….

Sorry, Gordon I do not agree. A serious omission from the souvenir programme notes is unforgivable. How many programme notes for rider Memorial Meetings have you seen that make no mention of the rider being celebrated at that meeting?

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  • 3 weeks later...

Not wishing to go over old ground but having just had my book returned I have re-read the relevant chapter and it's not true that PC "demanded" free passes for hundreds of ex-riders or that anyone issued with a pass would automatically attend. The whole thing has been taken out of context. The business over Steve Casey is a different matter however...

Edited by steve roberts
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1 hour ago, steve roberts said:

I have re-read the relevant chapter and it's not true that PC "demanded" free passes for hundreds of ex-riders

What you mean is that you've read the book written by Collins, where Collins claims that Collins didn't demand free passes for hundreds of hangers-on.  However various BV promoters past and present who received the letters demanding free passes for hundreds of hangers-on, and those who have seen the letters, would beg to differ.

(N.B.  I have changed "ex-riders" to "hangers-on" since many of the 100+ names were not ex-riders.  They were Collins' friends, ex-sponsors, and a selection of nobodies).

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56 minutes ago, PotteringAround said:

What you mean is that you've read the book written by Collins, where Collins claims that Collins didn't demand free passes for hundreds of hangers-on.  However various BV promoters past and present who received the letters demanding free passes for hundreds of hangers-on, and those who have seen the letters, would beg to differ.

(N.B.  I have changed "ex-riders" to "hangers-on" since many of the 100+ names were not ex-riders.  They were Collins' friends, ex-sponsors, and a selection of nobodies).

...I can only go on what I've read in the book (I'm assuming that you've read the book?) and in "Backtrack" where PC explained at length his views and recollections regarding his version of events and the term "demands" is something he flatly refutes. I've no personal recollection of "ex-sponsors" and/or "friends"  and/or "nobodies" or have direct contact with "BV promoters past and present". If the "dialogue" was somewhat different to what was in the book perhaps you can enlighten me as regards the source as I would be interested to know so as to clear up any misunderstandings and/or observations on my part? If the information was highlighted via "Facebook" and/or "Twitter" I wouldn't know as I don't do either.

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49 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

...I can only go on what I've read in the book (I'm assuming that you've read the book?) and in "Backtrack" where PC explained at length and/or his views regarding his version of events and the term "demands" is something he flatly refutes. I've no personal recollection of "ex-sponsors" and/or "friends"  and/or "nobodies" or have direct contact with "BV promoters past and present". If the "dialogue" was somewhat different to what was in the book perhaps you can enlighten me as regards the source as I would be interested to know? If the information was highlighted via "Facebook" and/or "Twitter" I wouldn't know as I don't do either.

You only need to read back in this thread, and the one I linked earlier in the thread (page24), to read the alternative versions of events. After that you can take a view on which of the versions you believe - but it would be remiss to only rely on what is written in the book

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22 minutes ago, Sir Sidney said:

You only need to read back in this thread, and the one I linked earlier in the thread (page24), to read the alternative versions of events. After that you can take a view on which of the versions you believe - but it would be remiss to only rely on what is written in the book

...yes I've followed the thread (and been actively involved) but unfortunately during that time I had loaned out my book and have only just got it back and have re-read the relevant chapter. I guess it's "words" against "words". I guess the truth is somewhere in between but I have always been intrigued by the statement of "100s of passess" and where that figure and stipulation came from? In the book PC made a list of ex-Belle Vue riders from memory but it was not the intention to issue or "demand" passes as "others have claimed" as he recognised many would not attend for one reason or another?

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6 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

...yes I've followed the thread (and been actively involved) but unfortunately during that time I had loaned out my book and have only just got it back and have re-read the relevant chapter. I guess it's "words" against "words". I guess the truth is somewhere in between but I have always been intrigued by the statement of "100s of passess" and where that figure and stipulation came from? In the book PC made a list of ex-Belle Vue riders from memory but it was not the intention to issue or "demand" passes as "others have claimed" as he recognised many would not attend for one reason or another?

That's what he says, but that is disputed by others who say they have the letters that show that to be false. In the thread I linked even Phillip Rising said he had seen the list and it was stretching it - and Phillip said he was a friend of Peter's and was carefully choosing his words. In the end we all have to choose which story, based on the info available, we believe is most credible

In any event, isn't it the case now that the current owners do let ex riders in free with the only requirement that they contact Mark lemon in advance to say they are coming? Given that the seats are numbered that doesn't seem unreasonable 

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