Eric Stevenson Chitty (28 April 1909 in Toronto, Canada – 1990) was a speedway rider who won the London Riders' Championship in 1938.[1]
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Eric started speedway racing in 1930 in Detroit, Chicago and New York in the USA. In 1935 he came to the UK for a trial with the West Ham Hammers. He was not successful in his trial and was looking for other employment when the West Ham promoter Johnnie Hoskins gave him another chance, which he took. He was offered a contract by the Hammers.
Chitty qualified for the World Final held at the famous Wembley Stadium in London in 1937, finishing 12th with 15 points. He failed to qualify in 1938 but qualified again for the World Final in 1939. Unfortunately the 1939 Final was cancelled due to the outbreak of World War II.
During the war years he managed to race at Belle Vue in Manchester which was the only track that ran all through the war. He won the unofficial British Individual Championship in 1940, '41 and '42, the Belle Vue Grand Prix, the Northern Championship and the Hundred Guineas Trophy all in 1942. He also won the all English Best Pairs Championship in 1941 with Ron Johnson and 1943 with Fred Tuck. In 1944 he won the National Trophy and also in 1944 he won the British Empire Best Pairs with Ron Clark.
In 1946 he rejoined West Ham and was made team captain. He was always the center of entertainment, often singing to the crowd and once even raced a cheetah. He retired in 1952.