1937 Speedway National League

British speedway league season September 2023 September 2023 National League Division One 7 1937 Provincial League Champions West Ham Hammers National Trophy Belle Vue Aces A.C.U Cup Belle Vue Aces London Cup New Cross Rangers Jack Milne 1936 1938 The 1937 National League Division One was the ninth season of the highest tier of motorcycle speedway in Great Britain.http://edinburghspeedway.blogspot.com/p/compet.html Historic league tables Speedway ArchiveRogers Martin The Illustrated History of Speedway 1978 129 Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd 0-904584-45-3https://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/history/leaguetables1929-1939 BRITISH LEAGUE TABLES - PRE-WAR ERA (1929-1939) Official British Speedway website 6 August 2021 Summary The entrants were the same seven teams as the previous season.http://www.speedwaygb.co/history/leaguetables1937.php 1937 league tables Speedway GB West Ham Hammers won their first national title despite finishing bottom the previous season.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004848/19370922/556/0017 West Ham are the new Speedway Champions Daily Express 22 September 1937 British Newspaper Archive subscription 26 February 2025 In the process they stopped Belle Vue Aces from claiming a fifth consecutive title win. Belle Vue did however go on to win the cup double winning the Knockout Cup for the fifth successive year and the A.C.U Cup for the fourth successive year.https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/yearbyyear.html Year by Year Speedway Researcher 6 August 2021 Roy Clarence Vigor (Reg Vigor) was fatally injured during a match at Wimbledon Stadium on 27 September. He hit a safety fence and his bike landed on top of him. He died in Nelson Hospital, Merton, three days later.http://motorsportmemorial.org/focus.php?db=ms&n=8111 Reg Vigor Motorsport Memorial 6 August 2021http://www.speedwaymuseumonline.co.uk/wimbledon-endoftheroar.html Wimbledon Speedway part one Speedway Museum 6 August 2021 His death came just one month after the death of Stan Hart in the 1937 Provincial Speedway League. Final table Pos Team PL W D L Pts1 West Ham Hammers 24 18 0 6 362 Wembley Lions 24 16 0 8 323 New Cross Rangers 24 16 0 8 324 Belle Vue Aces 24 13 0 11 265 Hackney Wick Wolves 24 10 0 14 206 Harringay Tigers 24 9 0 15 187 Wimbledon Dons 24 2 0 22 4 Fixtures & results A fixtures main FBR grey BV HAC HAR NC WEM WH WIM Belle Vue 47–37 52–31 54–29 48–36 39–45 62–22 Hackney 45–39 46–37 40–42 38–46 42–41 53–31 Harringay 41–43 54–30 49–35 46–36 35–48 47–32 New Cross 46–37 44–39 47–37 49–35 56–28 55–28 Wembley 43–40 44–40 48–36 52–31 52–30 56–28 West Ham 53–31 57–25 54–28 53–30 68–16 47–37 Wimbledon 30–53 40–44 45–38 40–42 31–49 38–43 complete https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/1937fixtures.pdf Speedway Researcher 1937 fixtures & results 27 November 2024 B fixtures main FBR grey BV HAC HAR NC WEM WH WIM Belle Vue 60–24 62–22 53–31 52–31 38–45 61–23 Hackney 44–39 43.5–38.5 43–40 34–49 49–32 54–29 Harringay 49–35 46–37 30–54 43–41 40–43 42–41 New Cross 51–33 58–26 49.5–34.5 42–41 47–37 48–35 Wembley 50–34 45–39 53–28 47–36 44–40 55–28 West Ham 43–38 52–31 59–24 55–28 49–34 65–19 Wimbledon 38–44 52–32 30–53 31–52 33–51 38–42 complete https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/1937fixtures.pdf Speedway Researcher 1937 fixtures & results 27 November 2024 Top ten riders Rider Nat Team C.M.A. 1 Jack Milne USA New Cross 11.09 2 Lionel van Praag AUS Wembley 10.53 3 Eric Langton ENG Belle Vue 10.18 4 Bluey Wilkinson AUS West Ham 10.14 5 Bill Kitchen ENG Belle Vue 9.88 6 Jack Parker ENG Harringay 9.71 7 Cordy Milne USA Hackney 9.38 8 Eric Chitty CAN 1921 West Ham 9.32 9 Joe Abbott ENG Belle Vue 8.98 10 Frank Charles ENG Wembley 8.96 National Trophy The 1937 National Trophy was the seventh edition of the Knockout Cup.http://edinburghspeedway.blogspot.com/2013/05/national-trophy-1937.html 1937 National Trophy Speedway archive Qualifying rounds Southampton Saints won the Provincial final and therefore secured a place in the quarter-finals. Quarterfinals Date Team one Score Team two05/06 Harringay 41-65 New Cross09/06 New Cross 76-31 Harringay07/06 Wimbledon 39-68 Belle Vue12/06 Belle Vue 80-28 Wimbledon08/06 West Ham 58-46 Hackney Wick11/06 Hackney Wick 60-48 West Ham 25/06replay Hackney Wick 65-43 West Ham29/06 Southampton 40-44 Wembley29/06replay West Ham 55-53 Hackney Wick Semifinals Date Team one Score Team two15/07 Wembley 50-58 New Cross14/07 New Cross 59-48 Wembley16/07 Hackney Wick 56-52 Belle Vue17/07 Belle Vue 69-39 Hackney Wick Final First leg 21 August 1937 Belle Vue AcesFrank Varey 16Bob Harrison 15Bill Kitchen 15Joe Abbott 11Eric Langton 9Wally Hull 4 70 – 38 https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/1937ntresults.pdf 1937 National Trophy Speedway Researcher 6 August 2021 New Cross RangersJack Milne 17George Newton 6Ron Johnson 6Stan Greatrex 4Joe Francis 4Clem Mitchell 1Norman Evans 0Bill Longley 0 Hyde Road Second leg 25 August 1937 New Cross StadiumJack Milne 18Joe Francis 14Ron Johnson 10George Newton 9Clem Mitchell 7Stan Greatrex 3Norman Evans 1 62 – 45 Belle Vue AcesEric Langton 14Joe Abbott 10Wally Hull 10Frank Varey 5Bill Kitchen 4Oliver Langton 2Bob Harrison 0 New Cross Stadium Belle Vue were National Trophy Champions, winning on aggregate 115-110. A.C.U Cup The 1937 Auto-Cycle Union Cup was the fourth edition of the Cup and was won by Belle Vue for the fourth time. The groups were decided on the number of heat points scored within matches, rather than match wins.https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/1937acuresultsgrid.pdf 1937 ACU Cup Speedway Researcher 6 August 2021 First round Group 1 Team PL W D L Race Pts Wembley Lions 6 6 0 0 319.5New Cross Rangers 6 3 0 3 311.5 Harringay Tigers 6 3 0 3 269 Wimbledon Dons 6 0 0 6 240 Group 2 Team PL W D L Race Pts Belle Vue Aces 4 1 0 3 202 West Ham Hammers 4 3 0 1 190 Hackney Wick Wolves 4 2 0 2 181 Group 1 main FBR grey HAR NC WEM WIM Harringay 52–41 44–52 47–46 New Cross 62–34 47–48 60–34 Wembley 53–42 54.5–41.5 58–38 Wimbledon 46–50 34–60 42–54 complete https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/1937.html Speedway Researcher 1937 fixtures & results 3 June 2025 Group 2 main FBR grey BV HAC WH Belle Vue 69–27 47–48 Hackney 52–44 62–34 West Ham 52–42 56–40 complete https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/1937.html Speedway Researcher 1937 fixtures & results 3 June 2025 Final Date Team one Team two Score07/10Wembley Belle Vue 49–4509/10Belle Vue Wembley 61–35 London Cup First round Team one Score Team twoNew Cross 65–43, 65–42 WimbledonWembley58–49, 61–46 Harringay Semi final round Team one Score Team twoHackney Wick49–59, 21–87 West HamNew Cross 62–46, 56–50 Wembley Final First leg 28 September 1937 West HamBluey Wilkinson 14Eric Chitty 12Tiger Stevenson 11Tommy Croombs 7Arthur Atkinson 5Charlie Spinks 2Jack Dixon 1 52–55 https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/1937record.pdf 1937 season results Speedway Researcher 16 September 2023 New CrossGeorge Newton 17Jack Milne 15Stan Greatrex 10Joe Francis 6 Ron Johnson 6Clem Mitchell 1Ernie Evans 0 West Ham Stadium Second leg 29 September 1937 New Cross Jack Milne 17Ron Johnson 14Stan Greatrex 11George Newton 9Joe Francis 6Clem Mitchell 4 Norman Evans 1 62–45 New Cross win London Cup for third time South London Observer 1 October 1937 https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004818/19371001/154/0010 British Newspaper Archive 16 September 2023 subscription West HamBluey Wilkinson 17Arthur Atkinson 10 Eric Chitty 9Tiger Stevenson 3Tommy Croombs 5Jack Dixon 1 New Cross Stadium New Cross won on aggregate 117–97 Riders & final averages Belle Vue 22em ENG Eric Langton 10.18 ENG Bill Kitchen 9.88 ENG Joe Abbott 9.49 ENG Bob Harrison 8.07 ENG Frank Varey 6.71 ENG Wally Hull 5.33 ENG Oliver Langton 4.39 ENG Jack Hargreaves 4.21 ENG Ernie Price 3.25 ENG Harold Jackson 2.46 ENG Acorn Dobson 2.77 Hackney 22em USA Cordy Milne 9.38 AUS Dicky Case 8.30 DEN Morian Hansen 7.63 ENG Bill Clibbett 5.54 ENG George Wilks 5.40 ENG George Greenwood 5.20 ENG Stan Dell 4.76 AUS Vic Duggan 4.14 ENG Doug Wells 3.58 ENG Frank Hodgson 3.40 ENG Ted Bravery 2.48 ENG Arch Windmill 1.71 Harringay 22em ENG Jack Parker 9.81 ENG Jack Ormston 8.29 NZL Jack Hobson 6.46 ENG Frank Goulden 6.33 ENG Les Wotton 6.21 ENG Alec Statham 5.49 AUS Clem Mitchell 5.48 AUS Dick Smythe 5.31 ENG Bob Lovell 3.50 ENG Stew Fairbairn 3.22 ENG Bill Pitcher 3.10 New Cross 22em USA Jack Milne 11.09 ENG George Newton 8.91 ENG Stan Greatrex 8.50 AUS Clem Mitchell 6.29 ENG Joe Francis 5.88 ENG Ron Johnson 5.83 ENG Norman Evans 5.80 AUS Ernie Evans 4.03 AUS Mick Murphy (John Glass) 3.56 ENG Nobby Key 3.38 ENG Jack Dalton 2.35 AUS Bill Longley 2.00 Wembley 22em AUS Lionel Van Praag 10.42 ENG Frank Charles 8.96 ENG Ginger Lees 8.24 ENG Eric Gregory 6.22 NZL Wally Kilmister 5.60 ENG Cliff Parkinson 5.37 ENG Tommy Price 5.37 ENG Wally Lloyd 5.00 ENG Gus Kuhn 5.00 ENG Colin Watson 2.00 West Ham 22em AUS Bluey Wilkinson 10.23 CAN 1921 Eric Chitty 9.37 ENG Tommy Croombs 8.92 ENG Arthur Atkinson 8.54 ENG Tiger Stevenson 7.18 AUS Charlie Spinks 6.03 ENG Broncho Dixon 5.83 ENG Ken Brett 5.60 ENG Phil Bishop 4.63 ENG Lloyd Goffe 3.50 Wimbledon 22em USA Wilbur Lamoreaux 8.14 AUS Eric Collins 6.92 ENG Claude Rye 5.88 AUS Bill Rogers 5.23 ENG Geoff Pymar 5.06 USA Byrd McKinney 5.02 AUS Wally Little 5.00 ENG Gus Kuhn 4.93 AUS Jack Sharp 4.89 ENG Wal Morton 4.00 USA Miny Waln 3.73 ENG Ron Howes 3.08 ENG Bert Spencer 2.86 ENG Reg Vigor 2.48 GER Nazi Alfred Rumrich 1.09 ENG Wilf Plant 0.29 See also List of United Kingdom Speedway League Champions Knockout Cup (speedway) References Category:Speedway National League Category:1937 in speedway Category:1937 in British motorsport