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The Jack Young Story
Chapter 9
July to August 1951

Four Australians scored 16 points or more in a Test match against England during the 1951 series. Two of them, Aub Lawson and Jack Biggs, are pictured elsewhere in this chapter. The other two, Jack Young (he scored 16 points twice and an 18 point maximum during the five-match series) and Arthur Payne, are pictured above. Arthur rode superbly in the Third Test to score 16 points for his country.
In early July of 1951, speedway journalist Tom Morgan wrote the following: - “Can a Second Division rider captain Australia, win the British Match Race Championship, and win the World Championship? The answer, quite simply, is yes. Will it happen? The answer, again quite simply, is, I don’t know, but I’m quite prepared to see history made. “I’m thinking in particular of Jack Young. It must be pretty obvious to everybody that Jack is right out of his class with Second Division Edinburgh. In fact, if you put him in the First Division, he would be among the top ten. Why Jack prefers to stay where he is is his own business, but the fact that he is in the Second Division should not bar him from the sport’s highest honours. “There is, of course, nothing at all to prevent him being made skipper of an Australian Test team. He won the match for the Aussies at Harringay and that performance alone assured him of a place for the remaining four matches. If he does well, I think it would be a nice gesture on somebody’s part to make him captain for the last of the series. “The World Championship is still a long way off, but I will be greatly surprised if Jack is not in the final stage. Whether he wins or not will be in the lap of the gods, and that remark can apply to the other 15 starters, whether they be favourites or outsiders. The fact remains, however, that Jack Young has already put up some smart performances at Wembley this season and anybody who can defeat the crack Lions on their own track has got something. “And the Match Race Championship? Well, that wants thinking about. Some weeks ago New Cross ran an eliminator, ostensibly to find a challenger for Jack Parker. I understand the whole affair was unofficial and, although it was won by Bob Oakley who, incidentally, beat Jack Young, it was just a coincidence that Bob was chosen to meet Parker..... I understand the Control Board are not happy about selecting a Second Division man for the Golden Helmet (the Division One Match Race Championship)...” Here is a reader’s letter which appeared at this time in a speedway publication: - “In the past few weeks I have watched with interest letters for and against the various riders who appear capable of winning Parker’s Golden Helmet. Who can win it? The answer is simple if readers ask themselves the following questions – (a) Who has the most maximums? (b) Who holds the most track records? (c) Who has given London a tonic? (d) Who is the ‘Vic Duggan of 1951?’ The answer? – you mean you don’t know? Well, for those of you who can keep a secret, the name is Jack Young, and the records are there to prove it.” Speedway journalist “Red” Lyon was also full of praise for Jack Young at this time. Here is section of what he wrote: - “... the truth remains that Jack is the fastest rider in the game today, irrespective of divisions. I am not expressing a lone opinion; these views have been expressed to me time and again of late by top-grade boys in the First Division.... Jack’s style of riding always surprised me, for he follows such a wide course. Last season he was almost a ‘fence-scraper’, and even now he keeps so well to the middle of the track that he must cover a considerably greater distance than those of his rivals who hug the white line. This, of course, emphasises his speed. I tried to get him to discuss the point with me, but he’ll talk easily and fluently on all topics except one - Jack Young! “Only one claim will he make for himself, and that, of course, is obvious to all. He admits to being a very fast starter.” The first in the series of Scotland v England internationals may have proved a disappointing affair, but the second match staged at Ashfield on July 3 provided plenty of excitement for the 25,000 spectators present. When England led 30-24 at the half way stage, few present at the ground would have predicted what would happen in the second half of the match – Scotland outscored England 35-19 in the final nine heats to record a victory and tie up the series. Jack’s six rides returned 17 points. I’ll let Jack tell of the great thrill he experienced in early July when the Australian team for the Third Test was announced: - “They (the selectors) did me the honour, so far the greatest honour I have received, of electing me captain of the Australian Test team to meet England at Wembley...” On Wednesday July 11, Jack appeared at Division One track New Cross. The feature event on the programme was the Tom Farndon Trophy, a night to honour the memory of the former New Cross favourite who passed away following a racing accident during the pre-war era. I quote from a meeting report: - “What price Jack Young for the World Championship? The line-up at New Cross last Wednesday contained all the top men in speedway and was truly representative of a World Championship final. Jack disposed of the opposition in an almost carefree manner and won five races in a row, and it is as well to add that his winning times were the fastest of the evening. It’s a curious thing that Jack now favours the centre of the track and seems to keep his throttle on the whole time. He is without equal at present on any track. The 16th heat was the climax as Young and Aub Lawson came to the line both unbeaten. But the London Champion (Lawson) was beaten as soon as the first corner was reached when Jack was four lengths to the good....” This also appeared in print at the time: - “The Edinboro’ boy’s performance at New Cross last week, when he took the Farndon Trophy with comparative ease despite terrific opposition from the cream of the stars, bore out all the nice things that have been said about him.” Some of the others in the field at New Cross were the three Wembley stars Fred Williams, Tommy Price and Bob Oakley; Belle Vue number one Jack Parker; Wimbledon stars Norman Parker and Ronnie Moore; West Ham number one Aub Lawson; and home track riders Eric French, Bill Longley and the Roger brothers. To have won such a prestigious individual event in such emphatic fashion (a 15 point maximum) made Jack very proud. The evening following the Tom Farndon Trophy meeting at New Cross, Jack was at Oxford to make his first appearance in the qualifying rounds for places in the 1951 World Final. He had been seeded straight through to the second round in which each rider contested two meetings. From the Oxford meeting report: - “Jack Young completely overshadowed the other competitors to such an extent that the meeting held little interest....” Jack recorded a 15 point maximum in this qualifier. A matter which had been causing Jack concern for some time came to a head at this Oxford meeting. He had been in such extraordinary form that very hurtful rumours were being spread; some were convinced that he was using illegal engines. The reason the rumour-mongers gave was that this had to be the only way Jack could consistently beat the best riders in the country. Jack commented on what happened at Oxford: - “After all the tittle-tattle and rumours that I had heard on my travels in the South I was not in the least surprised when, after winning my World Championship round at Oxford, my bike was impounded for measuring!.... Now I will never at any time object to my bike being measured, as a matter of fact I have no right to object; indeed, I rather welcomed it..... Was I in bother? Yes, not only at the inconvenience, but the ill-advised manner in which the measuring was done. Measuring can be done very simply indeed in a matter of minutes with a Burette gauge, without going to the ridiculous lengths employed on this occasion..... on returning to Meadowbank and reporting the manner of measurement to Clem Mitchell you should have seen the look of disgust he gave when I told him that the official had had the cylinder holding-down bolts removed! He raved for minutes about the incompetence of those responsible for such an unnecessary action. Then he went on to compare that piece of technical inefficiency to a doctor asking a man to remove his boots so that he could examine his throat!! “.... Need I say that, far from being oversize, my motor was a few c.c. undersize. I am sorry to have disappointed those know-alls.... My bike has never been tuned outside our own little workshop at Meadowbank, and the tuner is Clem Mitchell himself, need I say more?” The Edinburgh International Trophy event was staged at Meadowbank two days after Jack’s success at Oxford. One speedway journalist commented about the final race of the 20-heat format, “...Heat 20 was worth the admission money alone, if only to see Jack Young ride on majestically to his third trophy win in four days!” Yet another maximum score for Jack Young. What a week – victories in the Tom Farndon Trophy, the World Championship qualifying round at Oxford, and then the International Trophy – all without dropping a point. The following week commenced with Jack at another London First Division track to contest a big individual meeting on Monday July 16. He was at Wimbledon to take part in The Laurels. Here is section of the meeting report: - “Excitement at Wimbledon. The 15,000 crowd took a poor view of Steward Pickering’s decision in the 19th heat when he excluded Jack Young, and so cost ‘mighty’ Jack yet another Trophy. It happened this way. Young made a poor start and then attempted to dive inside Norman Parker on the straight. He did manage to get through but the Steward ruled that he had employed unfair tactics. Young said he hadn’t. Parker agreed with him and most of the crowd sympathised with the Edinburgh rider, too. Despite protests the Steward remained adamant. Nevertheless Young was the evening’s star performer. He had four heat wins, and in the third race equalled the track record of 65 seconds when he beat (Aub) Lawson in clear cut fashion. His ride in the eighth heat was truly amazing. He was almost a quarter of a lap behind the field on the first circuit, but that didn’t worry Youngie. He went after his rivals, and hey presto! After three laps was well and truly established in the lead. Wise old heads said that this was the best performance seen at the Plough Lane track this year.” Aub Lawson, who finished with 14 points, won the meeting. Jack Young, who finished on 12 points, was the only rider to beat Lawson. Following is section of a letter written to a speedway magazine by a Scottish reader: - “It was stated that Young bored Norman Parker, the local skipper, but it was also stated that Parker denied being bored by Young............ Jack is not in the habit of unfair riding and I am sure he would rather have been content with second place than give himself a bad name........ In closing, I would like to thank Norman Parker for sticking up for our captain in the manner he did.” On the Thursday of that week Jack was at Wembley - this time for the Third Test against England. Australia went to a 2-1 lead in the series recording a 58-49 victory over the Englishmen. Jack’s night started most disappointingly for him; he fell in his opening ride. Then followed a succession of five second placings in his remaining races, giving him a total of 10+1 for the Test. Jack was proud to have captained his country in a winning Test Match, but would dearly have loved to have contributed more points on the occasion. Aub Lawson (17+1, a paid maximum) and Arthur Payne (16) were the stars for Australia.

The photograph on the left shows Jack Young proudly leading Australia's Third Test team onto the Wembley arena. Beside him is England captain Jack Parker.	The photograph on the right shows Australian rider Ronnie Moore getting into trouble during the running of the opening heat in the Third Test. Jack Young can be seen behind Moore. The England rider is Fred Williams. Jack fell shortly after this photograph was taken.
Two nights later Jack was at Meadowbank to appear in the second of his two scheduled appearances in the second round of World Championship qualifying. Just as he had done in the first of the meetings at Oxford, Jack once again remained unbeaten. Only two riders won all of their ten races in this round, and both raced for Scottish clubs – Jack Young and Tommy Miller. From the Edinburgh meeting report: - “Edinburgh’s biggest crowd of the season saw skipper Jack Young win his second 30 pounds cheque in the ‘Sunday Dispatch’ World Championship with one of the greatest displays of riding this season....The once or twice he had to come through from behind, he did in effortless fashion ...” It was a big night for Jack Young at Ashfield on July 24. Not only did he win the Festival Championship event but he also retained the trophy he had won the previous year by again defeating Jack Parker (the British Match Race Champion) in a match race series 2-0. From the meeting report: - “For Jack Young, of Edinburgh Monarchs, the occasion was a ‘free gift night,’ and one, which he said himself, will stand out prominently for the rest of his life.” 17,000 fans turned out at Meadowbank on Saturday July 28 to witness the first leg of the Scottish Cup Final between the home team and White City. Jack contributed 16+1 in Edinburgh’s 66-42 victory. A collision with team mate Dick Campbell during the running of his final heat spoilt any chance of yet another maximum score. That same evening Jack defeated Tommy Miller 2-0 in the first leg of the Division Two Match Race Championship (Silver Helmet). His time of 65.60 seconds in the first heat equalled the track record. During the month of July, Jack rode in a further four Second Division League matches for Edinburgh. His season’s record in this competition at the end of that month stood at 10 matches, 40 rides, 40 wins – an amazing 100% race-winning record. Jack also retained the Silver Helmet when he defeated challenger Bob Leverenz 2-0, 2-0. The following was written by a speedway journalist in late July: - “Jack Young’s daughter, Carol, who, I might add, is one of his staunchest supporters, has had a nasty combined attack of chicken pox and measles. Let’s hope it isn’t long before she is back at Meadowbank watching her father put on the maximums.” Jack wrote the following in late July: - “Well, I’m waiting now on my new car coming forward. I’m getting an Austin A40 and, believe me, it can’t come quickly enough. My wrist is getting sore thumbing lifts here, there and everywhere, and I reckon it won’t be long before my engagement book gets filled up again.” Another Australian Test team stalwart was honoured when the side for the fourth match of the Test series to be staged at Birmingham was announced. Graham Warren, who had fought valiantly in an effort to regain the form he had shown prior to his near fatal crash in New Zealand during the off-season, was given his country’s captaincy for the Test at his home track. When Jack appeared for Test duty at Birmingham on Saturday August 4, he was determined to make up for his somewhat disappointing performance during the previous Test. From a meeting report: - “... the imperturbable Jack Young joined the immortals by registering a maximum. Jack was invariably first into the corner, but in the 11th race he was last out of it. However, that made little difference. He accounted for man after man in the succeeding laps and won this heat as easily as the others ... Jack Young picked up 93 pounds for his seven minutes of actual racing.” The Jack Young-Ronnie Moore pairing scored 25 of a possible 30 points in this Test match. Australia won 62-46 to go to a 3-1 unbeatable lead in the series. The cries now became even louder for Jack Young to be selected to challenge holder Jack Parker for the British Match Race Championship. I’ll quote from the Speedway Regulations in force at that time - Rule 572, Appendix F: - “The Speedway Control Board will select the rider who, in their opinion, has by his performance immediately prior to their selection, proved himself to be of outstanding merit amongst all the riders registered with the board.” In early August, New Cross promoter Fred Mockford made these comments on this situation: - “I have heard it said frequently, and by people who should know better, that a man outside Division One is not eligible as a contender for the British Match Race Title... There is no rule governing the British Match Race Championship which prevents Jack Young, Silver Helmet holder and Scottish Match Race Champion, from being selected.... His performances this year have stamped him as a rider of the highest class – a champion in the true sense of the word. To overlook or rather ignore his claims, just because he is attached to a Second Division club is, to my way of thinking, detrimental to the progress of the sport...” Jack Young would have to wait for a chance at the British Match Race Championship – he wasn’t nominated by the Board for any of the challenges for the title in 1951. Jack’s heavy travelling and racing schedule was beginning to tell on him. The week following the Fourth Test he had four meetings in four days pencilled into his diary. Beginning on the Wednesday was the second, and deciding, leg of Edinburgh’s Scottish Cup Final clash against White City. Even though White City won this leg 64-42 on their home track, Edinburgh just managed to win by two points on aggregate, 108-106. Jack won five of his starts to finish with 15 points. Over the two legs of the final he scored 31+1 of a possible 36 points. The Thursday saw the staging of the Scottish Riders’ Championship at Meadowbank. From a meeting report: - “Jack Young distinguished himself once more before his own Meadowbank fans by retaining the Scottish Riders’ Championship for the third successive year, a record of consistency unlikely to be beaten for years to come.” Once again, as he had done the two previous years, Jack remained unbeaten in his five rides. On the Friday, Jack was at Cradley Heath to represent Scotland in the third of the international matches against England. A 61-47 victory to England saw them take a 2-1 lead in the series. Jack remained unbeaten in his six appearances. It was on to Coventry for Jack for a League match on the Saturday. Once again it was a four-ride maximum for Jack in his club’s 32-51 defeat. On the Monday of the following week, August 13, Jack made his first appearance in the next round of World Championship qualifying (the Championship Round) at Wimbledon. The top 16 of the 72 riders competing in this round would ride on World Final night at Wembley. Each rider in the Championship Round took part in two of the nine meetings. Jack won his first three races at Wimbledon but then dropped three points in his final two appearances. Jack wrote the following: - “I enjoyed the meeting at Wimbledon, although feeling very, very tired, and having had so much bike trouble to contend with after the heavy engagements the week before.... I’ve had a very hectic time of late, and well, one just can’t go on for ever without some decent rest, and the chance to get my equipment back to its best........ I’ve just returned from down south and I can tell you that after my hectic spell for so long these few days in London put me right back to full vim and vigour again.... This season alone, up to the time of writing, I have taken part in some 74 meetings! An average of roughly four meetings a week since the season opened. I’ve travelled as far afield as Exeter to honour my engagements; but, after all, there is a limit to the resources of any man and his equipment.” Jack’s short break from racing following the qualifying meeting at Wimbledon caused a few harsh words to be directed in his direction. In what was a rather late decision, the Control Board announced that Jack was to race against Tommy Miller in the deciding round of their Silver Helmet match race contest at Ashfield on the evening following the Wimbledon qualifier. When Jack didn’t appear, a complaint was lodged with the Board by both the steward in control of the meeting and promoter Johnnie Hoskins. Jack commented at the time:- “Ah, well, it won’t get me down, I can tell you, and you can be certain that if I had known of the booking before going south on my arduous trip, and had I taken it on, I would have been there.” The following appeared in the speedway press: - “... the Control Board, after considering the Monarchs’ captain’s past record, decided to take no action in the complaint lodged ...” The match race decider, rescheduled for Ashfield on August 21, was won 2-0 by Miller. Jack had lost the Silver Helmet (the Division Two Match Race Championship). On the Monday of the following week the fourth match of the England v Scotland series was staged at Halifax. As England led the series 2-1, a win in this match by Scotland was imperative. From a meeting report: - “England opened with maximum points in the first race, but this proved to be a mere flash in the pan, as Jack Young met no serious opposition and scored a brilliant 18-point maximum.” Scotland won the match 60-48 to level the series. The following evening the final match of the 1951 England v Australia Test series was staged at West Ham. For this encounter Jack was paired with Bob Leverenz. From the speedway press: - “Hats off to the Australians. For the first time since Test matches were instituted 21 years ago, they have won a series in this country 4-1. So the ‘Ashes’ depart from these shores for the third time, won, I might add, in the highest tradition, with good, clean, hard riding. Architects of this fine record are that amazing man from o’er the border, Jack Young, and colleagues Aub Lawson and Jack Biggs.”

Two smiling Australia speedway legends who starred in the 1951 Test series against England. On the left, wearing his trademark neckerchief, is Aub Lawson. On the right is Jack Biggs.
The final score, in Australia’s favour, was 58-49. What should have been a joyous occasion for Jack was soured somewhat by what was, in his opinion, a disappointing personal contribution to Australia’s score. He won his first race, finished second on three occasions, fell in one race, and suffered an engine failure in the other. Over the five-match series Jack scored 69+1 for his country, the highest return from a rider on either team. An incident which caused Jack great concern occurred during his second race, the one in which he fell. Temporarily blinded during the running of the race, Jack hit the inner edge of the track and crashed. Unfortunately his motorcycle then struck one of the St. Johns’ Ambulance Brigade men who was on duty at the pit bend. The chap was carried off on a stretcher suffering from shock and bruising. Jack’s second meeting in the Championship Round of qualifying for places in the World Final took place at Bristol on Friday August 31. Jack was also somewhat disappointed with his performance at this meeting. His 11 points on the night included two race victories. His aggregate total of 23 points over the two meetings saw Jack qualify for his second World Final. Jack’s extraordinary run of maximum scores in his League matches for Edinburgh came to an end at Halifax on August 22. Prior to this meeting he had appeared in 12 League matches, had contested 48 races, and had won the lot. Jack had to be content with 10 points against Halifax having been beaten into second place on the night by both Vic Emms and Arthur Forrest. He did bounce back with yet another maximum League score in his next, and final, League match of the month when Leicester defeated Edinburgh at Meadowbank. Jack’s 1951 League record at the end of August stood at 56 races for 54 wins and two second placings. Although Jack had lost the Division Two Match Race Championship, he was still the Scottish Match Race Champion, having defeated Junior Bainbridge two rounds to one. The big question now was could Jack overcome the weariness and machinery problems which had recently beset him? The big night of the year, the World Championship Final, was set for September 20th.

The photograph on the left is the team Jack Young captained to victory in the Third Test. Back row from the left: Arthur Payne, Graham Warren, team manager Arthur Simcock, Bob Leverenz, and Jack Young. Front row from the left: Ronnie Moore, Aub Lawson, Junior Bainbridge, and Jack Biggs. On the right is an appropriate caricature of Jack Young.
Acknowledgements. I'd like to once again take this opportunity to thank collectively the many people who have assisted me over the years with my Jack Young and Bluey Wilkinson research. There are too many of you to list individually.
Thanks to Ross Garrigan. Brisbane.