1948 Speedway National League

Summary

The entrant list was the same as the previous season. New Cross Rangers won the National League for the second time.

Fatalities

1948 proved to be the worst season so far in regard to fatalities. During the 1947 season two riders had died on the same day but 1948 saw three riders killed during the season. It started with 37-year-old Reg Craven, on his debut for Yarmouth Bloaters. Craven crashed with two Poole Pirates riders at Poole (on 26 April) during a National Trophy match and died eight days later (4 May) from a fractured skull in hospital. Billy Wilson of Norwich Stars and Eric Dunn of Hastings Saxons from the lower divisions were also killed.

Final League table

National League results

Matches 1–12

Teams play each other twice, once at home and once away.

Matches 13–24

Teams play each other twice, once at home and once away.

Anniversary Cup

On account of the small number of teams in the league the Anniversary Cup was run in a league format. Harringay Racers finished on top.

Teams play each other twice, once at home and once away.

Top Ten Riders (League only)

National Trophy

The 1948 Trophy was the 11th edition of the Knockout Cup.

Qualifying Competition Round 1

Qualifying Competition Round 2

Qualifying Competition semifinal

Qualifying Competition final

Eliminating Competition First round

Eliminating Competition Second round

Eliminating Competition semifinal

Eliminating Competition final

First round

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Final

First leg Tommy Price 13 Bill Gilbert 13 Bill Kitchen 11 Wilbur Lamoreaux 7 Split Waterman 7 Bob Wells 6 Freddie Williams 5 Roy Craighead 2 Ron Johnson 12 Jeff Lloyd 11 Eric French 6 Geoff Pymar 5 Ray Moore 4 Bill Longley 3 Frank Lawrence 3 Lindsay Mitchell 0

Second leg Ron Johnson 18 Jeff Lloyd 10 Frank Lawrence 7 Eric French 5 Ray Moore 5 Geoff Pymar 4 Bill Longley 2 Lindsay Mitchell 1 Bill Gilbert 15 Wilbur Lamoreaux 9 Bill Kitchen 7 Split Waterman 7 Bob Wells 6 Tommy Price 5 Freddie Williams 4 Roy Craighead 3

Wembley were National Trophy Champions, winning on aggregate 120–96.

Riders' Championship

Vic Duggan won the British Riders' Championship final held at Empire Stadium on 16 September, in front of nearly 90,000 spectators.

• f=fell

London Cup

First round

Semi final round

Final

First leg Wilbur Lamoreaux 15 Bill Gilbert 14 Bill Kitchen 10 Tommy Price 10 Split Waterman 7 Freddie Williams 4 George Saunders 3 Bob Wells 2 Ron Johnson 16 Frank Lawrence 5 Ray Moore 4 Bill Longley 4 Cyril Roger 3 Eric French 3 Jeff Lloyd 3 Geoff Pymar 2

Second leg Cyril Roger 15 Ron Johnson 14, Geoff Pymar 10 Jeff Lloyd 5 Ray Moore 5 Eric French 4 Frank Lawrence 4 Bill Longley 1 Bill Gilbert 14 Bill Kitchen 13 Freddie Williams 8 Tommy Price 5 Split Waterman 5 Wilbur Lamoreaux 3 Bob Wells 1 George Saunders 1

Wembley won on aggregate 115–98

Riders & final averages

Belle Vue

• 9.35
• 7.46
• 6.92
• 6.00
• 5.76
• 5.60
• 4.96
• 4.27
• 3.75
• 2.00

Harringay

• 11.42
• 8.53
• 7.23
• 7.23
• 6.67
• 6.56
• 5.37
• 4.96
• 4.68
• 3.84

New Cross

• 10.33
• 8.17
• 7.96
• 7.39
• 7.27
• 7.15
• 7.12
• 5.48
• 5.79
• 2.00
• 0.67

Odsal

• 9.63
• 8.57
• 7.72
• 7.34
• 6.15
• 5.60
• 4.00
• 3.33
• 3.71
• 3.20
• 2.78
• 2.40
• 1.50

Wembley

• 9.71
• 9.65
• 8.81
• 8.27
• 7.63
• 7.17
• 6.43
• 5.40
• 4.26
• 3.37
• 2.50

West Ham

• 9.59
• CAN Eric Chitty 9.21
• 8.13
• 7.01
• 5.89
• 5.64
• 5.30
• 3.58
• 0.67

Wimbledon

• 9.09
• 9.48
• 7.19
• 5.37
• 4.87
• 3.80
• 3.59
• 3.43
• 2.35
• 2.29

References

References

1. "Historic league tables". Speedway Archive.
2. "BRITISH LEAGUE TABLES - POST-WAR ERA (1946-1964)".
3. "Year by Year".
4. Rogers, Martin. (1978). "The Illustrated History of Speedway". Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd.
5. (4 May 1948). "Died from crash on speedway". Gloucestershire Echo.
6. "1948 National Trophy". Speedway archive.
7. "1947 National Trophy".
8. "1948 fixtures".
9. (17 September 1948). "Speedway title for Jack Parker". Daily News (London).
10. (25 September 1948). "Wembley Capture London Cup". Daily News (London).