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Dick Harris (speedway rider)

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British motorcycle speedway rider

Dick Harris
Born24 January 1909 (1909-01-24)
Littlehampton, West Sussex, England
Died5 February 1987(1987-02-05) (aged 78)
Broad Oak, Wealden Heathfield, East Sussex
NationalityBritish (English)
Career history
1938–1939Harringay Tigers
1938Lea Bridge Cubs
1946–1950Wimbledon Dons
1951Wolverhampton Wasps
1952St Austell Gulls
1953Plymouth Devils

Richard Cranwell Harris (24 January 1909 – 5 February 1987) was an international motorcycle speedway rider from England. He earned five international caps for the England national speedway team.

Biography

Harris, born in Littlehampton, West Sussex, worked in the printing and carpentry trades before earning enough money to buy a motorbike to ride in grasstrack competitions for the Hastings Motorcycle Club during 1935. He won the Silver Wings trophy in 1936. He began his British leagues career riding for Harringay Tigers during the 1938 Speedway National League and also appeared for the Lea Bridge Cubs in the second division.

Harris continued with Harringay in 1939 but broke his leg in August, which ended his season. As it turned out, the entire league season ended shortly afterwards due to the outbreak of war. During the war years, Harris appeared in charity meetings earning funds for the war effort. When league action returned in 1946, he joined Wimbledon Dons and he enjoyed a solid season in 1947, averaging 5.61 for the London club. At the end of the 1947 season he was selected for England to tour Australia during the winter.

After a failed transfer exchange with Odsal Boomerangs in early 1948, he remained with Wimbledon until the end of the 1950 season but his form failed to improve any further. Odsal made another attempt to sign him in April 1951 but he eventually rode a few matches for Wolverhampton Wasps instead. He then rode matches for the St Austell Gulls during the 1952 Speedway Southern League.

References

  1. "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  2. "New Thrills". Hastings and St Leonards Observer. 6 June 1936. Retrieved 7 December 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. "1938 season results" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  4. "Speedway Notes". Eastbourne Gazette. 2 August 1939. Retrieved 7 December 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. "Rider averages 1929 to 2009" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  6. "Speedway Riders for Australia". Halifax Evening Courier. 2 October 1947. Retrieved 7 December 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. "Year by Year". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  8. "Speedway". Cornish Guardian. 3 July 1952. Retrieved 7 December 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
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