One of the greatest speedway riders to thrill the crowds in Great Yarmouth and Norwich has died at the age of 94…today I want to pay tribute to the one and only Billy Bales.
He has been described as one of the most under-rated sportsmen in the whole of East Anglia…probably because of his quiet and unassuming manner.
Billy grew up in the shadow of the famous Firs speedway stadium in Norwich and was born to race.
Although he retired many years ago, his memory never faded. “Hello Billy,” people should shout when they spotted the modest man known as The Pocket Rocket, Mighty Atom or Mighty Mouse.
Even those who never saw him race knew his name and his reputation and he also represented his country on the track.
He rode for Yarmouth (Bloaters), Norwich (Stars), Sheffield (Tigers) and England. The crowds loved him. There was never a dull moment with Billy on full throttle
In Norwich, one of the best supported teams around, riders came from around the world but Billy was “our Billy,” a former member of the Hellesdon Harriers cycle speedway team who often raced around the car park.
“I never liked motor bikes. It was just something that happened,” Billy told me.
He went to school at Hellesdon and then got a job as an apprentice electrical engineer at Laurence, Scott & Electromotors.
It was the roar of the engines at the speedway track which tempted him to join the speedway training school run at the Firs by Paddy Mills.
Once on a bike the boy Billy rode like the wind. His name was actually Raymond but Stars manager Dicky Wise could never remember it. He called him Billy – and Billy Bales was born.
In the late 1940s Billy started to ride for Great Yarmouth Bloaters and how the crowds loved him. He became the leading points scorer and was known as “Mr Maximum.” He had many crashes, broke several bones, but never gave up.
Writing in 1949 Dick Wise said speedway on the East Coast had now reached great intensity and membership of the supporters’ club was reaching the level at Norwich where there were 3,500 members.
Billy became the National Junior Champion while riding at Yarmouth.
These were the days of National Service and Billy went off to serve with the RAF in the Middle East and when he returned he married the love of his life Myra.
Billy joined the Norwich Stars in 1952 and rode for the Stars for eleven years until it closed.
He also rode for England and reached the final of the world championship in 1955.
Billy represented Norwich in around 245 matches, second only to another local great local rider Phil Clarke, and scored a total of 1,580 points.
When the Firs closed in 1964 Billy spent the rest of his racing career with the Sheffield Tigers where he also proved a great favourite with the crowds.
A great family man, Billy lost the love of his life Myra. They had four children Carol, Ray (also a speedway rider), Andrew and Philip.
Like his father Ray took up speedway after a successful career in cycle speedway and was a popular rider for Boston Barracudas, King’s Lynn Stars, Leicester Lions and Mildenhall Fen Tigers.
Both Billy and Ray looked forward to Norwich speedway reunions organised by Pam Hedge, wife of Trevor, which raised money to help others and how the riders and supporters loved to chat to them.
Billy’s funeral service will take place at St Faiths Crematorium on Monday July 24 at 1.30pm. No flowers please but any donations in his memory to 40tude Curing Colon Cancer at www.40tude.org.uk/Appeal/donating-to-40tude
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