Post by Administrator on May 3, 2013 15:44:36 GMT
Classic Speedway, issue No.21.
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LEGEND: SPLIT WATERMAN
Colourful characters in speedway didn’t come any bigger than Split Waterman. Had there not been a Split Waterman someone would have had to invent him. He touched speedway racing with colour and glamour, and his escapades – some of the more infamous were light years away from the more conventional letter of the law that the majority of us choose to live by – created blazing headlines. John Chaplin catches up with the controversial exiled former Wembley and Harringay hero.
STEVE WAPLINGTON – To Russia and beyond
Steve Waplington’s speedway career ended after two seasons, but he packed an awful lot into a very short space of time: winning a league title, gaining international honours, partnering a World Champion in the sport’s most famous club side, and riding in Soviet Russia, Sweden and Italy. Philip Dalling taps into Steve’s memories and asks if he regretted his decision to quit a sport he loved?
TEARS FOR TEO
In issue 20 we revealed the incredible story behind the daring escape of Tadeusz Teodorowicz from communist early 60s Poland to the West, where he began a new life with a young family and became a firm favourite at Swindon before his tragic death in 1964. Here Roman Chyla presents a fascinating follow-up interview with ‘Teo’s’ former wife, Liliana Zajecka-Slonina, who still lives in the Wiltshire town. We also catch up with Teo’s daughter, who was just a few months old when he was fatally injured at West Ham, and reveal the success she has made of her life.
GERRY KING – Unlucky break
Gerry King’s story will be familiar to many other aspiring young riders in the 50s whose efforts to make the breakthrough at National League level were severely hampered by a lack of opportunities in the days before the Provincial League created many new available team places. Here we reminisce with a man who once worked for Buster Frogley and Dicky Case and whose rivals for a team place at NL giants Wimbledon included a young Ivan Mauger.
BARRY DUKE Q&A
Long-haired Barry Duke recalls the highs and lows of a career that took in Swindon (1969-71), Weymouth (1968), Rochester/Romford (1969), West Ham (1971), Cradley Heath (1971), Stoke (1974) and Rye House (1975).
Plus . . .
JOHN HYAM on why the handicap system introduced in 1962 had to go.
IAN HOSKINS looking back at injury-riddled days at Edinburgh in the 60s.
Tributes to TONY CHILDS, Polish great WLODZIMIERZ SZWENDROWSKI and JIM SHEPHERD.
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