Bob Roger

{{Short description|British motorcycle speedway rider}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}

{{Use British English|date=January 2024}}

{{Infobox Speedway rider

| name = Bob Roger

| image =

| caption =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1928|6|14}}

| birth_place = Ashford, Kent, England

| death_date = 17 December 2002 (aged 74)

| death_place =

| career1 = Exeter Falcons

| years1 = 1951

| career2 = New Cross Rangers

| years2 = 1952–1953

| career3 = Birmingham Brummies

| years3 = 1953

| career4 = Swindon Robins

| years4 = 1954–1958, 1961

| indivyear1 = 1957

| indivhonour1 = Speedway World Championship finalist

| indivyear2 =

| indivhonour2 =

| teamyear1 = 1957

| teamhonour1 = National League Champion

| teamyear2 = 1956

| teamhonour2 = National League Div 2 Champion

| teamyear3 = 1951

| teamhonour3 = National Trophy (Div 3) Winner

| teamyear4 = 1953

| teamhonour4 = Midland Cup

}}

Robert William Roger (14 June 1928 – 17 December 2002) was an English international motorcycle speedway rider.{{cite web |url=https://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/worldfinal_r|title=WORLD INDIVIDUAL FINAL - RIDER INDEX|website=British Speedway|access-date=6 July 2021}}{{cite web |url=https://britishspeedway.co.uk/docs/Ultimate_Index_1929-2022.pdf |title=ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022 |website=British Speedway |access-date=5 August 2023}}

Speedway career

Roger reached the final of the Speedway World Championship in the 1957 Individual Speedway World Championship.{{cite web |url=http://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/worldchamps1936to94.pdf|title=World Speedway finals|website=Speedway Researcher|access-date=6 July 2021}}

He rode in the top tier of British Speedway from 1951-1962, riding primarily for Swindon Robins.{{cite web |url=https://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/historyarchive|title=History Archive|website=British Speedway|access-date=6 July 2021}}{{cite web |url=http://www.swindon-speedway.com/bobroger.php|title=LEGENDS: BOB ROGER|website=Swindon Speedway|access-date=6 July 2021}}

In 1951, the Exeter Falcons signed Roger, on loan from New Cross Rangers{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004341/19510330/151/0006 |title=Speedway |website=Sydenham, Forest Hill & Penge Gazette |date=30 March 1951 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription |access-date=23 September 2024}} and with both Don Hardy and Goog Hoskin riding well, the team secured runner-up spot in the league and won the third tier National Trophy.{{cite web |url=https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/yearbyyear.html|title=Year by Year|website=Speedway Researcher|access-date=23 August 2021}}

Individual World Championship

Family

His brothers Cyril Roger and Bert Roger were both speedway riders, and all three rode at the same time for New Cross.{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000671/19520507/006/0006 |title=Rogers brothers will all ride against Brummies |website=Evening Despatch |date=7 May 1952 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription |access-date=20 September 2024}}

References