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First race you ever saw-any of the 4 riders still alive??


BOBBATH

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Like Norbold, I saw my first race at New Cross but a few months later in September 1960 when Wimbledon were the visitors. The race finished Moore, Tebby, Waterman, Luckhurst (fell) and I think that sadly, only Reg is still with us.  I wonder how many people have seen the reigning world champion win the first ever race they ever saw. Okay, Ronnie Moore did relinquish the title when he was runner up to Ove Fundin at Wembley a few days later. 

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My first live race was at Wimbledon 18 March 1976 heat 1 result; Dave Jessup, Barry Crowson, Bernie Leigh and Edgar Stangeland.

Strangely, first Wimbledon rider I saw win a race in a home meeting was Roger Johns who won heat 8 in the Wimbledon v Reading (CH) match 18 March 1976; Roger was also the first Wimbledon rider I saw win an away race when he won heat 2 at White City the following Wednesday, 24 March 1976.

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August 19th 1959 New Cross first meeting. This may not have been my first meeting but the first one I can remember going to and actually filling in the programme.

Heat result: R. Moore, Craven, White, Brine.......Two World champions in my first race..All gone now, others in that NX team...P Moore, Genz, C Roger, Dunton....all gone too. Only Bjorn Knutsson is still alive. And yes I use the "ss" because that is how Bjorn had it, never changed it until recent years.

And out of the Wimbledon team only Bob Andrews is still alive.

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First one I have clear memories of was Belle Vue v Newport in 1967.Heat 1 ended Nevitt, Roper, Erskine, Golden. I think Tommy Roper and Jon Erskine are still going, but I'm not sure about Norman Nevitt. Alby Golden died some years back.

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I recall Norman Nevitt, also Bill Powell and Jim Yacoby- about the same vintage and level. Are any of these guys still with us-I hope they all are. If memory  serves I think Bill Powell was the most successful of the three , but I could be wrong (not for the first time!!!!!)

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19 minutes ago, BOBBATH said:

I recall Norman Nevitt, also Bill Powell and Jim Yacoby- about the same vintage and level. Are any of these guys still with us-I hope they all are. If memory  serves I think Bill Powell was the most successful of the three , but I could be wrong (not for the first time!!!!!)

They are all still with us, but looking at the averages, Norman was actually the best of them...

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The first race I saw was on August 19th 1949 Bristol v New Cross in the  National Trophy Chris Boss and Eric Salmon v Bert Roger and Bill Longley. The most recent survivor of that meeting I think was Dick Bradley who died 2 years ago. The second meeting I saw was Bristol v Cradley Heath on September 16th 1949 and I can still picture in my mind the fall of Alan Hunt in the first heat on the first bend. I note that at second reserve for the away team was Les Tolley. Was he related to the current Birmingham promoter?  I still have both programmes.

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21 hours ago, Knowle said:

 I note that at second reserve for the away team was Les Tolley. Was he related to the current Birmingham promoter?

Les, Dick, and Jim Tolley were brothers. According to a comment from Nigel on the Brummies' Facebook page, Dick and Stan (not sure where Stan fits into this!) were "distant relations".

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The first race I saw was at Weymouth v Crewe in 1974.

Heat 1 - Dave Morton, Kelvin Mullarkey, Russell Foot, Ian Cartwright.

As far as I know, only Kelvin Mullarkey is no longer with us.

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6 hours ago, Grachan said:

The first race I saw was at Weymouth v Crewe in 1974.

Heat 1 - Dave Morton, Kelvin Mullarkey, Russell Foot, Ian Cartwright.

As far as I know, only Kelvin Mullarkey is no longer with us.

I last saw Ian about five years ago when I visited "Mouseman" at Kilburn.

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On 4/19/2024 at 7:11 PM, chunky said:

Les, Dick, and Jim Tolley were brothers. According to a comment from Nigel on the Brummies' Facebook page, Dick and Stan (not sure where Stan fits into this!) were "distant relations".

If I remember correctly the Tolley brothers hailed from Worcestershire. Jim’s grandson Ryan was a good grass tracker who had a short lived dabble at Speedway about 2000.

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5 hours ago, steve roberts said:

I last saw Ian about five years ago when I visited "Mouseman" at Kilburn.

I remember his autograph was one of my favourites because he put a smiley face on it.

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1 hour ago, Grachan said:

I remember his autograph was one of my favourites because he put a smiley face on it.

Pete Wigley used to do that too!

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Good thread.. anyway, Gauloises Pairs semi final, Sheffield, 15th September 1977.

Heat 1: Doug Wyer, Craig Pendlebury, Martin Ashby, Geoff Bouchard. So I think that's a full house. 

The 7 teams were Sheffield, Swindon, Belle Vue, King's Lynn, Wolverhampton, Bristol and Exeter. The only ones not here now are Ivan Mauger and Alan Wilkinson, plus Tony Boyle who was one of the track reserves. 

 

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