Roy George Arthur 'Dicky' Case (7 June 1910 Toowoomba, QueenslandBamford, R. & Stallworthy, D. (2003) ''Speedway - The Pre War Years'', Stroud: Tempus Publishing. - 1980) was an Australian international speedway rider who finished sixth in the 1936 Speedway World Championship, the first ever final.Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). ''A History of the World Speedway Championship''. Stroud: Tempus Publishing.

Career

Case worked for the Queensland Railway Company before taking up speedway.Sandys, Leonard (1948) ''Broadside to Fame! The Drama of the Speedways'', Findon, p. 16 He first came to the UK in 1930 and joined the Wimbledon Dons. He finished third in the 1932 Star Riders' Championship, the forerunner to the Speedway World Championship and also represented

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

in several Test Matches. He travelled to Germany in 1931 with Max Grosskreutz to promote speedway there, but the venture was short-lived due to opposition from the government. Along with

Billy Lamont Billy Lamont (12 May 1936 – October 2021) was a Scottish football player and manager. Born in Larkhall, Lamont played as a goalkeeper for Bellshill Athletic, Cheltenham Town, Hamilton Academical and Albion Rovers. He managed Hamilton du ...

, Case was unbeaten by an opposing rider throughout the whole 1932 Test series against England. In 1933 he joined the Coventry, In 1934 he joined

Lea Bridge Lea Bridge is a district in the London Borough of Hackney and the London Borough of Waltham Forest in London, England. It lies 7 miles (11.3 km) northeast of Charing Cross. The area it takes its name from a bridge built over the River ...

, and when they folded mid-season, transferred to

Walthamstow Wolves The Walthamstow Wolves were a speedway team which operated from 1934 and again from 1949 until their closure in 1951. History The club opened in 1934 competing in the National League, when Lea Bridge were forced to find a new venue. They finis ...

and stayed with them when the promotion transferred the operation to Hackney Wick Stadium and becoming the Hackney Wick Wolves at the start of the 1935 season.Fenn, C.(2003). ''Hackney Speedway, Friday at Eight''. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. He was the Wolves captain and top points scorer in 1935 and repeated the feat in 1936, as well as riding in the inaugural Speedway World Championship final at Wembley. In 1937 Case was beaten to the top spot in the Hackney team by Cordy Milne but announced he was retiring from the sport. However, in 1938 Case joined the Wembley Lions but had a poor season due to injuries and did actually retire. The Wolves dropped down a division in 1938 and after injury to the captain

Frank Hodgson Frank Hodgson (25 May 1908 – 8 May 1983) was a motorcycle speedway rider from England, who rode for Hackney Wick Wolves and Middlesbrough Bears. Career Born in Middlesbrough, Hodgson's first job in speedway was as a sign-writer at Hackney Wic ...

in the 1939 season, they announced that Case would be making a comeback to cover for the injured skipper. However, after a fall in his first ride which left him with an injury to force him to withdraw from the meeting, although he did complete his second ride, he retired from speedway for the final time.

World final appearances

1936 Events January–February * January 20 – George V of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India, dies at his Sandringham Estate. The Prince of Wales succeeds to the throne of the United Kingdom as King E ...

- London, Wembley Stadium - 6th - 17pts

Training school

Whilst at Hackney, Case took over the sixty acre estate of Rye House and set up a training school at Rye House, operating under the name of the Hackney Motor Club. The school operated until 1938 when Rye House entered the Sunday Dirt-track League.Jacobs, Norman (2007). ''70 Years of Rye House Speedway''. Stroud: Tempus Publishing During World War II, most speedway racing had ended but Rye House managed to promote several. 1940 saw 'Dick Case's Speedway' run six meetings and another fourteen in 1942. After the war ended, Case continued to run a training school at Rye House. He also owned the local public house that was next door to the track.

Players cigarette cards

Case is listed as number 5 of 50 in the 1930s Player's

cigarette card Cigarette cards are trading cards issued by tobacco industry, tobacco manufacturers to stiffen cigarette packaging and nicotine marketing, advertise cigarette brands. Between 1875 and the 1940s, cigarette companies often included collectible ca ...

collection.

References

External links

The Adventures of Dick Case, 'Dusty' Haigh, and Joe Abbott - Christmas 1934
{{DEFAULTSORT:Case, Dicky 1910 births 1980 deaths Australian speedway riders Hackney Wick Wolves riders Wimbledon Dons riders Coventry Bees riders Wembley Lions riders