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| Cradley Heath
Speedway |
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| Cradley have only had one home. Dudley Wood Sports
Stadium, Dudley Wood Road, Dudley, West Midlands where they operated off
and on between 1947 -1995. This is a team that should be brought
back. |
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Courtesy of Dan Gibbs
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Alan Hunt
3 Ivors
Bernt Persson Bruce Penhall
Cradley Heath Badges |
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Chris Wallett says: Thought
you might be interested in following couple of pictures, taken this week
(August 2010) of Cradley Heath or sadly the lack of it. The one shows the
familiar approach down Dudley Wood Road known so well to generations of
speedway fans. The small car park and turnstiles at the front have now
been replaced by houses. The only evidence of speedway is the road on to
the estate named after the stadium. Very sad even for a diehard Wolves fan
who only ever referred to Cradley as "The Spoons". Sad to see another
speedway venue lost. This one certainly will never return. |
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| John says: Thanks Chris. The pictures are an all too familiar sight.
That is new housing where a speedway track used to be.
Promoters need to look outside built up areas to re-launch tracks
such as Cradley. The sport needs to reinvent itself if it is
ever to survive. I am sure Cradley fans and others from
urban defunct tracks will travel outside towns to watch their
teams, if promoters are willing to take risks. |
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| Courtesy of Chris Wallett |
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| Courtesy of Chris Wallett |
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| This is
approximately where Cradley Heath Speedway used to be. |
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| The Dudley Heathens |
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Mike Willis says: Hi there. Cradley
Heathens have been brought back this year,2010, after a fashion. They have
a new team in the bottom tier, the National League, and are currently
called Dudley Heathens,but they still don't have a home track of their own
so share their home meetings between Monmore Green on a Tuesday night, and
Perry Barr on a Wednesday night if Monmore is unavailable. In spite of
having a very young side they look like continuing the great Heathens
tradition of success by very likely finishing top of the National League,
not bad for their first season. They will only be deprived of first place
if their great rivals, Buxton Hit-men, beat Kings Lynn away in their final
league fixture by 45 points or more-not impossible but unlikely. Ommer Um
Cradley! |
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| John says: Good luck to Cradley and I hope they come back with
their own stadium soon. Any level of speedway is worth supporting. By the way, us that don't speak fluent
black country, would like to know what, Ommer Um Cradley! means? |
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Mike says: Hi John. To a non-native of the Black
Country I suppose Ommer Um means nothing at all.! It was the Cradley
Heathens war-cry and has historical roots. Cradley Heath, and nearby
Netherton, were great chain-making areas back in the day and the vast
majority of the chains were made by hand. This involved heating a length
of metal bar, bending both ends round, and hammering the 2 ends together
while still red hot to weld them into a strong joint and hence make a
single link of the chain. This was repeated over and over until you ended
up with the length of chain required. Hammer, in Black Country speak, is
Ommer, hence the war cry. Regards, Mike. |
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John says: So "Ommer" means Hammer (I
can see that now!) I suppose the "ommer" is the symbol shown on the
Cradley racejacket. I was a Patternmaker in the 1960's
my end of apprenticeship test was to carve a 2 feet long chain from a solid piece of
hardwood, my chain was a bit manky but I did it. I will now feel
affiliated to Cradley for all time. Ha ha. I hope Cradley/Dudley
Heathens prove with decent attendances that at least Premier
League speedway could come back to the town. |
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| Cradley Heath of Yesteryear |
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| Cradley Heath v Wombwell
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| 23rd
August 1947 |
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| Courtesy of Graham Gleave |
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| The Cradley Boys |
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| Graham Gleave sent me this
picture, he says it dates from 1948. If you can name anyone
on this team photo please email me
John |
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| Phil Malpass |
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| Courtesy of Graham Gleave |
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| Cradley Heath v Liverpool
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| 30th April 1951 |
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| Courtesy
of Graham Gleave |
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| I like the graphic art of
"Cradley" appearing as part of the rider and all for 6d which I
think was 2.5 pence |
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| Alan Hunt |
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| Cradley & England Rider Alan Hunt |
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| Col Greenwell says: Hi John, pretty sure that is Alan Hunt
Cradley/Birmingham rider. He lost his life in a track accident in South
Africa.....I think it was 1957 |
Steve Baker says: Hi John, the pictured England rider is
Cradley and Birmingham legend Alan Hunt.
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| Courtesy of Graham Gleave |
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| A great action photo of the
spectacular Alan Hunt, battling his way past Tommy Allott to gain
a 5-1 for the Heathens. |
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| Alan Hunt Again |
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| Courtesy of Graham Gleave |
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| Memories of Alan
"Whacker" Hunt |
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David Clarke says: Alan was my favourite speedway rider, who on
his day could beat anybody.I met him several times he was easy to
talk to and a very nice man.Whilst I was in the RAF, I went to see
Alan ride for England, he hit a bump in his first race and injured
himself, towards the end of the meeting he was brought in as a
tactical substitute, a, man standing next to me said what have
they brought him in for he fell first time, I said to him, I bet
you £1.00 he wins the race he said no way I said put your money
where your mouth is he reluctantly agreed and Alan won the race we
won the match I think it was Australia or New Zealand we were
riding. Dick Bradley of England
was the star with 17 points,
but for me Alan made my night by winning that race. I will never
forget the look on the face of the fan when Alan won. I will
always remember Alan till the day I die, he probably would have
survived had he had today’s crash helmets.
David Clarke. (God
Bless you Alan) |
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Alan Hunt &
Les
Marshall |
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| Courtesy of Graham Gleave |
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| Eric Williams |
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| Courtesy of Mike Kemp |
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| 1960s Cradley Heath |
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| Cradley Heath
1963 |
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| Courtesy of Speedway Star |
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Tommy Sweetman
(Wolves) v Heathen
Ivor Brown |
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| What a great action shot!
Haven't we all seen racing like this. The rider comes in
fast on the inside and the rider on the outside falls, the ref
stops the race and disqualifies the guy on the inside for causing
the stoppage! I would bet that Ivor would not have made
contact with Tommy whose front wheel angle suggests he is drifting
wide anyway. |
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| Roy Trigg |
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A Team of
3 Ivors |
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Can you name this Cradley team, I
believe this side had two or maybe three riders with christian
name Ivor?
John
Steve Remington has been in touch he says: From the back
left, Chris Julian, Clive Featherby, Ted Flanaghan (team Manager) Rick France,
Ivor Hughes. Front Matt Mattocks, Ivor Brown, Chum Taylor. Rick France
must have been a guest as I don't remember him being a Heathen. |
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Ivor number 1
Ivor Hughes
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| Cradley's number 1 rider was Ivor Brown
but here we celebrate the late Ivor Hughes: - |
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| Ivor Hughes in
action - Was he killed after crashing at Dudley Wood, during the 1960's?
John |
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Bob Bath says: John, Yes Ivor Hughes was killed in 1966- after
being injured at Cradley Aug 20th in the final heat v. Sheffield |
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Keith Homer says: I
was at the meeting when Ivor unfortunately lost his life. Very
sad night. I know it was a long time ago, before I left
school, so I could be wrong. I seem to remember the match was
a tour meeting against a Swedish team, Vargana. As I say
I may be wrong but could you check? We said we had lost a
future world champion in Ivor.
best regards, Keith. |
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| John
says: We will have to wait until another visitor to this page
clears this up. If you know who the opposition was at
Cradley when Ivor lost his life, please let me know
John |
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Colin Jewes says: It was indeed in the league match v.
Sheffield that Ivor H. received fatal injuries from which he
died 3 days later in Dudley Guest Hospital on August 23rd.
1966. The connection with the Vargarna Tourist meeting comes
from Ivor’s defeat of the then World Champ Bjorn Knutsson in
the Scratch Race Final of that match 2 weeks earlier, from
which he became acclaimed a possible future World Champ. |
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Having been at the meeting, I joined his brother Les & Ivor’s
young wife and child at the Guest that Saturday evening.
The family returned to Berriew and we re-convened on
Sunday when manager Ted Flanaghan and the hospital team
sought advise from the surgeon that had saved Arne Pander
after he’d had similar skull injuries a few years earlier,
but the prognosis wasn’t good. Les stayed over with us in
Dudley on the Monday night, but in the early hours of
Tuesday it was over.
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A trophy in Ivor Hughes’ name is still awarded annually by
the Heathens club. See
http://www.speedwaychampions.com/memorial-trophies.php |
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Ivor number 2
Ivor Davies
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| This is Cradley's
Ivor Davies. Cradley had 3 Ivors in the 1960's must be some kind of record |
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Ivor number 3
Ivor Brown |
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| Yes. Here's Ivor number three: Ivor Brown.
I remember him riding at my home track, Brough Park Newcastle, in the
1960s. Ivor was great around our tight turns. He used to give
our top man (Ivan Mauger) a run for his money. Ivor Brown is a
name I remember still, some 50 years later. |
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| Cradley v Glasgow |
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| British League |
| 24th June 1967 |
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| Courtesy of Wattie Dunlop |
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| Courtesy of Wattie Dunlop |
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| Cradley Heath v Prague |
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| Courtesy of Wattie Dunlop |
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| Courtesy of Wattie Dunlop |
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| Courtesy of Wattie Dunlop |
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| Cradley v Glasgow |
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| Courtesy of Wattie Dunlop |
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| Courtesy of Wattie Dunlop |
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| Cradley Heath v Newcastle |
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| Courtesy of J Spoor |
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| I believe this photo was taken
during 1968 but it is maybe from 1967. Can you name
the 4 riders
John |
| Hi John, hope you are well,
the riders in your Cradley v Newcastle pic on Name the Rider 3 are
Ivor Brown and Graham Coombes leading Russ Dent and Peter Kelly.
It was taken on 15th April 1967, first bend of heat 1 it would
seem. The picture was used on the front of the Cradley programme
for the whole of the 1968 season so I can see where you may think
it was taken in 68. All the best, Steve |
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| Harry Bastable |
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Bob Andrews Leads Charlie Monk
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| At Glasgow's Hampden Park |
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Picture courtesy of Bob Andrews
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| Bob Andrews leading Glasgow's Charlie Monk
at Glasgow's Hampden Park. Bob is showering his Cradley
partner in Hampden dirt! Bob has become a friend of mine
through the website and his grandson, Bradley Andrews, aged 15 at
time of writing this (2013) is showing signs of emulating his
grandad. I look forward to the Andrews clan coming to the UK
from their New Zealand homes, to further the career of young
Bradley. |
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| Cradley Heath v Glasgow
1969 |
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| Courtesy of Wattie Dunlop |
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| Courtesy of Wattie Dunlop |
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Bernt Persson |
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| Another Great Heathen and what a name
to get you noticed, although I would decline an invite to a
barbecue at Bernt's just in case! |
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| Eric Hockaday |
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| Cradley Heath v Glasgow
1971 |
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| Courtesy of Wattie Dunlop |
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| Courtesy of Wattie Dunlop |
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| What was guaranteed to send
the home fans home happy in the 13 heat match days? A 40-38
score thats what! Glasgow were unlucky to lose their team
stalwart Willie Templeton in heat 1. The "Fife Flyer" would
have scored at least 3 or 4 points and Glasgow could have won the
match |
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Simon Cross |
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The
Greatest Cradley Rider Of All? Bruce Penhall |
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Some of Bruce's Acheivements: - |
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1978 |
British League Pairs Champion
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1980 |
U.S. National Champion |
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1981 |
U.S. National Champion |
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1981 |
British League Champion |
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1981 |
World Champion |
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1981 |
World Pairs Champion |
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1982 |
World Champion |
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1982 |
World Team Speedway Championship
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2008 |
A.M.A. Motorcycle Hall of Fame
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2011 |
Motorsports Hall Of Fame
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