Tony Lewis | |
Nationality: | British (English) |
Birth Date: | 6 June 1923 |
Birth Place: | Bournemouth, England |
Career1: | Poole Pirates |
Years1: | 1950–1955, 1960–1964, 1967–1968 |
Career2: | Exeter Falcons |
Years2: | 1965 |
Career3: | West Ham Hammers |
Years3: | 1965 |
Teamyear1: | 1952, 1955, 1961, 1962 |
Teamhonour1: | League champion (tier 2) |
Teamyear2: | 1951 |
Teamhonour2: | League champion (tier 3) |
Teamyear3: | 1952, 1955 |
Teamhonour3: | National Trophy (tier 2) |
Teamyear4: | 1962, 1963, 1964 |
Teamhonour4: | Provincial Southern League Champion |
Alfred Edward Lewis (6 June 1923 – 6 October 1997) was a motorcycle speedway rider from England.[1]
Lewis, born in Bournemouth, raced on local grasstracks before being offered a contract by Poole Pirates manager Sid Hazzard in 1949. He began his British leagues career riding for Poole during the 1950 Speedway National League Division Three season.[2] The following season in 1951, he was part of the team that secured the league title.[3]
Lewis would ride for Poole for 13 seasons, spanning the years 1950 to 1968[4] and would become a club legend.[5] During his time at Poole, he helped them win the League title four times, 1952, 1955, 1961 and 1962, in addition to the National Trophy in 1952 and 1955.[6] His most serious injury was in 1955, when he fractured his skull during a tour of Sweden.[7] The crash nearly cost him his life and he missed four years of speedway.[5]
Lewis averaged 10.43 and 10.32 during the 1960 and 1961 seasons respectively,[8] and scored 2,435 points over 339 appearances for Poole.