West Ham Hammers

Not to be confused with West Ham United F.C..
West Ham Hammers
West Ham Speedway Badge circa 1938
Club information
Track address West Ham Stadium
Prince Regent Lane
London
Country England
Founded 1929
Closed 1971
Website West Ham website
Club facts
Colours Claret and Blue with white crossed hammers
Track size 440 yards (400 m) (1929-1964)
415 yards (379 m) (1964-1971)
Track record time 0:17.6
Track record date 1967
Track record holder Ken McKinlay / Sverre Harrfeldt
Major team honours
National League Champions1937
Coronation Gold Cup Best Pairs1937
ACU Cup Winners1938
National Trophy1955
British League Champions1965
British League Knockout Cup Winners1965
London Cup Winners1965, 1966, 1967

The West Ham Hammers were a speedway team, first promoted by Jimmy Baxter in 1929.[1] They operated from the West Ham Stadium until the outbreak of World War II under several different promotions, most successfully under the control of Johnnie Hoskins.

The track opened in 1928 and staged a few meetings during the early war years.

Meetings were staged in 1945 but the Hammers re-opened in 1946 and ran until 1955.[2] However dwindling crowds saw the promotion close. It did not re-open until 1964, with Dave Lanning becoming promoter in 1966, and ran a further eight seasons until 1971 when they were informed that the stadium was being sold by the Greyhound Racing Association to make way for building development. The Romford Bombers moved into the stadium for the 1972 season, racing under the name West Ham Bombers.[3]

Top 20 West Ham Riders

The top twenty West Ham riders as voted in Speedway '72 magazine published in 1972.

* Denotes Speedway World Champion

External links

References

  1. ↑ Bamford, R & Jarvis J. (2001). Homes of British Speedway. ISBN 0-7524-2210-3
  2. ↑ Belton, Brian (2003). Hammerin' Round. ISBN 0-7524-2438-6
  3. ↑ Jacobs, N. Speedway in London. ISBN 0-7524-2221-9