Ivor Hughes (speedway rider)
Ivor John Hughes (28 Feb. 1939 – 23 Aug. 1966) was a motorcycle speedway rider with the Cradley Heath Heathens team during the 1960s. He died following a track accident at the Dudley Wood Stadium on Saturday August 20, 1966 in the final heat of the British League match against Sheffield Tigers. His off-track occupation was a plumber in his home town of Berriew, Powys, Wales.
| Born | 28 February 1939 Welshpool, Powys, Wales |
|---|---|
| Died | 23 August 1966 (aged 27) |
| Nationality | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} |
| Current club information | |
| Career status | Deceased |
| Career history | |
| 1964 | Wolverhampton Wolves |
| 1964-1966 | Cradley Heath Heathens |
| 1965 | Exeter Falcons |
Career
Born in Middletown, near Welshpool, Ivor Hughes started motorcycling with the local Clive Motorcycle Club, being a founder member, before turning to speedway with the purchase of a JAP machine at the end 1963 and after-the-meeting rides at Stoke. In 1964 with second-half outings at Cradley and Wolverhampton, he made his first team appearance riding for the Wolves in their match at Sunderland in June, winning his first ride and scoring 6 points. Three weeks later he made his Heathens debut at Dudley Wood. In 1965 he rode matches for both the Heathens and Exeter Falcons, having extended his speedway weekends by traveling down to Devon for the increased opportunities given by day-time track use prior to their Monday evening meetings. When the Heathens management realised his potential could be lost to them they offered Hughes a full contract and he completed the season with 12 team matches in the green & white of the Midlands club.
In 1966, with a full commitment to breaking into the sport big time, the Welshman took out a bank loan to purchase a new ESO speedway machine plus the full kit of new leathers, boots and helmet, plus white gloves to complete his image make-over. Starting the season as reserve, he moved up into the team proper in May to partner his skipper Ivor Brown, and scored his first double figure result against Swindon, dropping one point to veteran Mike Broadbanks. He scored his first full maximum at the end of July and in the following meeting against Swedish visitors Vargarna ended the night by defeating the reigning World Champion, Bjorn Knutsson in the Scratch Race Final. The Welshman followed this with another double figure score in the next home match in August, again against Swindon. A week later he was unbeaten going into the final heat of the match against Sheffield Tigers when 3 of the 4 riders came down exiting the first bend. Ivor Hughes was hit from behind by an opponent's machinery, the skull injury he received proving fatal: he died 2 days later in the Dudley Guest Hospital, age 27.
At his funeral in home town Berriew the church was full to overflowing, and over 160 wreaths lined the churchyard pathway. The congregation came from both the speedway world, - riders, promoters, officials and fans - , and the local community, to whom Ivor Hughes was known not only as their newly acclaimed speedway star but as goal-keeper of their Berriew football team. (He had played professionally for Leyton Orient, Stoke and several Welsh clubs in the preceding decade before turning to speedway.) Since his death an Ivor Hughes Memorial Trophy has been presented annually in his honour by the Cradley club, either raced for or awarded, recipients being listed at Speedway Champions - Memorial Trophies