1939 Marine Gardens

1938 saw an Edinburgh team compete in the Union Cup league matches and challenge matches filled the fixture card along with some notable indervidual events the Track Championship won by American star Cordy Milne his countryman Wilbur Lamoreaux won the Scottish Open The last event of the season the best pairs was won by Edinburgh riders Oliver Hart and Jack Hyland. This was to be the last speedway seen in the capital for may years. Four days later War was declared and Marine Gardens was requsitioned by the Ministry of defence. Speedway would not return to Portobello agan.
Riders M R Pts B Ave Max Paid Oliver Hart 9 27 70 1 10.52 3 - Jack Gordon 9 27 44 3 6.96 1 - Frank Woodroofe 2 6 10 0 6.67 - - Bill Nisbet 4 12 9 2 3.67 - - Laurie Packer 10 30 67 1 8.80 2 - Norrie Isbister 5 14 10 1 3.14 - - Jack Hancock 7 21 18 2 3.81 - - Leo Lungo 4 10 3 2 2.00 - - Chick Brine 4 12 9 2 3.67 - - Syd Littlewood 1 3 3 2 6.67 - - Mick Mitchell 2 6 4 2 4.00 - - Jack Hyland 2 5 3 0 2.40 - - Jack Tidbury 1 3 1 0 1.33 - - George Greenwood 1 3 4 0 5.33 - - Union Cup P W D L F A Pts Newcastle 8 5 0 3 355 303 10 Sheffield 7 5 0 2 294.5 290.5 10 Edinburgh 8 3 1 4 347 308 7 Belle Vue 2 6 2 1 3 241.5 254.5 5 Glasgow 5 1 0 4 164 246 2
9 May 1939 Challenge Edinburgh 24-29 Sheffield Edinburgh - Oliver Hart 7+1Jack Gordon 4+1Frank Woodroff 5 Bill Nisbet 0 Laurie Packer 8 Norrie Isbister 0 Sheffield - Ernie Evans 9, Don Houghton 1, Stan Williams 4+1, Doug McLachlan 5+1, Broncho Dixon 6+1, Aussie Powell 4+1 Match Details 16 May 1939 Challenge Edinburgh 28-26 Newcastle Edinburgh - Oliver Hart  9, Jack Gordon  0, Frank Woodroffe  5, Bill Nisbet 4+1, Laurie Packer 4+1, Jack Hancock 6, Newcastle - George Pepper 3+1, Kid Curtis  3, Billy Lamont 2+1, Rol Stobbart  8, Norman Hargreaves 6+1, Maurice Stobbart 4+1 Match Details 23 May 1939 Challenge Edinburgh 25-28 Middlesbrough Edinburgh - Oliver Hart 8 Jack Gordon 4+2 Laurie Packer 3 Bill Nisbet 4+1 Jack Hancock 5 Leo Lungo 1+1 Middlesbrough - George Greenwood 3 Jack Tilbury 2 Tommy Bateman 7 Bob Wells 4+2 Jack Hyland 9 Will Lowther 3+1 Match Details 30 May 1939 Challenge Edinburgh 24-30 Colonies Edinburgh - Oliver Hart 7 Chick Brine 3+2 Laurie Packer 4 Jack Hancock 1 Jack Gordon 8 Bill Nisbet 1 Colonies - Eric Chitty 7 Fred Belliveau 5 Jimmy Gibb 8 Elwood Stilwell 3+2 Charlie Spinks 4 Gruff Garland 2+1 Match Details 6 June 1939 Challenge Edinburgh 30-23 Crystal Palace Edinburgh - Oliver Hart 9 Chick Brine 2 Laurie Packer 9 Jack Hancock 1 Jack Gordon 6 Leo Lungo 0 Norrie Isbister 2 Crystal Palace - Les Trim 0 Keith Harvey 6 Bob Lovell 5 Charlie Challis 4+1 Vic Weir 2+2 Mick Mitchell 6 Match Details 13 June 1939 Challenge Edinburgh 26-27 Belle Vue Edinburgh - Oliver Hart 7 Chick Brine -dnr Laurie Packer 7 Jack Hancock 2+1 Jack Gordon 5 Norrie Isbister 2 Syd Littlewood 3+2 Belle Vue - Frank Varey 8 Jack White 0 Ernie Price 9 George Cochbone 2 Bill Birtwell 7 Jack Gorst 1+1 Match Details 20 June 1939 Challenge Edinburgh 32-22 Glasgow Edinburgh - Oliver Hart 6 Chick Brine 3 Laurie Packer 9 Jack Hancock 2+1 Jack Gordon 9 Norrie Isbister 3+1 Glasgow - Gruff Garland 6+1 Elwood Stilwell 5+2 Frank Woodroffe 5 Curly Thompson 0 Harold Jackson 4 Joe Crowther 2+1 Match Details 26 June 1939 Challenge Edinburgh 24-30 Stoke Edinburgh - Oliver Hart 9 Chick Brine 1 Laurie Packer 7 Jack Hancock 1 Jack Gordon 4 Norrie Isbister 2 Stoke -Ted Bravery 7+1 Tommy Allott 6+2 Alan Butler 4 Fred Tuck 5 Bill Birtwell 2+2Match Details 4 July 1939 Challenge Edinburgh 22-32 Wembley Edinburgh - Oliver Hart 8 Chick Brine 2+1 Jack Hyland 1 Jack Gordon 4 Laurie Packer 4 Leo Lungo Wembley - Malcolm Craven 7 Gilbert Craven 2+1 Cliff Parkinson 7+1 Andy Menzies 6+2 Aub Lawson 9 Jimmy Peck 1 Match Details 8 July 1939 Challenge Glasgow 34-18 Edinburgh Glasgow - Gruff Garland 2, Harold Jackson 9, Fred Belliveau 7, Bill Nisbet3+2, Joe Crowther 7+1, Vic Weir 6+2, Gilbert Craven 0 Edinburgh - George Greenwood 4, Mick Mitchell 2, Jack Hyland 1, Laurie Packer 8, Leo Lungo 1Match Details 11 July 1939 ACU Union Cup Edinburgh 39-44 Newcastle Edinburgh - Oliver Hart 12 M Jack Tidbury 2+1 Cliff Parkinson 6 Jack Hyland 2+1 Laurie Packer 4+1 Bill Birtwell 7+1 Bob Lovell 3 Wilf Plant 3 Newcastle - George Pepper 7+1 Kid Curtis 7+2 Rol Stobbart 6+1 Reg Hay 0 Maurice Stobbart 11 Norman Hargreaves 1+1 Sid Littlewood 11 Jack Hancock 1 Match Details 19 July 1939 Marine Gardens Track Championship 1st Cordy Milne 2nd Bill Kitchen 3rd Ernie Evans Ted Bravery 7 Ernie Evans 12 Gruff Garland 7 Leo Lungo 5 Morian Hansen 3 Oliver Hart 13 Jack Hyland 0 Jack Chapman 6 Bill Kitchen 14 Aub Lawson 10 Cordy Milne 14 Laurie Packer 9 Cliff Parkinson 6 George Pepper 8 Jack Tidbury 1 Harry Whitfield 3 Fred Belliveau (R) 2 Norrie Isbister (R) dnr Match Details 25 July 1939 ACU Union Cup Edinburgh 56-27 Glasgow Edinburgh - George Greenwood 12 M Bill Birtwell 4+1 Oliver Hart 12 M Jack Hyland 9+3 Laurie Packer 4+1 Jack Chapman 11+1 Wilf Plant 2 Leo Lungo 2 Glasgow - Gruff Garland 4+1 Harold Jackson 7 Will Lowther 7 Joe Crowther 0 Bob Wells 4 Fred Belliveau 1 Gilbert Craven 4+1 Elwood Stilwood 0 Match Details 29 July 1939 ACU Union Cup Glasgow 45-36 Edinburgh Glasgow - Gruff Garland 4+1 Harold Jackson 8 Will Lowther 11 Joe Crowther 4+1 Bob Wells 7 Dick Geary 5+1 Fred Belliveau 5 Elwood Stilwood 1+1 Edinburgh - George Greenwood 12 Bill Birtwell 0 Oliver Hart 6 Jack Hyland 8+1 Laurie Packer 0 Jack Chapman 4 Wilf Plant 2+1 Leo Lungo 4 Match Details 01 August 1939 ACU Union Cup Edinburgh 46-37 Sheffield George Greenwood 12 Bill Birtwell 1+1 Oliver Hart 7 Jack Hyland 3+2 Laurie Packer 3 Jack Chapman 10+1 Wilf Plant 3 Leo Lungo 4+2 Sheffield - Ernie Evans 8 Paddy Mills 2 Doug McLachlan 9+1 Stan Williams 5+2 Aussie Powell 4 Broncho Dixon 4+1 Harry Whitfield 4 Harwood Pike 1 Match Details 08 August 1939 Scottish Speedway Championships 1st Wilbur Lamoreaux 2nd Oliver Hart 3rd Eric Langton Jack Chapman 6 Ernie Evans 4 Gruff Garland 3 George Greenwood 6 Bob Harrison 12 Oliver Hart 12 2nd Jack Hyland 3 Bill Kitchen 13 Wilbur Lamoreaux 14 Eric Langton 14 Laurie Packer 8 Norman Parker 9 George Pepper 8 Bert Spencer 2 Frank Varey 1 Benny Kaufman (R) 4 Leo Lungo 1 Joe Crowther (R) 0 Match Details 09 August 1939 ACU Union Cup Belle Vue 39-39 Edinburgh Belle Vue - Ted Bravery 2+1 Fred Tuck 4 Ernie Price 7 Tommy Bateman 5 Jack Hargreaves 10 Alan Butler 3 Wally Hull 7 Edinburgh - George Greenwood 9 Bill Birtwell 4 Oliver Hart 8 Jack Hyland 2 Laurie Packer 2 Jack Chapman 11 Wilf Plant 3 Leo Lungo 0 Match Details 15 August 1939 ACU Union Cup Edinburgh 56-28 Belle Vue Edinburgh - George Greenwood 12 Wilf Plant 3 Oliver Hart 12 Jack Hyland 8+2 Laurie Packer 3 Jack Chapman 11+1 P Buck Whitby 3+1 Leo Lungo 4+1 Belle Vue - Ted Bravery 6+1 Alan Butler 7+1 Walter Hull 6 Paul Goodchild 0 Tommy Bateman 4 Fred Tuck 1 Stan Lemon 4+1 George Coachbone 0 Match Details 17 August 1939 ACU Union Cup Sheffield 46-38 Edinburgh Sheffield - Ernie Evans 12 Paddy Mills 3 Doug McLachlan 3 Stan Williams 11 Ossie Powell 4 Jack Dixon 11 Harry Whitfield 2 Harwood Pike dnr Edinburgh - George Greenwood 10 Wilf Plant 1 Oliver Hart 10 Jack Hyland 4 Laurie Packer 5 Jack Chapman 6 Buck Whitby 1 Leo Lungo 1 Match Details 21 August 1939 ACU Union Cup Newcastle 42-37 Edinburgh Newcastle - George Pepper 12 Norman Hargreaves 3 Billy Lamont 2 Rol Stobart 8 Fred Curtis 8 Maurice Stobart 6 Reg Hay 1 Will Goodall 2 Belle Vue - George Greenwood 11 Leo Lungo 1 Oliver Hart 11 Jack Hyland 2 Jack Chapman 0 Laurie Packer 5 Wilf Plant 5 Buck Whitby 2 Match Details 22 August 1939 International Scotland 51-32 England Scotland - George Greenwood 10 Will Lowther 2+1 Oliver Hart 11 Harold Jackson 2+1 Jack Chapman 2+1 Gruff Garland 11 Leo Lungo 4+2 Jack Hyland 5+2 England - Ernie Evans 12 Broncho Dixon 4+1 Maurice Stobbart 4+2 Syd Littlewood 5 Jack Gordon 2 Alan Butler 4 Reg Hay 1 Will Goodall 0 Match Details 29 August 1939 Best Pairs 1st Oliver Hart & Jack Hyland 2nd Gruff Garland & Joe Crowther 3rd Buck Whitby & Andy Menzies George Pepper 4 Billy Lamont 5 (9) Jack Chapman 6 Laurie Packer 4 (10) George Greenwood 8 Leo Lungo 4 (12) Will Lowther 1 Harold Jackson 7 (8) Ted Bravery 4 Tommy Bateman 1 (5) Gruff Garland 11 Joe Crowther 6 (17) Oliver Hart 12 Jack Hyland 7 (19) Buck Whitby 5 Andy Menzies 11(16) Fred Belliveau (R) 0 Match Details