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Midlands sporting greats

R

rmtruby

Guest
I'm trying to compile a list of Midlands sporting greats over the past 200 years for use in a project I'm doing with my History class. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Ray
 
Hi go to my posting today on the boxer Len Tiger Smith he was my great grand dad from the Midlands.
 
There's a thread about another boxer on here too Jack Hood, i'm sure if you search threw the sporting boards you'll get plenty of ideas :)
 
Billy Wright,footballer 1924-1994 spent his whole career at Wolverhampton Wanderers.He appeared 105 times for England and Captained them 90 times.

Stanley Matthews,footballer, 1915-2000.born Stoke on Trent,the first footballer to be knighted.

Denise Lewis,Heptathlete born 1972.West Bromwich
 
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Tennis champion Ann Haydon Jones. Born in Birmingham in 1938. and winner of 8 grand slams, including Wimbledon Ladies Champion in 1969.

Ann
 
Rachael Hayhoe-Flint OBE, Member of the English women's cricket team (1960-1982), born 11 June 1939 in Wolverhampton.
 
1992 Formula One Champion Racing driver Nigel Mansell, born in 1953 in Upton upon Severn Worcs, he grew up in Hall Green Birmingham.

Ann
 
Trevor Francis, born Devon, nearly all his football career in the Midlands, Gil Merrick, England & Birmingham City Goalkeeper. Len.
 
Tommy Godwin, born in the USA but became a dedicated Brummie and Olympic Gold Medal Cyclist. Len.
 
Martin Johnson CBE. b. 1970 Solihull, as Captain led Englands Rugby union Team to victory in the 2003 World Cup.Now the England Manager.

Dennis Amiss 1943 Harborne ,Cricketer.
 
I think Ken Wharton had a garage in Bearwood, next door to the Windsor Theatre (later the Ice Rink). Probably the 60s?
 
Findwilliam said:
I think Ken Wharton had a garage in Bearwood, next door to the Windsor Theatre (later the Ice Rink). Probably the 60s?
Click to expand...
No, no there, that was Jones' furniture shop before becoming a filling station, and had been a cinema and possibly a skating rink before that. My father worked at Jones's (and married one of Jones daughters) before setting up his own business.
This was Ken Wharton's garage
https://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=39975
 
Hi
How about Geoff Humpage the Warwickshire wicketkeeper born Sparkbrook, still holds a few records for the county.
Cheers
Dave Rock
 
Bil Jones, Pete Jennings, Roy Smith, Eric Grinsell,Phil Ridgeway. & many more BIRMINGHAM MOHAWKS SPEED SKATING CLUB
 
Sorry. I remember the Windsor on the corner of Bearwood Rd and a road that was at right angles to it. I also remembered (maybe wrongly) Wharton's garage being on a corner. Video was interesting (17/6 for a full service!!). So I might have rusty memory there. But Wharton's garage was definitely also on Bearwood Road, on the same side of the road as the Windsor, and in the direction of the Bear Head.

In the other direction from the Windsor (also on the same side) was a wonderful war surplus shop -- all sorts of goodies of interest to a teenager in the 60s. 'Fraid furniture shops would not have impinged on my consciousness.

Mike
 
In the early 60's I plucked a 14 year old lad from the streets of Brum, Mick Bennett. Living in a back street house, Henley Villas, Chesterton Road, Sparkbrook, he became my best protégé and went on to win Olympic Bronze and world silver medals. He is now director of the Tour of Britain and one of the most powerful men in British cycle sport today. https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/be/mick-bennett-1.html & https://www.dailypeloton.com/displayarticle.asp?pk=12479

Thanks Langy for adding that link to me, here is another one of interest; https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=Lib-Central-Archives-and-Heritage%2FPageLayout&cid=1223092755562&pagename=BCC%2FCommon%2FWrapper%2FWrapper

Graham.
 
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Graham....that's an absolutely amazing story...Hiding your light under a bushel in this case I would say. You are an amazing man. Won't be long now until the Hall of Fame dinner.
 
Jenny you're too kind.

Through Mick Bennett I still live on in the UK. I'm all booked up and looking forward to fly to Manchester for the Gala Dinner next week, just feel sorry that I won't have time to stop off in Brum.

To stay on topic; another great Brummie sports man who used to work with me at BSA is Maurice Herriott, silver medal 3000 m 1964 Olympics & 8 times AAA champ. https://www.sporting-heroes.net/athletics-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=8651 A great bloke, he was responsible for hand building all the BSA Road Rockets and his wife Marina was responsible for all the cables and wiring. At the BSA in our 1 hour midday break Maurice would run round the BSA sports ground while I raced up and down the outside staircase, overlooking the canal, to build heart and leg muscles. In the evening I would go out for a 50 mile training ride and would always meet Maurice running along the Stratford Road. It would then be about 9 pm before we could both eat after a long day!

Graham.
 
Findwilliam said:
Sorry. I remember the Windsor on the corner of Bearwood Rd and a road that was at right angles to it. I also remembered (maybe wrongly) Wharton's garage being on a corner. Video was interesting (17/6 for a full service!!). So I might have rusty memory there. But Wharton's garage was definitely also on Bearwood Road, on the same side of the road as the Windsor, and in the direction of the Bear Head.

In the other direction from the Windsor (also on the same side) was a wonderful war surplus shop -- all sorts of goodies of interest to a teenager in the 60s. 'Fraid furniture shops would not have impinged on my consciousness.

Mike
Click to expand...


There was on the opposite corner to the Windsor Theatre, a dance hall called the Coliseum, it could at times be a bit rough, it was the start of the Teddy Boy / Ladywood Gangs era, the Coliseum was bought by Bearwood Motors, next door to the Coliseum was Ken Wharton’s garage, after Kens death Bearwood Motors, bought Kens Garage on Bearwood Road...
 
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