The 1960's - Part Three

Ivan Mauger

I have waited a year before adding many pictures of Ivan to the site as I wanted nothing but the best possible shots of him and a lot of pictures I could have used had copyright issues over them.  BUT....Ivan has now been in touch following a conversation he had with his friend Dave Gifford (who has helped me a lot with this site) and today Ivan's own pictures are shown below with his permission.  Thank you Ivan (the site now has it's pictures of the master!).  If you read this Ivan then why not type up some text to go with them?

Who can forget this man and this bike too.  The white mudguard and black Kiwi emblem must have struck fear into the rest of the world's top riders because they would have been looking at this rear mudguard almost every time he rode against them!

Phrases like "living legend"," the greatest ever" and "simply the best" have been used about many riders but they all apply to "Ivan the Great".  He was born in Christchurch, New Zealand and first came to England in the late 50's.  Wimbledon gave him some rides but didn't spot the potential he had.  He was more famous for his mispronounced (Mawger) surname then than his riding and went back to NZ.  Mauger (pronounced Major) was brought back to England by Mike Parker and he took his place in the Diamonds side of 1963.  Ivan quickly replaced the Diamonds star man Brian Craven as the darling of the Brough Park terraces.

1964? 

I remember Ivan lodging with the next door neighbour of my cousin who lived in Heaton, Newcastle.  Hey Ivan do you remember an 11 year old pestering you over the fence? That was me! 

Q: Who is that with number 3 on his back in the picture shown above? John

Update: Dave Rowland suggests that the number 3 rider above is Bill Andrew. Can anyone confirm that?  Another email suggests that Bill Andrew only wore number 3 twice and only Ken Sharples made that jacket his own during 1964.  Another 60's fan advises  Peter Kelly wore it twice, Goog Allen twice and Morrie Robinson once.  So was it Bill Andrew?  let us know if you recognise the rider John  

In the above picture, the 3rd bike along the line shows what appears to be a brake drum on the front wheel and as the following picture shows the same bike ridden by Russ Dent then bike number 3 above belongs to Russ.

Ivan quickly got to grips with the Provincial League (2nd Division). and by the1964 season he was winning his races by a mile.  1965 saw Newcastle become founder members of the British League and Ivan the Great was one of the reasons why the Diamonds became that years league champions.  He was a devotee of the British JAP engine and he broke track records on his JAP everywhere he rode.  Then he changed to ESO and was even better.

Update: Ivan informs me that the team won the Provincial League title in 1964. I stand corrected by someone who should know! Thanks Ivan!

I had all the match programmes and Speedway Stars, from the 60's but sold them on very cheaply to save storage space, when I moved house. How I wish I still had them now as a reference source for the website.  If you have a good collection hang onto them!

I also remember the sticking tape on Ivan's right boot in the above picture? Was that to do with an injury Ivan? John

Ivan Mauger is the only Newcastle rider to date, actually to bring the world title back to Brough Park whilst still a member of the Diamonds he did this in September 1968.

Ivan and promoter Mike Parker had differences that they couldn't settle (not about money), So Ivan's ambitions led him to leave Newcastle at the end of 1968 for a bigger club Belle Vue.  Ivan's Career took off again at BV and he went on to win four more world titles. The rest is as you say "History" and could fill this page all by itself.  

Thanks for the chance to see your photographs Ivan

Ivan Wins a world championship round.  Charlie Monk is on the right. Can you name the other rider please? John

Update:

John

1969

40 Years have gone by in a flash but who is the best remembered Newcastle rider?  Ivan Mauger

Ivan after winning yet another trophy, his house must have been full of them

Ivan on his trusty JAP, I don't know the year or the track  John

Dave Train says Ivan is at Old Meadowbank

Ivan in Y/B. I don't recognise the track or the other riders

These pictures were sent to me by Dave Gifford and show Dave and Ivan and Ivan with Ian Hoskins, they date from 2003

Video Clip - Ivan 1973 world final

Video clip courtesy of http://www.grachan.co.uk

Contemporary of Ivan's. Bob Andrews has emailed me in a light-hearted debate about Ivan rolling at starts, sparked by this video clip of Ivan coming from the back.

Hi John,

            I once passed someone, about 1961 I think? Might have been Bert Harkins? Ha. Ha. When I first rode at Newcastle, the "starter" used to get the visiting riders (like me) to come up to the tape and stand still, then Ivan would come up at about 10 mph. and keep going. (and win) Me being a fast learner, would do that at my next ride, but it was deemed a false start. That is how Ivan had so many maximums in his early days. Mind you the "Ref" used to wear a Newcastle scarf.

Bob (old but reliable) Andrews.  26th August 2005

Thanks Bob for shattering my memories of Ivan!! It would be great to hear from any ref from the era, I remember them holding the tapes longer when Ivan was in a race.  It was a battle of wits for a ref to catch him out!  I will bet they went home happy if they forced him to break the tapes eh?

Photo Courtesy of John Robson

This is the 1966 team. The riders from memory are:-

Mike Watkin, Brian "Pommie" Brett, Alan Butterfield, Ivan Mauger (on bike), Russ Dent, Peter Kelly and someone whose face I just don't recognise! Help me out there someone please. John

Update: -

Dave Gifford tells me the rider on the far right was Kiwi Graham Coombes who sadly passed away some years ago.

Mike, Alan and Russ were locals and very popular with the fans. Pommie Brian Brett was a Londoner who was signed to cover for an injury to Ivan.  He was so good he was kept on when Ivan returned to action.  I remember him quitting at a relatively young age to concentrate on a big time window cleaning business. Peter Kelly was a Merseysider I think and he did a great job for the team. He often beat the best in the world around Brough.  Ivan during this period became the "Match Race" specialist.  He held the Silver Sash and Silver Helmet where he took on the top scoring opponent in every match in a series of match races. Everyone got used to Mauger winning and if he slipped to 2nd once in a match we considered he had had a bad match.

Picture supplied by Pauline Percival

Another shot of the 1966 team with the crowd all around the stadium

left to right: Peter Kelly, Mike Watkin, Brian Brett, Russ Dent and Alan Butterfield, Graham Coombes, Ivan Mauger.

I was at this test match and I can remember a huge crowd easily the biggest I have ever seen at Brough between 1961 and the present time.  I have the attendance figure of 12,000 in my mind but that is unconfirmed.

Have you noticed the old fashioned gauntlets Igor’s wearing, bits of a rarity even in those days. From memory I believe his leathers were an older style as well, unlike the more modern gear the England riders were wearing. It’s a complete contrast to modern day Speedway with its flashy gear. However Igor didn’t need flashy gear to be world class and he certainly was. He put Russian Speedway on the map. Again from memory something tells me Igor didn’t look settled in his first two rides but I can’t remember if it was due to the track or his bike, but he certainly flew in his last four outings. Here is his profile from the program.

Boris Samoradov and Brian Brett racing before a crowd of 12000 at Brough Park in 1966

Ole Olsen

Ole from Vojens in Denmark came to Newcastle on the advice of Ivan Mauger in 1967.  I remember Ole riding an ESO with the distinctive clip on handlebars and I spent many Monday nights in the pits as a 14 year old looking at him (hadn't seen a Dane before) or an ESO up close, although Alan Butterfield has informed me that he had one before Ole.  I remember Ole's first match, he scored well on a very wet track.  Ole took over from Ivan as the crowds favourite when Ivan departed in 1968 for Belle Vue.  Ole became a triple world champion but never quite matched up to Ivan (no one yet has done that).  Ole is now a well respected figure as an administrator in the Speedway Grand Prix series.  He departed to Wolverhampton for 1970 when Mike Parker pulled out of Brough Park.

Ian Hoskins told me recently that had Ole stayed at Newcastle when Ian took over in 1970 the club may have survived instead it closed down at the end of the 1970 season.

Ole 1968

Bernt Persson and Ole Olsen

Ole with the "Eddie Glennon Trophy" in August 1968

Here is Dave Gifford's account of Ole and Ivan driving back to Geordie-land from an an open meeting at Wimbledon, a big open meeting he says, maybe it was the Internationale or the Laurels.

SPROUTS AND THE DANE 

For reasons that are still not quite clear Giffy was not invited to ride but the story is still pretty good even without me in it. (Dantodan: We know you should have been invited too matey, an oversight and a massive blunder by Wimbledon).

giffy

1972 World Champion, Ivan Mauger, with Ole Olsen (right) and Bernt Persson.

Ivan with a bad back or has someone stolen his roll of carpet.

Dave Gifford

"Giffy"

Picture from the man himself.

Dave Gifford was without doubt, one of Newcastle's greatest assets.  Giffy hailed from New Zealand and he settled well on Tyneside, developing a love for Newcastle Brown Ale (allegedly!)  Mr G was an instant hit with the fans, we all had his autograph even before he had won anything!  He eventually did the business and got points for the team when they mattered. He was a wild man but never dirty as a rider.  Giffy was involved in lots of exciting races and he gets my vote as the 1960's Mr entertainer.

Er! whoever put the text on the above picture is not the world's greatest speller it should read Belle Vue!

Dave is active still in NZ., not riding though, he exhibits bikes, memorabilia and trophies, mainly Ivan Mauger's around his native NZ.

The following pictures are from Giffy's own collection, thank you for sharing them with us Dave.

Hmmmm? I think we know why you're covered in dirt Giffy and Ivan is spotless!  But then again you maybe entertained us more than the great man did?

Giffy with a goatee, handsome Dave posing like a film star for this picture.  What follows below the picture is the guy's tribute to all on Tyneside.  Dave was an adopted Geordie and it is clear he enjoyed being here.

So there has been 75 years of Speedway at Newcastle, I find that a rather humbling thought. Think of all those great riders of the past who must have raced there in front of the greatest bunch of speedway supporters in the world and all the history they created, it really is a remarkable achievement.

They say you never forget your first girlfriend but I have and a few more besides, but I've never forgotten the first British Team I rode for, that is something you remember for ever if the team happens to be the Newcastle Diamonds.

I've always considered myself most fortunate to have spent five magical seasons at Newcastle and although I cant be with you in person my thoughts are most certainly with all the wonderful people on Tyneside who were responsible for memories that don't fade, even with the passing of time. 

I hope the Celebrations are a huge success and may the Brown Ale flow like the Tyne itself, HAWAY THE LADS!!!

Peace, Giffy.

Big thank you to Dave Gifford for the words, pictures and memories.  Call in Giffy if you ever pay the UK a visit I will buy the Broon Ale!

Team 67

This photo was in the November 1969 Speedway Post. Do you think it was taken at Brough? If it was then it would be the England V New Zealand match on August 18th 1969. Giffy did OK scoring 14 points from 6 rides. He rode Number 4 and Ronnie Moore rode Number 3, so I guess that’s Ronnie on the outside. The final score England 47 New Zealand 61

Now Giffy has been in touch, and this site has benefited from his input, there must be other riders etc who could help us with our history so come on and follow Dave's lead send an e-mail to Newcastle Speedway History

No change to track record all season (71.0 seconds Ivan Mauger 9/5/1966) I think Alan Paynter was the only other rider to turn out for the Diamonds (3 Meetings 0 Points) Russ disappeared from the program mid-season, I can’t remember why. I know he had problems keeping his place in the team. Did he move to another track?

Well he did score and went on to win the world championship 3 times and if had still been at Newcastle in 1971 we probably wouldn't have close according to a conversation with Ian Hoskins.

Ivan won

When Ivan beat Barry on 9-5-66 Ivan broke the track record which stood for 2 years Ole Olsen equalled Ivan’s 2-year-old track record on July 22^nd 1968 (71.0 seconds) in the scratch race final of all races.

For non residents of Tyneside best of luck in reading the above if you need a translation ask Barry Wallace.

Murray Burt. Could be either 1968 or 1969. A New Zealander who rode for Wimbledon in 1967. In 1968 and 1969 he rode for Nelson in Div 2 and doubled up with Newcastle in Div 1.

Dave Scofield, Eric Tilgaard and Ole Olens.  Ole obviously was winning that night.

This picture proves that Ivan Mauger could be headed at Brough.  This is Hackney Hawk, Colin Pratt out in front.

Mike Watkin, Goog Allen, Unknown? Ole Olsen, Dave Gifford, Alan Butterfield with Ivan Mauger on his Bike

Ole Olsen got the track record down to 70.8 seconds on 29th July. I was a regular at Brough from 1961 to 1970 and I feel 1969 was one of the low points in Newcastle Speedway History. No replacement for Ivan Mauger. Guest riders or rider replacement all season what a farce. A sad end to the 60’s and the Mike Parker era.

1969 wasn't a good year for the fans.  It is summed up pretty well by the Evening Chronicle's Sam Brookes as follows

Australian Garry Middleton

Newcastle at Newport Norman Strachan leads Alan Butterfield Dave Gifford and Jon Erskine

To continue Newcastle's Speedway History click 1970's

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