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{{Infobox speedway league
{{Short description|British speedway league season}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox speedway league season
| competition = National League Division One
| competition = National League Division One
| season = [[1937]]
| competitors = 7
| competitors = 7
| leagues below = [[1937 Provincial Speedway League|1937 Provincial League]]
| champion = [[West Ham Hammers]]
| domesticcup1 = [[List of United Kingdom speedway league champions|Champions]]
| domesticcup1 winners = [[West Ham Hammers]]
| domesticcup2 = [[Knockout Cup (speedway)|National Trophy]]
| domesticcup2 winners = [[Belle Vue Aces]]
| domesticcup3 = A.C.U Cup
| domesticcup3 winners = [[Belle Vue Aces]]
| domesticcup4 = [[London Cup (speedway)|London Cup]]
| domesticcup4 winners = [[New Cross Rangers]]
| highestaverage = [[Jack Milne (speedway rider)|Jack Milne]]
| prevseason = [[1936 Speedway National League|1936]]
| nextseason = [[1938 Speedway National League|1938]]
}}
}}


The '''1937 National League Division One''' was the sixth season of the highest tier of [[motorcycle speedway]] in Great Britain. The entrants were the same seven teams as the previous season. [[West Ham Hammers]] won their first national title despite finishing bottom the previous season.
The '''1937 [[National League (1932–1964)|National League]] Division One''' was the ninth season of the highest tier of [[motorcycle speedway]] in Great Britain.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://edinburghspeedway.blogspot.com/p/compet.html|title=Historic league tables|publisher=Speedway Archive}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Rogers|first=Martin|title=The Illustrated History of Speedway|year=1978|page=129|publisher=Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd|isbn=0-904584-45-3}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/history/leaguetables1929-1939|title=BRITISH LEAGUE TABLES - PRE-WAR ERA (1929-1939)|website=Official British Speedway website|access-date=6 August 2021}}</ref>


==Final table==
==Summary==
The entrants were the same seven teams as the previous season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.speedwaygb.co/history/leaguetables1937.php|title=1937 league tables|publisher=Speedway GB}}</ref>


[[West Ham Hammers]] won their first national title despite finishing bottom the previous season. In the process they stopped [[Belle Vue Aces]] from claiming a fifth consecutive title win. Belle Vue did however go on to win the cup double winning the [[Knockout Cup (speedway)|Knockout Cup]] for the fifth successive year and the A.C.U Cup for the fourth successive year.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/yearbyyear.html|title=Year by Year|website=Speedway Researcher|access-date=6 August 2021}}</ref>
{| class=wikitable width="300" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="2" bgcolor="#FFFFFF"

| bgcolor="#cccccc" | '''Team'''
Roy Clarence Vigor (Reg Vigor) was fatally injured during a match at [[Wimbledon Stadium]] on 27 September. He hit a safety fence and his bike landed on top of him. He died in Nelson Hospital, Merton, three days later.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://motorsportmemorial.org/focus.php?db=ms&n=8111|title=Reg Vigor|website=Motorsport Memorial|access-date=6 August 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.speedwaymuseumonline.co.uk/wimbledon-endoftheroar.html|title=Wimbledon Speedway part one|website=Speedway Museum|access-date=6 August 2021}}</ref> His death came just one month after the death of [[Stan Hart (speedway rider)|Stan Hart]] in the [[1937 Provincial Speedway League]].
| align="center" bgcolor="#cccccc" | '''PL'''

| align="center" bgcolor="#cccccc" | '''W'''
==Final table==
| align="center" bgcolor="#cccccc" | '''D'''
{| class=wikitable width="450" style="background:#FFFFFF;"
| align="center" bgcolor="#cccccc" | '''L'''
! Pos
| align="center" bgcolor="#cccccc" | '''Pts'''
! Team
! PL
! W
! D
! L
! Pts
|-
|-
|1
| [[West Ham Hammers]]
| [[West Ham Hammers]]
| align="center" | 24
| align="center" | 24
Line 25: Line 46:
| align="center" | 36
| align="center" | 36
|-
|-
|2
| [[Wembley Lions (speedway)|Wembley Lions]]
| [[Wembley Lions (speedway)|Wembley Lions]]
| align="center" | 24
| align="center" | 24
Line 32: Line 54:
| align="center" | 32
| align="center" | 32
|-
|-
|3
| [[New Cross Rangers|New Cross Tamers]]
| [[New Cross Rangers]]
| align="center" | 24
| align="center" | 24
| align="center" | 16
| align="center" | 16
Line 39: Line 62:
| align="center" | 32
| align="center" | 32
|-
|-
|4
| [[Belle Vue Aces]]
| [[Belle Vue Aces]]
| align="center" | 24
| align="center" | 24
Line 46: Line 70:
| align="center" | 26
| align="center" | 26
|-
|-
|5
| [[Hackney Hawks|Hackney Wick Wolves]]
| [[Hackney Wick Wolves]]
| align="center" | 24
| align="center" | 24
| align="center" | 10
| align="center" | 10
Line 53: Line 78:
| align="center" | 20
| align="center" | 20
|-
|-
|6
| [[Harringay Racers (speedway)|Harringay Tigers]]
| [[Harringay Tigers (speedway)|Harringay Tigers]]
| align="center" | 24
| align="center" | 24
| align="center" | 9
| align="center" | 9
Line 60: Line 86:
| align="center" | 18
| align="center" | 18
|-
|-
|7
| [[Wimbledon Dons]]
| [[Wimbledon Dons]]
| align="center" | 24
| align="center" | 24
Line 68: Line 95:
|}
|}


==External links==
==Top ten riders==
{| class=wikitable
[http://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk] www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk
!
! Rider
! Nat
! Team
! C.M.A.
|-
| align="center" | 1
| [[Jack Milne (speedway rider)|Jack Milne]]
| {{Flagicon|USA}}
| New Cross
| 11.09
|-
| align="center" | 2
| [[Lionel van Praag]]
| {{Flagicon|AUS}}
| Wembley
| 10.53
|-
| align="center" | 3
| [[Eric Langton]]
| {{Flagicon|ENG}}
| Belle Vue
| 10.18
|-
| align="center" | 4
| [[Bluey Wilkinson]]
| {{Flagicon|AUS}}
| West Ham
| 10.14
|-
| align="center" | 5
| [[Bill Kitchen (speedway rider)|Bill Kitchen]]
| {{Flagicon|ENG}}
| Belle Vue
| 9.88
|-
| align="center" | 6
| [[Jack Parker (speedway rider)|Jack Parker]]
| {{Flagicon|ENG}}
| Harringay
| 9.71
|-
| align="center" | 7
| [[Cordy Milne]]
| {{Flagicon|USA}}
| Hackney
| 9.38
|-
| align="center" | 8
| [[Eric Chitty]]
| {{Flagicon|CAN|1921}}
| West Ham
| 9.32
|-
| align="center" | 9
| [[Joe Abbott (speedway rider)|Joe Abbott]]
| {{Flagicon|ENG}}
| Belle Vue
| 8.98
|-
| align="center" | 10
| [[Frank Charles (speedway rider)|Frank Charles]]
| {{Flagicon|ENG}}
| Wembley
| 8.96
|}

==National Trophy==
The 1937 National Trophy was the seventh edition of the [[Knockout Cup (speedway)|Knockout Cup]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://edinburghspeedway.blogspot.com/2013/05/national-trophy-1937.html|title=1937 National Trophy|publisher=Speedway archive}}</ref>

===Qualifying rounds===
[[Southampton Saints]] won the [[1937 Provincial Speedway League#National Trophy|Provincial final]] and therefore secured a place in the quarter-finals.

'''Quarterfinals'''
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
!width=80| Date
!width=250| Team one
!width=80| Score
!width=250| Team two
|-
|05/06|| Harringay ||41-65 ||New Cross
|-
|09/06|| New Cross ||76-31 ||Harringay
|-
|07/06|| Wimbledon ||39-68 ||Belle Vue
|-
|12/06|| Belle Vue ||80-28 ||Wimbledon
|-
|08/06|| West Ham ||58-46|| Hackney Wick
|-
|11/06|| Hackney Wick ||60-48 ||West Ham
|-
| 25/06<br>replay|| Hackney Wick ||65-43|| West Ham
|-
|29/06|| Southampton ||40-44 ||Wembley
|-
|29/06<br>replay|| West Ham ||55-53|| Hackney Wick
|}

'''Semifinals'''
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
!width=80| Date
!width=250| Team one
!width=80| Score
!width=250| Team two
|-
|15/07|| Wembley|| 50-58 ||New Cross
|-
|14/07|| New Cross ||59-48 ||Wembley
|-
|16/07|| Hackney Wick ||56-52 ||Belle Vue
|-
|17/07|| Belle Vue ||69-39 ||Hackney Wick
|}

===Final===

'''First leg'''
{{footballbox
|date = 21 August 1937
|team1 = [[Belle Vue Aces]]<br>Frank Varey 16<br>Bob Harrison 15<br>Bill Kitchen 15<br>Joe Abbott 11<br>Eric Langton 9<br>Wally Hull 4
|score = 70 – 38
|report = <ref name=SR>{{cite web |url=https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/1937ntresults.pdf|title=1937 National Trophy|website=Speedway Researcher|access-date=6 August 2021}}</ref>
|team2 = [[New Cross Rangers]]<br>Jack Milne 17<br>George Newton 6<br>Ron Johnson 6<br>Stan Greatrex 4<br>Joe Francis 4<br>Clem Mitchell 1<br>Norman Evans 0<br>Bill Longley 0
|stadium = [[Hyde Road (stadium)|Hyde Road]]
}}

'''Second leg'''
{{footballbox
|date = 25 August 1937
|team1 =[[New Cross Stadium]]<br>Jack Milne 18<br>Joe Francis 14<br>Ron Johnson 10<br>George Newton 9<br>Clem Mitchell 7<br>Stan Greatrex 3<br>Norman Evans 1
|score = 62 – 45
|report = <ref name=SR/>
|team2 = [[Belle Vue Aces]]<br>Eric Langton 14<br>Joe Abbott 10<br>Wally Hull 10<br>Frank Varey 5<br>Bill Kitchen 4<br>Oliver Langton 2<br>Bob Harrison 0
|stadium = [[New Cross Stadium]]
}}

Belle Vue were National Trophy Champions, winning on aggregate '''115-110'''.

==A.C.U Cup==
The 1937 [[Auto-Cycle Union]] Cup was the fourth edition of the Cup and was won by Belle Vue for the fourth time. The groups were decided on the number of heat points scored within matches, rather than match wins.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/1937acuresultsgrid.pdf|title=1937 ACU Cup|publisher=Speedway Researcher|access-date=6 August 2021}}</ref>

'''First round'''

'''Group 1'''
{| class=wikitable width="400" style="background:#FFFFFF;"
! Team
! PL
! W
! D
! L
! Race Pts
|-
| [[Wembley Lions (speedway)|Wembley Lions]]
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 319.5
|-
|[[New Cross Rangers]]
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 311.5
|-
| [[Harringay Tigers (speedway)|Harringay Tigers]]
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 269
|-
| [[Wimbledon Dons]]
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 6
| align="center" | 240
|}
'''Group 2'''
{| class=wikitable width="400" style="background:#FFFFFF;"
! Team
! PL
! W
! D
! L
! Race Pts
|-
| [[Belle Vue Aces]]
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 202
|-
| [[West Ham Hammers]]
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" | 3
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 1
| align="center" | 190
|-
| [[Hackney Wick Wolves]]
| align="center" | 4
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 0
| align="center" | 2
| align="center" | 181
|}
===Final===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
!width=80| Date
!width=250| Team one
!width=250| Team two
!width=120| Score
|-
|07/10||Wembley ||Belle Vue || 49–45
|-
|09/10||Belle Vue ||Wembley || 61-35
|}

==London Cup==
'''First round'''
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
!width=250| Team one
!width=120| Score
!width=250| Team two
|-
|New Cross ||65–43, 65–42 ||Wimbledon
|-
|Wembley||58–49, 61–46 ||Harringay
|}

'''Semi final round'''
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
!width=250| Team one
!width=120| Score
!width=250| Team two
|-
|Hackney Wick||49–59, 21–87 || West Ham
|-
|New Cross ||62–46, 56–50 ||Wembley
|}

===Final===

'''First leg'''
{{footballbox
|date = 28 September 1937
|team1 =West Ham<br>Bluey Wilkinson 14<br>Eric Chitty 12<br>Tiger Stevenson 11<br>Tommy Croombs 7<br>Arthur Atkinson 5<br>Charlie Spinks 2<br>Jack Dixon 1
|score = 52–55
|report = <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/1937record.pdf |title=1937 season results |website=Speedway Researcher |access-date=16 September 2023}}</ref>
|team2 = New Cross<br>George Newton 17<br>Jack Milne 15<br>Stan Greatrex 10<br>Joe Francis 6<br> Ron Johnson 6<br>Clem Mitchell 1<br>Ernie Evans 0
|stadium = [[West Ham Stadium]]
|attendance =
}}

'''Second leg'''
{{footballbox
|date = 29 September 1937
|team1 = New Cross<br> Jack Milne 17<br>Ron Johnson 14<br>Stan Greatrex 11<br>George Newton 9<br>Joe Francis 6<br>Clem Mitchell 4<br> Norman Evans 1
|score = 62–45
|report = <ref>{{cite news |title=New Cross win London Cup for third time |work=South London Observer |date=1 October 1937
|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004818/19371001/154/0010 | via = [[British Newspaper Archive]]| access-date=16 September 2023 |url-access=subscription }}</ref>
|team2 = West Ham<br>Bluey Wilkinson 17<br>Arthur Atkinson 10<br> Eric Chitty 9<br>Tiger Stevenson 3<br>Tommy Croombs 5<br>Jack Dixon 1
|stadium = [[New Cross Stadium]]
|attendance =
}}

New Cross won on aggregate '''117–97'''

==Riders & final averages==
'''Belle Vue'''
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
*{{player||ENG|[[Eric Langton]]}} 10.18
*{{player||ENG|[[Bill Kitchen (speedway rider)|Bill Kitchen]]}} 9.88
*{{player||ENG|[[Joe Abbott (speedway rider)|Joe Abbott]]}} 9.49
*{{player||ENG|[[Bob Harrison (speedway rider)|Bob Harrison]]}} 8.07
*{{player||ENG|[[Frank Varey]]}} 6.71
*{{player||ENG|[[Wally Hull]]}} 5.33
*{{player||ENG|[[Oliver Langton]]}} 4.39
*{{player||ENG|[[Jack Hargreaves (speedway rider)|Jack Hargreaves]]}} 4.21
*{{player||ENG|Ernie Price}} 3.25
*{{player||ENG|Harold Jackson}} 2.46
*{{player||ENG|[[Acorn Dobson]]}} 2.77
{{div col end}}

'''Hackney'''
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
*{{player||USA|[[Cordy Milne]]}} 9.38
*{{player||AUS|[[Dicky Case]]}} 8.30
*{{player||DEN|[[Morian Hansen]]}} 7.63
*{{player||ENG|[[Bill Clibbett]]}} 5.54
*{{player||ENG|[[George Wilks]]}} 5.40
*{{player||ENG|[[George Greenwood (speedway rider)|George Greenwood]]}} 5.20
*{{player||ENG|[[Stan Dell]]}} 4.76
*{{player||AUS|[[Vic Duggan]]}} 4.14
*{{player||ENG|Doug Wells}} 3.58
*{{player||ENG|[[Frank Hodgson]]}} 3.40
*{{player||ENG|Ted Bravery}} 2.48
*{{player||ENG|[[Arch Windmill]]}} 1.71
{{div col end}}

'''Harringay'''
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
*{{player||ENG|[[Jack Parker (speedway rider)|Jack Parker]]}} 9.81
*{{player||ENG|[[Jack Ormston]]}} 8.29
*{{player||NZL|Jack Hobson}} 6.46
*{{player||ENG|[[Frank Goulden]]}} 6.33
*{{player||ENG|[[Les Wotton]]}} 6.21
*{{player||ENG|[[Alec Statham]]}} 5.49
*{{player||AUS|[[Clem Mitchell]]}} 5.48
*{{player||AUS|[[Dick Smythe]]}} 5.31
*{{player||ENG|Bob Lovell}} 3.50
*{{player||ENG|Stew Fairbairn}} 3.22
*{{player||ENG|[[Bill Pitcher]]}} 3.10
{{div col end}}

'''New Cross'''
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
*{{player||USA|[[Jack Milne (speedway rider)|Jack Milne]]}} 11.09
*{{player||ENG|[[George Newton (speedway rider)|George Newton]]}} 8.91
*{{player||ENG|[[Stan Greatrex]]}} 8.50
*{{player||AUS|[[Clem Mitchell]]}} 6.29
*{{player||ENG|[[Joe Francis (speedway rider)|Joe Francis]]}} 5.88
*{{player||ENG|[[Ron Johnson (speedway rider)|Ron Johnson]]}} 5.83
*{{player||ENG|[[Norman Evans (speedway rider)|Norman Evans]]}} 5.80
*{{player||AUS|Ernie Evans}} 4.03
*{{player||AUS|[[Mick Murphy (speedway rider)|Mick Murphy]]}} (John Glass) 3.56
*{{player||ENG|[[Nobby Key]]}} 3.38
*{{player||ENG|Jack Dalton}} 2.35
*{{player||AUS|[[Bill Longley (speedway rider)|Bill Longley]]}} 2.00
{{div col end}}

'''Wembley'''
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
*{{player||AUS|[[Lionel Van Praag]]}} 10.42
*{{player||ENG|[[Frank Charles (speedway rider)|Frank Charles]]}} 8.96
*{{player||ENG|[[Ginger Lees]]}} 8.24
*{{player||ENG|[[Eric Gregory (speedway rider)|Eric Gregory]]}} 6.22
*{{player||NZL|[[Wally Kilmister]]}} 5.60
*{{player||ENG|[[Cliff Parkinson]]}} 5.37
*{{player||ENG|[[Tommy Price]]}} 5.37
*{{player||ENG|[[Wally Lloyd]]}} 5.00
*{{player||ENG|[[Gus Kuhn]]}} 5.00
*{{player||ENG|[[Colin Watson (speedway rider)|Colin Watson]]}} 2.00
{{div col end}}

'''West Ham'''
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
*{{player||AUS|[[Bluey Wilkinson]]}} 10.23
*{{flagicon|CAN|1921}} [[Eric Chitty]] 9.37
*{{player||ENG|[[Tommy Croombs]]}} 8.92
*{{player||ENG|[[Arthur Atkinson (speedway rider)|Arthur Atkinson]]}} 8.54
*{{player||ENG|[[Tiger Stevenson]]}} 7.18
*{{player||AUS|[[Charlie Spinks]]}} 6.03
*{{player||ENG|[[Broncho Dixon]]}} 5.83
*{{player||ENG|Ken Brett}} 5.60
*{{player||ENG|[[Phil Bishop]]}} 4.63
*{{player||ENG|[[Lloyd Goffe]]}} 3.50

{{div col end}}

'''Wimbledon'''
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
*{{player||USA|[[Wilbur Lamoreaux]]}} 8.14
*{{player||AUS|[[Eric Collins (speedway rider)|Eric Collins]]}} 6.92
*{{player||ENG|[[Claude Rye]]}} 5.88
*{{player||AUS|[[Bill Rogers (speedway rider)|Bill Rogers]]}} 5.23
*{{player||ENG|[[Geoff Pymar]]}} 5.06
*{{player||USA|Byrd McKinney}} 5.02
*{{player||AUS|[[Wally Little (speedway rider)|Wally Little]]}} 5.00
*{{player||ENG|[[Gus Kuhn]]}} 4.93
*{{player||AUS|[[Jack Sharp (speedway rider)|Jack Sharp]]}} 4.89
*{{player||ENG|[[Wal Morton]]}} 4.00
*{{player||USA|Miny Waln}} 3.73
*{{player||ENG|Ron Howes}} 3.08
*{{player||ENG|[[Bert Spencer]]}} 2.86
*{{player||ENG|Reg Vigor}} 2.48
*{{flagicon|GER|Nazi}} Alfred Rumrich 1.09
*{{player||ENG|[[Wilf Plant]]}} 0.29
{{div col end}}

==See also==
*[[List of United Kingdom Speedway League Champions]]
*[[Knockout Cup (speedway)]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Speedway in the United Kingdom}}
{{United Kingdom Speedway Seasons}}
{{National League speedway seasons 1932–1964}}


{{Speedway National League seasons}}
[[Category:Speedway National League]]
[[Category:Speedway National League]]
[[Category:1937 in speedway]]
[[Category:1937 in British motorsport]]

Latest revision as of 21:18, 24 August 2024

1937 Speedway National League
LeagueNational League Division One
No. of competitors7
ChampionsWest Ham Hammers
National TrophyBelle Vue Aces
A.C.U CupBelle Vue Aces
London CupNew Cross Rangers
Highest averageJack Milne
Division/s below1937 Provincial League

The 1937 National League Division One was the ninth season of the highest tier of motorcycle speedway in Great Britain.[1][2][3]

Summary

[edit]

The entrants were the same seven teams as the previous season.[4]

West Ham Hammers won their first national title despite finishing bottom the previous season. In the process they stopped Belle Vue Aces from claiming a fifth consecutive title win. Belle Vue did however go on to win the cup double winning the Knockout Cup for the fifth successive year and the A.C.U Cup for the fourth successive year.[5]

Roy Clarence Vigor (Reg Vigor) was fatally injured during a match at Wimbledon Stadium on 27 September. He hit a safety fence and his bike landed on top of him. He died in Nelson Hospital, Merton, three days later.[6][7] His death came just one month after the death of Stan Hart in the 1937 Provincial Speedway League.

Final table

[edit]
Pos Team PL W D L Pts
1 West Ham Hammers 24 18 0 6 36
2 Wembley Lions 24 16 0 8 32
3 New Cross Rangers 24 16 0 8 32
4 Belle Vue Aces 24 13 0 11 26
5 Hackney Wick Wolves 24 10 0 14 20
6 Harringay Tigers 24 9 0 15 18
7 Wimbledon Dons 24 2 0 22 4

Top ten riders

[edit]
Rider Nat Team C.M.A.
1 Jack Milne United States New Cross 11.09
2 Lionel van Praag Australia Wembley 10.53
3 Eric Langton England Belle Vue 10.18
4 Bluey Wilkinson Australia West Ham 10.14
5 Bill Kitchen England Belle Vue 9.88
6 Jack Parker England Harringay 9.71
7 Cordy Milne United States Hackney 9.38
8 Eric Chitty Canada West Ham 9.32
9 Joe Abbott England Belle Vue 8.98
10 Frank Charles England Wembley 8.96

National Trophy

[edit]

The 1937 National Trophy was the seventh edition of the Knockout Cup.[8]

Qualifying rounds

[edit]

Southampton Saints won the Provincial final and therefore secured a place in the quarter-finals.

Quarterfinals

Date Team one Score Team two
05/06 Harringay 41-65 New Cross
09/06 New Cross 76-31 Harringay
07/06 Wimbledon 39-68 Belle Vue
12/06 Belle Vue 80-28 Wimbledon
08/06 West Ham 58-46 Hackney Wick
11/06 Hackney Wick 60-48 West Ham
25/06
replay		 Hackney Wick 65-43 West Ham
29/06 Southampton 40-44 Wembley
29/06
replay		 West Ham 55-53 Hackney Wick

Semifinals

Date Team one Score Team two
15/07 Wembley 50-58 New Cross
14/07 New Cross 59-48 Wembley
16/07 Hackney Wick 56-52 Belle Vue
17/07 Belle Vue 69-39 Hackney Wick

Final

[edit]

First leg

Belle Vue Aces
Frank Varey 16
Bob Harrison 15
Bill Kitchen 15
Joe Abbott 11
Eric Langton 9
Wally Hull 4		70 – 38New Cross Rangers
Jack Milne 17
George Newton 6
Ron Johnson 6
Stan Greatrex 4
Joe Francis 4
Clem Mitchell 1
Norman Evans 0
Bill Longley 0
[9]

Second leg

New Cross Stadium
Jack Milne 18
Joe Francis 14
Ron Johnson 10
George Newton 9
Clem Mitchell 7
Stan Greatrex 3
Norman Evans 1		62 – 45Belle Vue Aces
Eric Langton 14
Joe Abbott 10
Wally Hull 10
Frank Varey 5
Bill Kitchen 4
Oliver Langton 2
Bob Harrison 0
[9]

Belle Vue were National Trophy Champions, winning on aggregate 115-110.

A.C.U Cup

[edit]

The 1937 Auto-Cycle Union Cup was the fourth edition of the Cup and was won by Belle Vue for the fourth time. The groups were decided on the number of heat points scored within matches, rather than match wins.[10]

First round

Group 1

Team PL W D L Race Pts
Wembley Lions 6 6 0 0 319.5
New Cross Rangers 6 3 0 3 311.5
Harringay Tigers 6 3 0 3 269
Wimbledon Dons 6 0 0 6 240

Group 2

Team PL W D L Race Pts
Belle Vue Aces 4 1 0 3 202
West Ham Hammers 4 3 0 1 190
Hackney Wick Wolves 4 2 0 2 181

Final

[edit]
Date Team one Team two Score
07/10 Wembley Belle Vue 49–45
09/10 Belle Vue Wembley 61-35

London Cup

[edit]

First round

Team one Score Team two
New Cross 65–43, 65–42 Wimbledon
Wembley 58–49, 61–46 Harringay

Semi final round

Team one Score Team two
Hackney Wick 49–59, 21–87 West Ham
New Cross 62–46, 56–50 Wembley

Final

[edit]

First leg

West Ham
Bluey Wilkinson 14
Eric Chitty 12
Tiger Stevenson 11
Tommy Croombs 7
Arthur Atkinson 5
Charlie Spinks 2
Jack Dixon 1		52–55New Cross
George Newton 17
Jack Milne 15
Stan Greatrex 10
Joe Francis 6
Ron Johnson 6
Clem Mitchell 1
Ernie Evans 0
[11]

Second leg

New Cross
Jack Milne 17
Ron Johnson 14
Stan Greatrex 11
George Newton 9
Joe Francis 6
Clem Mitchell 4
Norman Evans 1		62–45West Ham
Bluey Wilkinson 17
Arthur Atkinson 10
Eric Chitty 9
Tiger Stevenson 3
Tommy Croombs 5
Jack Dixon 1
[12]

New Cross won on aggregate 117–97

Riders & final averages

[edit]

Belle Vue

Hackney

Harringay

New Cross

Wembley

West Ham

Wimbledon

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Historic league tables". Speedway Archive.
  2. ^ Rogers, Martin (1978). The Illustrated History of Speedway. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. p. 129. ISBN 0-904584-45-3.
  3. ^ "BRITISH LEAGUE TABLES - PRE-WAR ERA (1929-1939)". Official British Speedway website. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  4. ^ "1937 league tables". Speedway GB.
  5. ^ "Year by Year". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  6. ^ "Reg Vigor". Motorsport Memorial. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  7. ^ "Wimbledon Speedway part one". Speedway Museum. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  8. ^ "1937 National Trophy". Speedway archive.
  9. ^ a b "1937 National Trophy" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  10. ^ "1937 ACU Cup" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  11. ^ "1937 season results" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  12. ^ "New Cross win London Cup for third time". South London Observer. 1 October 1937. Retrieved 16 September 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
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