Lionel Van Praag
| Born |
17 December 1908 Sydney |
|---|---|
| Died |
15 May 1987 (aged 78) Greenslopes, Queensland |
| Nationality |
 Australia |
| Current club information | |
| Career status | Deceased |
| Career history | |
| 1931–1939 | Wembley Lions |
| 1947 | New Cross Rangers |
| Individual honours | |
| 1936 | World Champion |
| 1941 | NSW State Champion |
| 1947 | Victorian State Champion |
| Team honours | |
| 1932 | National League Champion |
| 1931, 1932 | National Trophy Winner |
| 1931 | Southern League Champion |
| 1932, 1933, 1947 | London Cup |
Lionel Maurice Van Praag, GM (17 December 1908 – 15 May 1987) was an Australian motorcycle speedway champion, who won the inaugural Speedway World Championship in London on 10 September 1936.[1] Van Praag's victory saw him established as Australia's first ever motorsport World Champion.
1931 UK Southern League Champion
In his first full season in British speedway, Lionel was a member of the Wembley Lions team that won the last ever Southern League and the National Trophy in 1931.
1932 UK National League Champion
Lionel won the inaugural National League title in 1932 with the Wembley Lions
1936 World Speedway Final
Circumstances
Lionel won the run-off for the Speedway World Championship against Eric Langton in 1936 in somewhat controversial circumstances. The Championship was decided by bonus points accumulated in previous rounds. Despite being unbeaten in the final, Bluey Wilkinson was not crowned Champion. Bonus points accumulated by Van Praag and Langton took them to the top of the standings and into a run-off (match race).
The Match Race
As they lined up at the tapes, Langton broke them which would ordinarily lead to disqualification. However, Van Praag stated he did not want to win the title by default and insisted that a race should take place. At the restart Langton made it to the first bend in front and led until the final bend on the last lap when Van Praag darted through the smallest of gaps to win by less than wheel length.[2]
Controversy
Afterwards, controversial allegations were abound that the two riders had 'fixed' the match race, deciding between them that the first person to the first bend would win the race and the Championship and split the prize money; Langton led into the first bend but was overtaken by Van Praag.[2] Van Praag reportedly paid Langton £50 "conscience money" after the race for going back on the agreement.[2]
Australia
Van Praag was also a successful rider in his home country, though he never won the Australian Championship, finishing second in 1941 (3 laps), 1946 (3 laps), and 1947 (2 & 3 laps), as well as finishing third in 1940 (3 laps). He won the NSW State Championship in 1941 at the Sydney Sports Ground and the Victorian Championship in 1947.
Van Praag also represented Australia in test matches at home against England on numerous occasions at tracks around the country including the Sydney Showground, Sydney Sports Ground, Wayville Showground (Adelaide), Claremont Speedway (Perth) and the Exhibition Speedway in Melbourne.
World Final appearances
- 1936 –
London, Wembley Stadium – Winner – 14pts plus 12 bonus pts (won run-off)[1] - 1937 – London, Wembley Stadium – 7th – 6pts + 11 bonus pts[1]
- 1938 – London, Wembley Stadium – 4th – 11pts + 7 bonus pts[1]
World War II
Van Praag was awarded the George Medal for bravery during World War II, when a Royal Australian Air Force Douglas DC-2, in which he was second pilot was shot down, by two Japanese aircraft over the Sumba Strait in Indonesia.[3] Van Praag, a sergeant at the time, and the aircraft captain, Flying Officer Noel Webster helped two colleagues—one semi-conscious and the other a non-swimmer—to shore after spending thirty hours in the water during which they had to fight off several shark attacks.[3][4][5][6] After the war, Van Praag participated in one more speedyway championship, but retired in 1950 to concentrate on his career as a pilot.[7]
Van Praag also appeared in the 1933 British film Money for Speed which starred John Loder, Ida Lupino, Cyril McLaglen and Moore Marriott. Ginger Lees, Frank Varey and speedway promoter Johnnie Hoskins also featured.[8]
Personal
Van Praag was Jewish.[9]
In 1990, Van Praag was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.[10]
In 2008, he was inducted into the Australian Speedway Hall of Fame.[11]
Legacy
In 2000, the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly named a street, Van Praag Circuit (later renamed Van Praag Place) after him.[12]
References
- 1 2 3 4 Bamford, Robert; Shailes, Glynn (2002). A History of the World Speedway Championship. Tempus. pp. 14–26. ISBN 0-7524-2402-5.
- 1 2 3 Chaplin, John (1990) Speedway Special, ISBN 0-9515857-0-3, p. 109–114
- 1 2 "G.M. for Track Racer: Air Crew of Four Saved from Sharks". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 2 May 1942. Retrieved 29 November 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
- ↑ Douglas Gillison. Royal Australian Air Force 1939-1942, Canberra, Australian War Memorial, 1962, p. 417
- ↑ Both Van Praag and Webster were awarded the George Medal; London Gazette, 1 May 1942, p. 1903
- ↑ https://www.amazon.com/Douglas-DC-2-George-Medal-Webster-ebook/dp/B01GY9SVME#reader_B01GY9SVME
- ↑ Lionel Van Praag, Adastra Aerial Surveys, 20 June 2002.
- ↑ "Money for Speed (1933)". The Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 1 October 2008.
- ↑ Wechsler, B. (2008). Day by Day in Jewish Sports History. KTAV Publishing House. p. 254. ISBN 9780881259698. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
- ↑ Sport Australia Hall of Fame - Lionel Van Praag
- ↑ Australian Speedway Hall of Fame
- ↑ Public Place Names Act 1989 – Street Nomenclature, Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly, 16 May 2000.
External links
- Lionelvanpraag.com – site selling The Flying Dutchman, a documentary about Van Praag
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