Jack Ormston
Encyclopedia
John Glaholme 'Jack' Ormston (born 30 October 1909 - died 22 June 2007) was a Speedway
rider who finished runner-up in the Star Riders' Championship
in 1935, the forerunner to the Speedway World Championship
. He also competed in the first ever World Final
in 1936 (finishing equal fifth).
Having ridden for Middlesbrough
, he left in 1929 to become captain of the Wembley Lions
team aged twenty one. While riding for Wembley in 1930 he won the first ever London Riders' Championship
at the Crystal Palace
. He won the inaugural National League
with Wembley
in 1932 and was a member of the England team in the first-ever England v Australia Test Match at Wimbledon Stadium
. He rode for England in a total of 13 Test matches against Australia, of which 3 were in Australia in 1937-38.
He subsequently joined Birmingham (Hall Green), and then from 1935-38 rode for the Harringay Racers
in London
.
Jack was the last surviving competitor from the original World Final
before he died aged 97.
at the end of the 1938 season he became an established racehorse trainer, with over four hundred winners to his credit before he retired from training in 1976.
Motorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. Speedway motorcycles use only one gear and have no brakes and racing takes place on a flat oval track usually...
rider who finished runner-up in the Star Riders' Championship
Star Riders' Championship
The Star Riders' Championship was the forerunner of the Speedway World Championship and was inaugurated in 1929. The competition was sponsored by The Star, which was a London evening newspaper at that time....
in 1935, the forerunner to the Speedway World Championship
Speedway World Championship
The World Championship of Speedway is an international competition between the highest ranked motorcycle speedway riders of the world. Today, it is organised as a series of Speedway Grand Prix events, where points are awarded according to performance in the event and tallied up at the end of each...
. He also competed in the first ever World Final
Speedway World Championship
The World Championship of Speedway is an international competition between the highest ranked motorcycle speedway riders of the world. Today, it is organised as a series of Speedway Grand Prix events, where points are awarded according to performance in the event and tallied up at the end of each...
in 1936 (finishing equal fifth).
Having ridden for Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough Bears
The Middlesbrough Bears were a British speedway team which operated under various names from 1939 until their closure in 1996.-Brief history:The team was initially nicknamed the Bears in 1939...
, he left in 1929 to become captain of the Wembley Lions
Wembley Lions (speedway)
The Wembley Lions were a motorcycle speedway team which operated from 1929 until their closure in 1971. Their track was located at Wembley Stadium, London. The original stadium which hosted speedway has been redeveloped.-Pre-war:...
team aged twenty one. While riding for Wembley in 1930 he won the first ever London Riders' Championship
London Riders' Championship
The London Riders' Championship was an individual speedway competition for top riders of teams from London. It was a very prestigious competition, especially in its early days. However, as the number of teams from London dwindled, so did interest in the competition. The last competition wast held...
at the Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace was a cast-iron and glass building originally erected in Hyde Park, London, England, to house the Great Exhibition of 1851. More than 14,000 exhibitors from around the world gathered in the Palace's of exhibition space to display examples of the latest technology developed in...
. He won the inaugural National League
Speedway National League
The National League was the top division of Speedway in the United Kingdom from 1932 until 1965 when it became known as the British League. Prior to 1932 there were only small regional leagues competing within the sport in the UK. The National League was re-incarnated in 1975 as the second division...
with Wembley
Wembley Lions (speedway)
The Wembley Lions were a motorcycle speedway team which operated from 1929 until their closure in 1971. Their track was located at Wembley Stadium, London. The original stadium which hosted speedway has been redeveloped.-Pre-war:...
in 1932 and was a member of the England team in the first-ever England v Australia Test Match at Wimbledon Stadium
Wimbledon Stadium
Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium is a greyhound racing track located in Wimbledon in southwest London, England. It also hosts speedway, stock car and other racing events....
. He rode for England in a total of 13 Test matches against Australia, of which 3 were in Australia in 1937-38.
He subsequently joined Birmingham (Hall Green), and then from 1935-38 rode for the Harringay Racers
Harringay Racers (speedway)
The Harringay Racers were a motorcycle speedway team who raced at the Harringay Stadium from 1947 until 1954 in the National League Division One....
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Jack was the last surviving competitor from the original World Final
Speedway World Championship
The World Championship of Speedway is an international competition between the highest ranked motorcycle speedway riders of the world. Today, it is organised as a series of Speedway Grand Prix events, where points are awarded according to performance in the event and tallied up at the end of each...
before he died aged 97.
World Final Appearances
- 19361936 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1936 Individual Speedway World Championship was the first ever Speedway World Championship and was won by Lionel Van Praag of Australia. It was the first of a record 26 times that London's Wembley Stadium would host the World Final with the last being in 1981.*1936 Podium# Lionel Van Praag # ...
-
United Kingdom LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Wembley Stadium - 5th - 17pts - 19381938 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1938 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 1, 1938 London, Wembley Stadium...
- United Kingdom LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Wembley Stadium - 16th - 5pts
After retirement
After jack retired from speedwayMotorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. Speedway motorcycles use only one gear and have no brakes and racing takes place on a flat oval track usually...
at the end of the 1938 season he became an established racehorse trainer, with over four hundred winners to his credit before he retired from training in 1976.