Wally Green

Wally Green
Born (1918-02-25)25 February 1918
London, England
Died 11 December 2007(2007-12-11) (aged 89)
Nationality  England
Current club information
Career status Retired
Career history
1946–1947, 1949–1955 West Ham Hammers
1947 Eastbourne Eagles
1948 Hastings Saxons
Team honours
1947 National League Div III Champion

Walter "Wally" Green (born 25 February 1918 in London, England[1]- died 11 December 2007) was a former international motorcycle speedway rider who finished second in the World Championship final in 1950.[2]

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.[3] He was still making a few appearances for the Hammers.

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.[3] His form did not go unnoticed by West Ham star Aub Lawson and in 1948 he returned to the Hammers full-time.[3]

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. He also captained England 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.

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 Alf Engers as a customer.[4]

References

  1. ↑ Addison J. (1948). The People Speedway Guide. Odhams Press Limited
  2. 1 2 Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). A History of the World Speedway Championship. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. ISBN 0-7524-2402-5
  3. 1 2 3 Jacobs, N. (2003) Speedway in the South-East, Tempus Publishing Ltd. ISBN 0-7524-2725-3
  4. ↑ "Wally Green". www.classiclightweights.co.uk. Retrieved 2008-10-04.
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