Wally Green Explained

Wally Green
Nationality:British (English)
Birth Date:25 February 1918
Birth Place:London, England
Death Place:Barnet, England
Years1:1946–1947, 1949–1955
Career1:West Ham Hammers
Years2:1947
Career2:Eastbourne Eagles
Years3:1948
Career3:Hastings Saxons
Teamyear1:1947
Teamhonour1:National League Div III Champion

Walter Stanley Green (25 February 1918[1] – 11 December 2006) was an international motorcycle speedway rider who finished second in the World Championship final in 1950.[2] [3]

Career

Green started his career with the West Ham Hammers in 1946 after being spotted at a training school run by Dicky Case. He was not a regular in the side at that time, so in 1947 he was loaned to the Eastbourne Eagles where he won the National League Division Three championship and finished as the Eagles' top rider.[4] He was still making a few appearances for the Hammers. He and Jock Grierson formed a partnership at Eastbourne that became known as the 'Terrible Twins' due to the fact that nobody could beat the pair in a heat.[5]

When the Eastbourne closed down at the end of 1947 he moved with the promotion along the south coast to Hastings with the Saxons. Green set the track record at Hastings and in the opening meeting on 21 April 1948, he won all six of his rides. He again finished the season as the top rider.[4] His form did not go unnoticed by West Ham star Aub Lawson and in 1948 he returned to the Hammers full-time.[4]

In 1949, he made steady progress and became a team regular. Green made his only appearance in a World final in 1950 and finished second, just a point behind the winner Freddie Williams. Again in 1950 he was second in the West Ham averages.[6] He also captained England national speedway team in 1954.

Green stayed with the Hammers for the rest of his career. The club closed in 1955 and Green retired in the same season due to ill health. At retirement he had earned six international caps for the England.[3]

World Final appearances

Bike building

Green was a renowned bike frame builder whose business was based in Hendon. He built frames to order and could name racing cyclist Alf Engers as a customer.[7]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Addison J. (1948). The People Speedway Guide. Odhams Press Limited
  2. Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). A History of the World Speedway Championship. Stroud: Tempus Publishing.
  3. Web site: ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022 . British Speedway . 20 July 2023.
  4. Jacobs, N. (2003) Speedway in the South-East, Tempus Publishing Ltd.
  5. News: Jock Grierson . Eastbourne Chronicle . 10 October 1947 . 10 January 2024 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription .
  6. Web site: Rider averages 1929 to 2009 . Speedway Researcher . 26 November 2023.
  7. Web site: Wally Green. www.classiclightweights.co.uk. 2008-10-04.