This month marks the fiftieth anniversary of the death of one of Liverpool's greatest, but most forgotten sporting sons. Peter Craven is the only Englishman to have won the world speedway championship more than once and remains England's greatest ever rider. One of the admirable features about Craven is that he struggled to overcome early difficulties. he found it hard to nail down a place in the Liverpool team that was running in the 2nd division, but in 1954 he moved to Belle Vue (Manchester), in the 1st division and everything clicked. At the end of the season he reached his first world final and the following year was crowned world champion to complete a meteoric rise to fame.
Over the next seven seasons, Craven established himself as one of the sport's great stars, a regular world finalist and England international. He was so good that he was forced to ride off a handicap in league matches. Added to that he was a spectacular racer, known as 'the wizard of balance' for the way in which he seemed to defy gravity. In 1962 he won his 2nd world crown and the following year, skippered Belle Vue to their first post-war league championship.
Shortly after, Craven rode for Belle Vue in a challenge meeting at 2nd division Edinburgh. As usual he'd thrilled the crowd, but in his last race he trailed the local star, George Hunter. As Craven was about to pass, Hunter's engine seized, throwing him on to the track. In an effort to avoid his rival, Craven swerved out but clipped the safety fence and crashed into it head first, sustaining injuries from which he died, a few days later. Even now, 50 years on, those who knew Peter Craven, whether his rivals or his fans, speak only well of his brilliance as a rider and his kindness as a man. It's sad that he is not better remembered in his native city and this anniversary should be an opportunity for a memorial of some kind to be established.
Over the next seven seasons, Craven established himself as one of the sport's great stars, a regular world finalist and England international. He was so good that he was forced to ride off a handicap in league matches. Added to that he was a spectacular racer, known as 'the wizard of balance' for the way in which he seemed to defy gravity. In 1962 he won his 2nd world crown and the following year, skippered Belle Vue to their first post-war league championship.
Shortly after, Craven rode for Belle Vue in a challenge meeting at 2nd division Edinburgh. As usual he'd thrilled the crowd, but in his last race he trailed the local star, George Hunter. As Craven was about to pass, Hunter's engine seized, throwing him on to the track. In an effort to avoid his rival, Craven swerved out but clipped the safety fence and crashed into it head first, sustaining injuries from which he died, a few days later. Even now, 50 years on, those who knew Peter Craven, whether his rivals or his fans, speak only well of his brilliance as a rider and his kindness as a man. It's sad that he is not better remembered in his native city and this anniversary should be an opportunity for a memorial of some kind to be established.
