Bill Pitcher
| Born | 5 February 1910 Coventry, England |
|---|---|
| Died | 24 October 1995 (aged 85) Queens County, Prince Edward Island, Canada |
| Nationality | British (English) |
| Career history | |
| 1930-1931 | Leicester Stadium |
| 1931 | Crystal Palace Glaziers |
| 1932-1933 | Coventry |
| 1934 | Birmingham Bulldogs |
| 1935-1939 | Harringay Tigers |
| 1946-1948 | Belle Vue Aces |
| 1949 | Wimbledon Dons |
| Team honours | |
| 1946, 1947 | National Trophy winner |
| 1935 | London Cup winner |
| 1946 | A.C.U. Cup winner |
William George Henry Pitcher (born 5 February 1910 in Coventry, England[1] - died 24 October 1995) was an international motorcycle speedway rider who rode in the first ever World Championship final in 1936.[2] He earned 7 international caps for the England national speedway team.[3]
Career
[edit]From 1930 to 1933, Pitcher rode for Leicester Stadium, Crystal Palace Glaziers and Coventry. In 1934, he rode one season for Birmingham Bulldogs and continued to copmete in individual meetings.[4]
His career blossomed after he joined Harringay Tigers in 1935 and rode for them for five years before World War II interrupted his career.[5] He a member of the team that won the London Cup in 1935[6] and in 1936 he rode in the first ever Speedway World Championship.
After the end of the war he joined the Belle Vue Aces. Pitcher was also a member of the England team that toured Australia in 1946–47. He made his England international debut in 1939.[1] His final season was in 1949 with the Wimbledon Dons.[7]
World Final appearances
[edit]- 1936 -
London, Wembley Stadium - 17th - 8pts[2]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Addison J. (1948). The People Speedway Guide. Odhams Press Limited
- ^ a b Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). A History of the World Speedway Championship. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. ISBN 0-7524-2402-5
- ^ "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
- ^ "Stan Greatrex and Bill Pitcher in form". Coventry Herald. 17 August 1934. Retrieved 4 October 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Hackney Speedsters". Weekly Dispatch (London). 9 August 1936. Retrieved 4 October 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Harringay take Speedway Cup". Daily Herald. 2 October 1935. Retrieved 16 September 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ Jacobs, Norman (2001). Speedway in London. Stroud: Tempus Publishing ISBN 0-7524-2221-9
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