Norman Hunter

[BOBBATH]

Have just watched  "West Ham Memories Parts 1 and 2"  on youtube- I think it was originally a video you purchased but now on youtube.Interviews on Part One included Johnnie Hoskins and also Reg Fearman, Len Silver,Brian Crutcher. On Part 2 Tony Clarke was interviewed plus Norman Hunter- the third and often overlooked heat leader of the wonderul Hammers side of 1965. I was very interested in Normans' comments. He was just reaching his peak (in my view) after he left WH to become number 1 at Wolves(was it 68 or 69)-then he had his terrible accident. I reckon he could have made a World Final-does anyone in forumland  know what was the closest he came to qualifying for a WF. Also Norm the Storm was one of the guys who went straight from the PL to the NL-when the PL rode "black". I'm trying to think of some others who did that Simmo for sure, perhaps David Crane??. Were there others  also- , I can't really recall who else rode for Hackney in 1963 or other tracks who then went NL in 1964. BTW watching this youtube video reminded me  of all we've lost-riders you could have a beer with after the meeting,amazing characters and showmen!! I wish we could go back to 1964 and 1965. Folks today don't know what they are missing

[steve roberts]

3 hours ago, BOBBATH said:

Have just watched  "West Ham Memories Parts 1 and 2"  on youtube- I think it was originally a video you purchased but now on youtube.Interviews on Part One included Johnnie Hoskins and also Reg Fearman, Len Silver,Brian Crutcher. On Part 2 Tony Clarke was interviewed plus Norman Hunter- the third and often overlooked heat leader of the wonderul Hammers side of 1965. I was very interested in Normans' comments. He was just reaching his peak (in my view) after he left WH to become number 1 at Wolves(was it 68 or 69)-then he had his terrible accident. I reckon he could have made a World Final-does anyone in forumland  know what was the closest he came to qualifying for a WF. Also Norm the Storm was one of the guys who went straight from the PL to the NL-when the PL rode "black". I'm trying to think of some others who did that Simmo for sure, perhaps David Crane??. Were there others  also- , I can't really recall who else rode for Hackney in 1963 or other tracks who then went NL in 1964. BTW watching this youtube video reminded me  of all we've lost-riders you could have a beer with after the meeting,amazing characters and showmen!! I wish we could go back to 1964 and 1965. Folks today don't know what they are missing

Remember watching Norman at Swindon when admittedly he was passed his best but still a useful rider and bolstered the very long tail of the "Budgies" at the time. I haven't watched the video for a couple of years now but he came across as quite a character.

[BL65]

In 1964 Eric Boocock had one match at Belle Vue before reverting to the PL with Middlesbrough.  Colin McKee and George Major started the season at Oxford in the NL.  McKee joined Swindon before moving to the PL with Sunderland, then Wolverhampton.  Major also rode for Norwich before going back to the PL with Cradley Heath.  Trevor Hedge and David Crane left Hackney to return to Norwich in the NL.  Tich Read also left Hackney for Norwich.  Crane subsequently rode for Hackney and Exeter in the PL. Colin Pratt and Kid Bodie (Howard Cole) started the season with Swindon but quickly reverted to the PL.  Bodie was injured in a second half race and never actually rode in the Swindon team.  Roy Trigg appeared for Wimbledon, Swindon and West Ham before going to Hackney in the PL.  Tommy Sweetman rode for West Ham before rejoining Wolverhampton.  John Mills also appeared once for West Ham at the beginning of the year before returning to the PL.  Pete Jarman started the season at Wimbledon before joining Wolverhampton.  Of the 1963 PL riders, Trevor Hedge, Tich Read, Norman Hunter and Malcolm Simmons joined a National League track and stayed for the whole of 1964.

[arnieg]

1 hour ago, BL65 said:

In 1964 Eric Boocock had one match at Belle Vue before reverting to the PL with Middlesbrough.  Colin McKee and George Major started the season at Oxford in the NL.  McKee joined Swindon before moving to the PL with Sunderland, then Wolverhampton.  Major also rode for Norwich before going back to the PL with Cradley Heath.  Trevor Hedge and David Crane left Hackney to return to Norwich in the NL.  Tich Read also left Hackney for Norwich.  Crane subsequently rode for Hackney and Exeter in the PL. Colin Pratt and Kid Bodie (Howard Cole) started the season with Swindon but quickly reverted to the PL.  Bodie was injured in a second half race and never actually rode in the Swindon team.  Roy Trigg appeared for Wimbledon, Swindon and West Ham before going to Hackney in the PL.  Tommy Sweetman rode for West Ham before rejoining Wolverhampton.  John Mills also appeared once for West Ham at the beginning of the year before returning to the PL.  Pete Jarman started the season at Wimbledon before joining Wolverhampton.  Of the 1963 PL riders, Trevor Hedge, Tich Read, Norman Hunter and Malcolm Simmons joined a National League track and stayed for the whole of 1964.

Very interesting, a couple there I was unaware of.

 

And John Edwards left Cradley to join Wimbledon but quickly changed his mind after a couple of second halves and returned to Cradley.

 

Did Bryan Elliot (Cov) sign for Long Eaton but get pressured into staying with Cov?

[norbold]

8 hours ago, BOBBATH said:

 I reckon he could have made a World Final-does anyone in forumland  know what was the closest he came to qualifying for a WF.

I think Norman Hunter's best year in the World Championship was 1966 when he finished 13th in the British & Commonwealth final.

[The White Knight]

11 hours ago, BOBBATH said:

Have just watched  "West Ham Memories Parts 1 and 2"  on youtube- I think it was originally a video you purchased but now on youtube.Interviews on Part One included Johnnie Hoskins and also Reg Fearman, Len Silver,Brian Crutcher. On Part 2 Tony Clarke was interviewed plus Norman Hunter- the third and often overlooked heat leader of the wonderul Hammers side of 1965. I was very interested in Normans' comments. He was just reaching his peak (in my view) after he left WH to become number 1 at Wolves(was it 68 or 69)-then he had his terrible accident. I reckon he could have made a World Final-does anyone in forumland  know what was the closest he came to qualifying for a WF. Also Norm the Storm was one of the guys who went straight from the PL to the NL-when the PL rode "black". I'm trying to think of some others who did that Simmo for sure, perhaps David Crane??. Were there others  also- , I can't really recall who else rode for Hackney in 1963 or other tracks who then went NL in 1964. BTW watching this youtube video reminded me  of all we've lost-riders you could have a beer with after the meeting,amazing characters and showmen!! I wish we could go back to 1964 and 1965. Folks today don't know what they are missing

Too true Bobbath, too true. 

[Beirao]

Ray Cresp rode for St Austell in 1963 then West Ham in 1964, while Sam for Levai was with Stoke then Norwich. 

[BOBBATH]

Thanks for your reply BL65-as usual from you I learned something new- also Norbold re Norm's best WF attempt- I'm a bit surprised he never got closer to the big night. Lots of old speedway on youtube now - I have just started watching the history of Ipswich which looks good (about 2 hours long)

[E I Addio]

18 hours ago, BOBBATH said:

Have just watched  "West Ham Memories Parts 1 and 2"  on youtube- I think it was originally a video you purchased but now on youtube.Interviews on Part One included Johnnie Hoskins and also Reg Fearman, Len Silver,Brian Crutcher. On Part 2 Tony Clarke was interviewed plus Norman Hunter- the third and often overlooked heat leader of the wonderul Hammers side of 1965. I was very interested in Normans' comments. He was just reaching his peak (in my view) after he left WH to become number 1 at Wolves(was it 68 or 69)-then he had his terrible accident. I reckon he could have made a World Final-does anyone in forumland  know what was the closest he came to qualifying for a WF. Also Norm the Storm was one of the guys who went straight from the PL to the NL-when the PL rode "black". I'm trying to think of some others who did that Simmo for sure, perhaps David Crane??. Were there others  also- , I can't really recall who else rode for Hackney in 1963 or other tracks who then went NL in 1964. BTW watching this youtube video reminded me  of all we've lost-riders you could have a beer with after the meeting,amazing characters and showmen!! I wish we could go back to 1964 and 1965. Folks today don't know what they are missing

Not just your opinion about Norm reaching his peak when he had his accident at Prestatyn  Bobbath,  the man himself thinks he was in the form of his life at that time. He was called up as reserve in the 1968 World Team Cup and won the one ride he had, beating Anders Michanek of all people.  In 1969 he beat both Briggo and Nigel Boocock to win the Midland Riders Championship, averaged 10.35 from his first 15 official matches of the season, and was top English rider in the World Championship qualifying rounds to reach the British Final  when his big crash intervened. I would say therefore, that there must have been every possibility that he could have been a significant performer on the World  stage over the next few years. 
 

[steve roberts]

1 minute ago, E I Addio said:

Not just your opinion about Norm reaching his peak when he had his accident at Prestatyn  Bobbath,  the man himself thinks he was in the form of his life at that time. He was called up as reserve in the 1968 World Team Cup and won the one ride he had, beating Anders Michanek of all people.  In 1969 he beat both Briggo and Nigel Boocock to win the Midland Riders Championship, averaged 10.35 from his first 15 official matches of the season, and was top English rider in the World Championship qualifying rounds to reach the British Final  when his big crash intervened. I would say therefore, that there must have been every possibility that he could have been a significant performer on the World  stage over the next few years. 
 

I once had the programme from Prestatyn but as with all my others I passed it on much to my regret.

[BOBBATH]

The one good thing I did was keep  all my programs right from the start in 1964. I even had them shipped over to Canada when I left the UK

[chunky]

12 hours ago, norbold said:

I think Norman Hunter's best year in the World Championship was 1966 when he finished 13th in the British & Commonwealth final.

While that was his best British Final performance, that was two rounds short of the World Final (Nordic-British Final and European Final). In 1965, he was 15th in the British Final, which qualified riders for the World Final directly, so he was one round shy.

In 1967, he went out at the British Semi-Final stage, two rounds short of the World Final. In 1968, he went out in the British-Nordic Final, again two rounds short. In 1969, he qualified for the British Final, which qualified six riders for the World Final, but of course, he was unable to ride because of his injury - again, one round shy. In 1972, he qualified for the British Final - a round short again - as reserve, but didn't ride.

[E I Addio]

9 hours ago, chunky said:

While that was his best British Final performance, that was two rounds short of the World Final (Nordic-British Final and European Final). In 1965, he was 15th in the British Final, which qualified riders for the World Final directly, so he was one round shy.

In 1967, he went out at the British Semi-Final stage, two rounds short of the World Final. In 1968, he went out in the British-Nordic Final, again two rounds short. In 1969, he qualified for the British Final, which qualified six riders for the World Final, but of course, he was unable to ride because of his injury - again, one round shy. In 1972, he qualified for the British Final - a round short again - as reserve, but didn't ride.

Norman, like Bjorn Knutson, was a rider that suffered badly with nerves on big occasions. In an interview with Classic Speedway magazine he said he travelled to a lot of meetings with Ken McKinlay and Ken could always tell when he was nervous because he would start clearing his throat a lot. Norm said he wasn’t nervous about getting injured but he felt the pressure to do well. We can only speculate what might have happened if that cruel injury had not intervened but if, with experience he managed to conquer his nerves, as Knutson eventually did, I like to think he would have made an impact at World class. He had already shown he had the ability to beat everybody who was anybody, including Fundin, so who knows how far he could have gone. 

[Split]

I'm open to correction but I think Norman Hunter finished top scorer for his team (Leicester) in his first year of league speedway. Quite an achievement !

[BOBBATH]

I think you are right Split- Norman was the big star in the PL that year- not sure he was in the PLRC Final that year though-anybody know??

[chunky]

Yes, he scored 9 points.