imported>MaugerFundin at 21:32, 2 September 2024

2024-09-02T21:32:56Z

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{{short description|Canadian motorcycle racer (1909–1990)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2024}}
{{for|the English actor|Erik Chitty}}
{{Infobox Speedway rider
|image=Image:Eric chitty.jpg
|caption=Eric Chitty
|birth_place=[[Toronto|Toronto, Ontario]], Canada
|birth_date= {{birth-date|28 April 1909}}
|death_place= Pinellas, Florida, US
|death_date= {{Death date and age|1989|12|23|1909|4|28|df=y}}
|years1 = 1936-1939, 1946-1951, 1953
|career1 = [[West Ham Hammers]]
|indivhonour1=Canadian Champion
|indivyear1=1934
|indivhonour2=[[London Riders' Championship|London Riders' Champion]]
|indivyear2=1938
| indivhonour3 = [[Northern Riders' Championship|Northern Riders' Champion]]
| indivyear3 = 1942
|teamhonour1=[[National League (1932–1964)|National League Champion]]
|teamyear1=1937
|teamhonour2=ACU Cup Winner
|teamyear2=1938
}}

'''Eric Stephenson Chitty''' (28 April 1909 – 23 December 1989) was a Canadian [[Motorcycle speedway|speedway]] rider who won the [[London Riders' Championship]] in 1938.<ref>Addison J. (1948). ''The People Speedway Guide''. Odhams Press Limited</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://britishspeedway.co.uk/docs/Ultimate_Index_1929-2022.pdf |title=ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022 |website=British Speedway |access-date=28 July 2023}}</ref>

==Early days==
Chitty was born in [[Toronto|Toronto, Ontario]], Canada in 1909. Before taking up speedway he worked as an electrical engineer.<ref name="Storey">Storey, Basil (1947) ''Speedway Favourites'', Sport-in-Print, p. 23</ref>

Chitty started speedway racing in 1930 in Detroit, Chicago and New York City in the United States, where he was noticed in 1934 by [[Johnnie Hoskins]].<ref name="Storey" /> In 1935 he came to the UK for a trial with the [[West Ham Hammers]]. He was not successful in his trial and was looking for other employment when the West Ham promoter Hoskins gave him another chance five months later, which he took.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000681/19360227/391/0019 |title=Canadian to ride for West Ham |website=Daily Herald |date=27 February 1936 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription |access-date=2 September 2024}}</ref> He was offered a contract by the Hammers. A broken collarbone in 1936 caused a long layoff, and he returned in 1937, scoring moderately well.<ref name="Storey" /> The 1938 season saw a considerable improvement in his racing, Chitty winning the Opening Cup and the London Riders' Championship, both at New Cross.<ref name="Storey" /> Chitty also served for a time as chairman of the Speedway Riders' Association.<ref name="Storey" />

==World Championship==
Chitty qualified for the [[Speedway World Championship|World Final]] held at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley Stadium]] in London in [[1937 Individual Speedway World Championship|1937]], finishing 12th with 15 points. He failed to qualify in [[1938 Individual Speedway World Championship|1938]] but qualified again for the World Final in [[1939 Individual Speedway World Championship|1939]]. Unfortunately the 1939 Final was cancelled due to the outbreak of [[World War II]].

==Wartime racing==
[[File:Eric_Chitty_motorcycle_speedway_rider_cigarette_card_1937.png|thumb|right|150px|1937 illustration]]
During the war years he raced at [[Belle Vue Aces|Belle Vue]] in [[Manchester]], which was the only track that ran all through the war. He won the unofficial British Individual Championship in 1940, '41 and '42, the Belle Vue Grand Prix, the Northern Championship and the Hundred Guineas Trophy all in 1942. He also won the all English Best Pairs Championship in 1941 with [[Ron Johnson (speedway rider)|Ron Johnson]] and 1943 with [[Fred Tuck]]. In 1944 he won the National Trophy and also in 1944 he won the British Empire Best Pairs with Ron Clark. In the Winter of 1945/46, Chitty captained the ENSA team that toured Germany.<ref name="Morgan">Morgan, Tom (1947) ''The People Speedway Guide'', Odhams Press, p. 76</ref>

==After the war==
In 1946 he rejoined West Ham and was made team captain, reaching the finals of the British Riders Championship that year.<ref name="Morgan" /> He was always the center of entertainment, often singing to the crowd and once even raced a cheetah. He retired in 1952.

==World Final appearances==
* [[1937 Individual Speedway World Championship|1937]] – {{Flagicon|ENG}} London, [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley Stadium]] – 12th – 4pts + 11 Semi-final pts
* [[1939 Individual Speedway World Championship|1939]] – {{Flagicon|ENG}} London, Wembley Stadium - Event cancelled due to [[World War II]]

==Players cigarette cards==
Chitty is listed as number 7 of 50 in the 1930s Player's [[cigarette card]] collection.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.speedwaymuseumonline.co.uk/playerscigarettecards2.html|title=Speedway Riders|website=Speedway Museum Online|access-date=14 October 2021}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070706133036/http://www.speedwaybikes.com/csra2005/news/june23.html Eric Chitty biography]
* [http://rides.webshots.com/photo/1128546885054092940OtcFfn Eric Chitty photograph]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chitty, Eric}}
[[Category:1909 births]]
[[Category:1989 deaths]]
[[Category:Canadian speedway riders]]
[[Category:Canadian motorcycle racers]]
[[Category:Canadian expatriate sportspeople in England]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Toronto]]
[[Category:West Ham Hammers riders]]
[[Category:Expatriate speedway riders in England]]

Eric Chitty - Revision history

imported>MaugerFundin at 21:32, 2 September 2024