George Major (speedway rider)
| Born | 26 October 1939 Donnington, Oxfordshire, England |
|---|---|
| Nationality | British (English) |
| Career history | |
| 1959 | Aldershot Shots |
| 1960 | Yarmouth Bloaters |
| 1961 | Newcastle Diamonds |
| 1962 | Neath Welsh Dragons |
| 1963 | St. Austell Gulls |
| 1961, 1963–1964, 1969–1970, 1972 | Oxford Cheetahs/Rebels |
| 1964 | Norwich Stars |
| 1964–1965, 1973 | Cradley Heathens/United |
| 1966–1967, 1971 | Sheffield Tigers |
| 1968 | Leicester Lions |
| 1970 | Doncaster Dragons |
| 1970 | Newport Wasps |
| 1971–1975 | Birmingham Brummies |
| Team honours | |
| 1974 | British League Division Two Champion |
| 1974 | British League Division Two KO Cup Winner |
| 1975 | New National League Champion |
Clive George Major (born 26 October 1939) is a former motorcycle speedway rider from England.[1]
Biography
[edit]Born in Donnington, Oxfordshire,[2] Major's first speedway experience was riding on a track built on a rubbish tip in his home town.[3] He made his competitive debut in 1959 for Aldershot Shots in the Southern Area League.[3] In the early 1960s he rode for Yarmouth Bloaters, Newcastle Diamonds, Neath Welsh Dragons, St Austell Gulls, and Norwich Stars before riding for his home town club, Oxford Cheetahs in 1963 and 1964.[3] In 1964 he signed for Cradley Heathens, and was the team's top scorer in 1964 before riding with them in the first season of the British League the following year, in which he averaged over 7.5 points per match.[3][4]
After two seasons with Sheffield Tigers he signed for Leicester Lions in 1968, before returning to Oxford in the 1969 season after injury saw him lose his place in the Lions team.[3][4] In 1970, no longer a high points scorer at the top level, he dropped down to the second division with Doncaster Stallions,[5] averaging over 9.5 over the season, with 4 maximum points scores.[3] Four seasons with Birmingham Brummies followed, in which he captained the team[6] and continued to score highly in the second division, before retiring at the end of the 1975 season.[2]
Major represented Britain in 1963 and 1964 in Test matches against an Overseas team, and England in 1964 against Scotland.[3] He competed in the first British Final in 1965, finishing thirteenth.[3] He competed in the Second Division Riders Final in 1971 and 1972, finishing seventh and ninth respectively.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
- ^ a b Hearn, Dan (2010) "Speedway stars hold memorial reunion", Banbury Cake, 9 October 2010, retrieved 2012-03-24
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Oakes, Peter & Mauger, Ivan (1976) Who's Who of World Speedway, Studio Publications, ISBN 0-904584-04-6, p. 79-80
- ^ a b Jones, Alan (2010) Speedway in Leicester: The Lions Roar, Automedia, p. 157
- ^ "George Major may bring silver helmet". Berwick Advertiser. 6 August 1970. Retrieved 28 September 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "George Major". Sports Argus. 19 June 1971. Retrieved 28 September 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- 1939 births
- Living people
- British speedway riders
- English motorcycle racers
- Sportspeople from Oxford
- Aldershot Shots riders
- Yarmouth Bloaters riders
- Newcastle Diamonds riders
- Neath Welsh Dragons riders
- St Austell Gulls riders
- Oxford Cheetahs riders
- Norwich Stars riders
- Cradley Heathens riders
- Sheffield Tigers riders
- Leicester Lions riders
- Doncaster Stallions riders
- Newport Wasps riders
- Birmingham Brummies riders