Cycle Speedway Teams Down the Ages
Dorset: Gem Pirates
About the team
Track was at Oakdale in Poole.
Club Secretary/Manager: Charlie Dunford, "Seaspray", Brampton Road, Oakdale.
Facts.
Unbeaten at home Gem Pirates got over 3,000 spectators at their meetings to see which visitor will be the first to crack the Pirates home record(1949).
Jim Gale scored over 25 maximums in 1949, and he helped his side to be one of the very few to beat the Stratford Hammers by scoring 13 of his teams points. He was certainly a 'Pirate' who earned his plunder!
Team Honours.
1950: Gem Pirates beat Chorlton Aces(Lancs) at the Empress Hall in London by 51 points to 45 in the first ever National Team Championships on the 26th October.
Individual Honours.
1956 Ray Coward came 3rd in National Senior Individual Final.
Speedway Riders.
Brian Crutcher rode for Poole - Wembley and Southampton.
Riders
- Pete Bennett
- Richard 'Dick' Bunter
- Vic Cave
- Courtney
- Ray Coward
- Brian Crutcher
- Alan Davis
- John Dunford
- Jim Gale(capt)
- Mike Holmes
- Fred Parkins
- Jim Stanley
- .... Toms
National Team Trophy on display

1950 A Happy Jim Gale Receives the Natio...

1950 Jim Gale Receives National Team Tro...

1950 Gem Pirates Team after winning Nati...

1950 Gem Pirates after winning National ...

1950 Celebrations Continue

1950 Empress Hall Programme.

Empress Hall Score Sheet(1).

Empress Hall Score Sheet(2).

News Chronicle Winners Plaque

Jim Gale's personal trophy

Gem Pirates Team Photo

Jim Gale Under Starters Orders

Gem Pirates at a slippery sloping gate

1952 Gem Pirates at Walthamstow for thei...

1952 National Team trophy, the year befo...
