Brian Craven
{{Short description|British motorcycle speedway rider}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox Speedway rider
| name = Brian Craven
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date text|21 March 1932}}
| birth_place = Liverpool, England
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1993|4|24|1932|3|21|df=y}}
| death_place =
| career1 = Liverpool Chads/Pirates
| years1 = 1950, 1960
| career2 = Belle Vue Aces
| years2 = 1954–1957
| career3 = Yarmouth Bloaters
| years3 = 1959
| career4 = Stoke Potters
| years4 = 1961
| career5 = Newcastle Diamonds
| years5 = 1962–1963, 1965–1966
| teamhonour1 = Northern League
| teamyear1 = 1961
}}
Brian Anthony Craven (21 March 1932 – 24 April 1993) was a motorcycle speedway rider from England.{{cite web |url=https://britishspeedway.co.uk/docs/Ultimate_Index_1929-2022.pdf |title=ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022 |website=British Speedway |access-date=25 January 2024}}
Biography
Craven, born in Liverpool, joined the Liverpool Chads winter training school, aged just 17 and performed well enough to earn a team place in the senior side.{{cite news |title=Speedway Novices |work=Liverpool Echo|date=13 February 1950 |access-date=25 January 2024 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000271/19500213/200/0009 | via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }} He began his British leagues career riding for the Chads during the 1950 Speedway National League Division Three season.{{cite web|url=https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/1950fixtures.pdf |title=1950 season |website=Speedway Researcher |access-date=25 January 2024}} Despite breaking into the team during the season, he would not ride the following season with Liverpool because he was undergoing his National Service in the British Army and his brother Peter Craven took possession of his bike.{{cite news |title=Luck - as well as the other riders - passed poor Peter by |work=Daily Mirror |date=30 July 1951 |access-date=25 January 2024 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000560/19510730/088/0010 | via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}
In 1954, his return to speedway did not go to plan, he joined Belle Vue Aces but struggled and failed to break into the first team, where his brother Peter was the leading rider. He also suffered a bad injury, breaking his arm and collarbone in a crash.{{cite news |title=Big brother speeds on young peter's wheels |work=Manchester Evening News |date=20 August 1954 |access-date=25 January 2024 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000272/19540820/164/0008 | via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}
It was not until the 1956 season that he began to ride regularly and posted an improved league average of 6.29 for the season{{cite web|url=https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/specialfeaturesrideraverages.pdf |title=Rider averages 1929 to 2009 |website=Speedway Researcher |access-date=25 January 2024}} and reaching the final of the National Trophy.{{cite web|url=https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/yearbyyear.html |title=Year by Year |website=Speedway Researcher |access-date=25 January 2024}}
After missing the 1958 season he joined Yarmouth Bloaters in 1959 before speedway returned to Stanley Stadium in Liverpool again in 1960, with new team name of Liverpool Pirates. Craven raced for the Pirates until the end of the season, when speedway in Liverpool ended for good.{{cite news |title=Speedway again in Liverpool |work=Liverpool Echo |date=18 July 1959 |access-date=25 January 2024 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000271/19590718/104/0010 | via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}
His career began to finally blossom from 1961 onwards, he averaged 8.64 for Stoke Potters during the 1961 Provincial Speedway League season and then 9.60 for Newcastle Diamonds in 1962,{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000760/19620418/024/0024 |title=Hunters' trophy meeting line-up |website=Leicester Daily Mercury |date=18 April 1962 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription |access-date=27 August 2024}} where he topped the team averages. He also reached the British Final round of the 1962 Individual Speedway World Championship.{{cite web |url=https://dlprezes.pl.tl/62_World-Speedway-Championship-_-1962.htm |title=1962 World Championship |website=Metal Speedway |access-date=25 January 2024}}{{cite web |url=http://www.speedway.org/history/62.htm#1962 |title=1962 World Championship | website=Speedway.org |access-date=25 January 2024}}
He remained at Newcastle but missed the 1964 season following the tragic death of his brother Peter. He retired after the 1966 season.{{cite web |url=https://wwosbackup.proboards.com/thread/543/brian-craven |title=Brian Craven |website=WWOS backup |access-date=25 January 2024}}
Personal life
Craven had four sisters and an younger brother, Peter Craven, who was a two time speedway champion of the world.{{cite web |url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/nostalgia/liverpools-world-champion-dad-remembered-23212909 |title=Liverpool's world champion dad remembered years after freak death |website=Liverpool Echo |date=25 February 2022 |access-date=25 January 2024}}