Leo McAuliffe

Leo McAuliffe
Born16 December 1933
Clydach, Swansea[1]
Died13 December 2017(2017-12-13) (aged 83)
NationalityBritish (Welsh)
Career history
1956-1957Eastbourne Eagles
1957Birmingham Brummies
1957Bradford Tudors
1957Southern Rovers
1958Southampton Saints
1959, 1964Swindon Robins
1960–1961New Cross Rangers
1962–1964Wimbledon Dons
1965Belle Vue Aces
1965Cradley Heathens
1967–1969Oxford Cheetahs
Individual honours
1963Speedway World Championship finalist
1956, 1957Southern Area League Riders' Championship
Team honours
1962National Trophy winner
1962National League KO Cup winner
1957Southern Area League

Leo Peter McAuliffe (16 December 1933 – 13 December 2017) was an international motorcycle speedway rider from Wales.[2] He earned one international cap for the Great Britain national speedway team.[3]

Biography

McAuliffe was born in 1933 in the village of Clydach near Swansea. In 1948, he moved to Pontardawe and appeared in court following a motorcycle offence where the magistrate suggested that he find an appropriate place for his motorcycling. After moving to London he began training at Rye House and gained his first contract with Eastbourne Eagles.

McAuliffe won the Southern Area League Riders' Championship, held at Rye House Stadium on 30 September 1956.[4]

Later, he became a protege of fellow Welshman Freddie Williams[1] and went on to ride in the top tier of British Speedway for various clubs.[5] He joined Oxford Cheetahs in 1967.[6]

His greatest moment came when he reached the final of the Speedway World Championship in the 1963 Individual Speedway World Championship.[7] He was capped by Great Britain just once.[8]

World final appearances

Individual World Championship

References

  1. ^ a b "Court find a new Speed rider". Western Mail. 8 November 1957. Retrieved 8 July 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  2. ^ "WORLD INDIVIDUAL FINAL - RIDER INDEX". British Speedway. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  3. ^ "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  4. ^ "Surprises at the last speedway meeting". Eastbourne Gazette. 10 October 1956. Retrieved 10 June 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. ^ "History Archive". British Speedway. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  6. ^ "James Bond to ride at Brafield". Peterborough Evening Telegraph. 4 May 1967. Retrieved 27 August 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ^ "World Speedway finals" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  8. ^ "Speedway riders, history and results". wwosbackup. Retrieved 8 July 2021.