1937 Speedway National League


The 1937 National League Division One was the ninth season of the highest tier of motorcycle speedway in Great Britain.

Summary

The entrants were the same seven teams as the previous season.
West Ham Hammers won their first national title despite finishing bottom the previous season. In the process they stopped Belle Vue Aces from claiming a fifth consecutive title win. Belle Vue did however go on to win the cup double winning the Knockout Cup for the fifth successive year and the A.C.U Cup for the fourth successive year.
Roy Clarence Vigor was fatally injured during a match at Wimbledon Stadium on 27 September. He hit a safety fence and his bike landed on top of him. He died in Nelson Hospital, Merton, three days later. His death came just one month after the death of Stan Hart in the 1937 Provincial Speedway League.

Fixtures & results

A fixtures
'''B fixtures'''

National Trophy

The 1937 National Trophy was the seventh edition of the Knockout Cup.

Qualifying rounds

Southampton Saints won the Provincial final and therefore secured a place in the quarter-finals.
Quarterfinals
DateTeam oneScoreTeam two
05/06 Harringay41-65New Cross
09/06 New Cross76-31Harringay
07/06 Wimbledon39-68Belle Vue
12/06 Belle Vue80-28Wimbledon
08/06 West Ham58-46 Hackney Wick
11/06 Hackney Wick60-48West Ham
25/06
replay
Hackney Wick65-43 West Ham
29/06 Southampton40-44Wembley
29/06
replay
West Ham55-53 Hackney Wick

Semifinals
DateTeam oneScoreTeam two
15/07 Wembley 50-58New Cross
14/07 New Cross59-48Wembley
16/07 Hackney Wick56-52Belle Vue
17/07 Belle Vue69-39Hackney Wick

Final

First leg
Second leg
Belle Vue were National Trophy Champions, winning on aggregate 115-110.

A.C.U Cup

The 1937 Auto-Cycle Union Cup was the fourth edition of the Cup and was won by Belle Vue for the fourth time. The groups were decided on the number of heat points scored within matches, rather than match wins.
First round
Group 1
TeamPLWDLRace Pts
Wembley Lions6600319.5
New Cross Rangers6303311.5
Harringay Tigers6303269
Wimbledon Dons6006240

Group 2
TeamPLWDLRace Pts
Belle Vue Aces4103202
West Ham Hammers4301190
Hackney Wick Wolves4202181

Group 1
Group 2
Final
DateTeam oneTeam twoScore
07/10WembleyBelle Vue49–45
09/10Belle VueWembley61–35

London Cup

First round
Team oneScoreTeam two
New Cross65–43, 65–42Wimbledon
Wembley58–49, 61–46Harringay

Semi final round
Team oneScoreTeam two
Hackney Wick49–59, 21–87 West Ham
New Cross62–46, 56–50Wembley

Final

First leg
Second leg
New Cross won on aggregate '''117–97'''

Riders & final averages

Belle Vue
  • 10.18
  • 9.88
  • 9.49
  • 8.07
  • 6.71
  • 5.33
  • 4.39
  • 4.21
  • 3.25
  • 2.46
  • 2.77
Hackney
  • 9.38
  • 8.30
  • 7.63
  • 5.54
  • 5.40
  • 5.20
  • 4.76
  • 4.14
  • 3.58
  • 3.40
  • 2.48
  • 1.71
Harringay
  • 9.81
  • 8.29
  • 6.46
  • 6.33
  • 6.21
  • 5.49
  • 5.48
  • 5.31
  • 3.50
  • 3.22
  • 3.10
New Cross
  • 11.09
  • 8.91
  • 8.50
  • 6.29
  • 5.88
  • 5.83
  • 5.80
  • 4.03
  • 3.56
  • 3.38
  • 2.35
  • 2.00
Wembley
  • 10.42
  • 8.96
  • 8.24
  • 6.22
  • 5.60
  • 5.37
  • 5.37
  • 5.00
  • 5.00
  • 2.00
West Ham
  • 10.23
  • Eric Chitty 9.37
  • 8.92
  • 8.54
  • 7.18
  • 6.03
  • 5.83
  • 5.60
  • 4.63
  • 3.50
Wimbledon
  • 8.14
  • 6.92
  • 5.88
  • 5.23
  • 5.06
  • 5.02
  • 5.00
  • 4.93
  • 4.89
  • 4.00
  • 3.73
  • 3.08
  • 2.86
  • 2.48
  • Alfred Rumrich 1.09
  • 0.29