The 1936 National League Division One was the eighth season of the highest tier of motorcycle speedway in Great Britain.
Summary The entrants were the same seven teams as the previous season. Harringay's Jack Parker topped the rider averages but was injured for the inaugural World Championship Final won by Wembley's Lionel van Praag on his home track.
Belle Vue Aces won their fourth consecutive national title and Knockout Cup and third treble after winning the A.C.U Cup.
Final table Pos Team PL W D L Pts1 Belle Vue Aces 24 18 1 5 372 Wembley Lions 24 14 0 10 283 Harringay Tigers 24 12 0 12 244 Wimbledon Dons 24 12 0 12 245 Hackney Wick Wolves 24 11 0 13 226 New Cross Tamers 24 9 0 15 187 West Ham Hammers 24 7 1 16 15
Fixtures & results A fixtures
B fixtures
Top Ten Riders Rider Nat Team C.M.A. 1 Jack Parker Harringay 10.27 2 Max Grosskreutz Belle Vue 10.21 3 Frank Charles Wembley 10.11 4 Lionel van Praag Wembley 9.45 5 Eric Langton Belle Vue 9.27 6 Joe Abbott Belle Vue 9.25 7 Bluey Wilkinson West Ham 9.21 8 Bill Kitchen Belle Vue 8.91 9= Dicky Case Hackney 8.71 9= Jack Ormston Harringay 8.71
National Trophy The 1936 National Trophy was the sixth edition of the Knockout Cup.
Qualifying rounds Southampton Saints won the Provincial final and therefore secured a place in the quarter-finals.
Quarterfinals Date Team one Score Team two13/06 Belle Vue 68-40 West Ham13/06 Wimbledon 42-65 Wembley12/06 Hackney Wick 65-42 New Cross11/06 Wembley 61-47 Wimbledon10/06 New Cross 55-51 Hackney Wick09/06 West Ham 43-65 Belle Vue04/06 Southampton 30-41 Harringay
Semifinals Date Team one Score Team two30/07 Wembley 54-53 Belle Vue25/07 Belle Vue 78-30 Wembley18/07Harringay 55-52 Hackney Wick17/07 Hackney Wick 58-50 Harringay
Final
First leg
Second leg
Belle Vue were National Trophy Champions, winning on aggregate 122-90.
A.C.U Cup The 1936 Auto-Cycle Union Cup was the third edition of the Cup and was won by Belle Vue for the third time. Tragically Herbert 'Dusty' Haigh was killed instantly after suffering a facrtured skull riding at Hackney Wick Stadium on 15 May 1936, in the ACU Cup match between Hackney and West Ham. He fell when in front and heading for a fourth consecutive heat win and the riders behind were unable to avoid him.
First round
Group 1 Team PL W D L Pts Belle Vue Aces 6 5 0 1 10 Harringay Tigers 6 4 0 2 8 West Ham Hammers 6 2 0 4 4 Hackney Wick Wolves 6 1 0 5 2
Group 2 Team PL W D L Pts Wembley Lions 4 4 0 0 8New Cross Tamers 4 1 0 3 2 Wimbledon Dons 4 0 0 4 0
Group 1
Group 2
Final Date Team one Team two Score16/07Wembley Belle Vue 48–4718/07Belle Vue Wembley 51–44
London Cup First round Team one Score Team twoHarringay 65–43, 71–37 WimbledonNew Cross 67–41, 50–58 West Ham
Semi final round Team one Score Team twoNew Cross 54–52, 43–63 Hackney Wick Wembley60–47, 44–63 Harringay
Final
First leg
Second leg
Hackney Wick won on aggregate 127–88
Riders & final averages Belle Vue
10.21 9.27 9.25 8.92 6.81 5.33 5.11 4.00 3.06 2.07 1.00
Hackney
10.00 8.71 7.95 7.87 5.57 5.35 4.93 4.57 4.00 3.62 2.74
Harringay
10.27 8.71 7.32 7.06 4.97 4.79 4.20 3.73 3.33 1.33
New Cross
8.68 8.54 8.24 7.73 6.00 4.88 3.57 3.05 2.53 0.62
Wembley
10.11 9.45 8.00 5.08 5.02 4.08 5.30 4.00 3.33
West Ham
9.21 7.37 7.05 6.80 Eric Chitty 5.90 4.23 3.76 3.73 3.64 (John Glass) 3.58 3.33
Wimbledon
8.13 7.50 6.46 5.97 5.23 4.89 4.79 4.49
See also List of United Kingdom Speedway League Champions Knockout Cup (speedway)
References