Bob Harrison (speedway rider)
 | |
| Born | 26 April 1906 Mellor, England |
|---|---|
| Died | 1 January 1965 (aged 58) Perth, Western Australia |
| Nationality | British (English) |
| Career history | |
| 1929–1939, 1949 | Belle Vue Aces |
| 1946–1949 | West Ham Hammers |
| Team honours | |
| 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936 | National League Champion |
| 1933, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1949 | National Trophy Winner |
| 1930, 1931 | Northern League Champion |
| 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937 | A.C.U. Cup Winner |
| 1939 | British Speedway Cup winner |
Robert Edwin Harrison (26 April 1906 in Mellor[1] – 1 January 1965) was an international speedway rider who featured in the first Speedway World Championship in final in 1936.[2][3]
Career summary
[edit]Harrison started his career with the Belle Vue Aces in 1929 and stayed with them until the outbreak of World War II in 1939.[4] In 1930 he made his England debut in the first ever Test series against Australia.[5] Harrsion was in the Aces team that won the National League championship four times in succession from 1933 to 1936.[6] They also won the National Trophy four times between 1933 and 1937.
In 1937, Harrison while riding for Belle Vue Aces, broke his left leg on the same night that teammate Stan Hart (who was riding for Belle Vue Merseysiders in a Provincial league match) was killed.[7]
After the war Harrison was allocated to the West Ham Hammers by the Speedway Control Board.[8] He scored well for the Hammers but a serious injury in 1947 affected him badly. A poor season in 1948 left Harrison contemplating retirement. After one meeting for West Ham in the 1949 season he transferred back to the Belle Vue Aces where he helped them win the National Trophy.[4]
Harrison retired from racing at the end of the 1949 season. At retirement he had earned ten international caps for England.[3]
World Final Appearances
[edit]- 1936 -
London, Wembley Stadium - 12th - 5pts + 10 semi-final points[2] - 1937 - London, Wembley Stadium - 17th - 7 semi-final points
Players cigarette cards
[edit]Harrison is listed as number 19 of 50 in the 1930s Player's cigarette card collection.[9]
References
[edit]- ^ Addison J. (1948). The People Speedway Guide. Odhams Press Limited
- ^ a b Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). A History of the World Speedway Championship. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. ISBN 0-7524-2402-5
- ^ a b "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ a b Pavey,A. (2004) Speedway in the North-West, Tempus Publishing Ltd. ISBN 0-7524-3192-7
- ^ Foster, P. (2005) History of the Speedway Ashes, The History Press Ltd. ISBN 0-7524-3468-3
- ^ "Rider averages 1929 to 2009" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
- ^ "Belle Vue rider killed at Birmingham". Nottingham Evening Post. 26 August 1937. Retrieved 23 September 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ Belton, Brian (2003). Hammerin' Round. Stroud: Tempus Publishing ISBN 0-7524-2438-6
- ^ "Speedway Riders 19". Speedway Museum Online. Retrieved 10 October 2021.