|
Post by thebaldeagle1932 on Jun 18, 2009 20:32:15 GMT
I am certain that Tiger Lewis from Australia rode before the war for a London team. I have gone through the lists but cannot seem to see his name. Have I missed him - or was that he did not ride for a London club.
|
|
|
Post by tungate on Jun 19, 2009 16:23:26 GMT
Tiger Lewis was in a team from Bristol pre-war. The Bristol team was run by Wimbledon so Tiger may well have been signed by them & then loaned to Bristol. I know Eric Collins was riding for Bristol at one time under this system. I also think Tiger rode at Norwich Firs Stadium site under an assumed name before an A C U Licence was issued for the track in the mid 30s. He later appeared under his real name when the track licence was in force Another rider with a Wimbledon connection in them days was Claude Rye who used the name "Charlie Barley" before a licence was granted to the Norwich track. Numerous Wimbledon riders were among the programmed riders and Dons officials came one week to try & catch them out. This was passed on to the riders who stayed away on the day so no-one got caught. The visiting officials did however spot an East Anglian local & signed him up, put him in the team as partner to Vic Huxley and set him on the road to fame & fortune. His name - Geoff Pymar. In fact the captain of the Norwich team at the time was Arthur Reynolds, whose real name was Fred Leavis, a Wimbledon rider himself & I have often wondered if he was the person who "warned off the other Wimbledon riders" that day Alan Smith in his excellent "Speedway at the Firs, from Grass to Grosskreutz 1931-1939" does not give any pointer at all as to who may have "let the info slip out" so it just remains a possibility and a bit of my imagination working overtime
|
|
|
Post by tungate on Jun 22, 2009 22:11:26 GMT
An interesting item is that a relative of Fred Leavis has come along to the gala day at Norwich for the last couple of years but this gala day may not take place this year. If it does take place I will have to try and have a word with this chap to see if he has any old letters or papers referring to those days. It could turn out to be interesting in some way
|
|
|
Post by cardrew on Apr 22, 2010 16:57:43 GMT
He rode for West Ham in 1934, Outside London he rode for Coventry 1933, Southampton and Nottingham 1936 He may have also be associated with Leeds 1931, Wimbledon 1932, Plymouth 1934, Bristol 1937 but did not ride any League matches for them.
I also show a fellow named Lewis riding for New Cross Reserves in the 1938 EST, not sure if it is him. Hopefully our resident New Cross experts can help with this one.
|
|