Alfred John Herbert Bottoms (20 June 1918 – 2 May 1951) was a motorcycle speedway rider from England.[1]
| Born | 20 June 1918 Kensington, London, England |
|---|---|
| Died | 2 May 1951 (aged 32) Luxembourg |
| Nationality | British (English) |
| Career history | |
| 1946–1947, 1949–1950 | Wembley Lions |
| 1948 | Southampton Saints |
| Team honours | |
| 1946, 1949, 1950 | League champion (tier 1) |
| 1948 | National Trophy (tier 3) |
| 1946, 1949, 1950 | London Cup |
Biography edit
Bottoms, born in Kensington, London, began racing speedway in 1945, after appearing in various meetings.[2] His British leagues career began when he rode for Wembley Lions during the 1946 Speedway National League season.[3] He won the London Cup with Wembley in 1946.[4]
During the winter, Bottoms bred chickens for a living[5] and was due to ride for Wembley again in 1947 but had to go into hospital for two serious operations for internal problems. The operations were a success but he missed the entire season, with the exception of two matches.[6] He took consolation in the fact that Wembley won both the league title and the British Speedway Cup.[7]
In 1948, he joined Southampton Saints and had an impressive season, topping the division three league averages, with a remarkable 11.25 average and helped his club win the National Trophy.[8] In 1949, he returned to Wembley in exchange for Roy Craighead.[9] He won the league title and London Cup again with them during both the 1949 and 1950 seasons.[10]
Bottoms died on 2 May 1951, at the age of 32, in a Formula Three car racing accident in Luxembourg.[11]
References edit
- ^ "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ^ "Bill Kitchen wins speedway helmet". Newcastle Journal. 10 October 1945. Retrieved 5 January 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "1946 season" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ^ "Wembley Win Cup Final". South Western Star. 30 August 1946. Retrieved 5 January 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "When the speed motors are silent". Daily Mirror. 24 January 1947. Retrieved 5 January 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Thrill Aids recovery". Daily Mirror. 5 April 1947. Retrieved 5 January 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ Oakes, Peter (1978). 1978 Speedway Yearbook. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. ISBN 978-0904584509.
- ^ "Rider averages 1929 to 2009" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ^ "Exchange of Riders". Daily Herald. 29 March 1949. Retrieved 5 January 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Year by Year". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ^ "Racing Car driver killed". Daily News (London). 3 May 1951. Retrieved 5 January 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.