SYDNEY (NSW)
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SYDNEY CRICKET GROUND
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1903 - SYDNEY CRICKET GROUND MOTOR CYCLE RACES
It was a great suprise to find that the hallowed ground of the Sydney Cricket had been used as a motor cycle racing venue, The first race was on the 12th of February 1903 between motor bicycles used in motor paced bicycle races.
The cycle track around the outside of the Sydney Cricket Ground was built late in 1896 and was approximately three laps to the mile.
1903 - SYDNEY CYCLE TRACK IS ILLUMINATED
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1905 - SYDNEY CRICKET GROUND MOTOR CYCLE RACES
It appears that the first motor cycle races were held in 1905 using the cycle track, These were machines with exotic names such as Peugeot, Orient and Antoin. Most of the machines were twin cylinder with 4hp to 6 1/2hp engines.
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1906 - SYDNEY CRICKET GROUND MOTOR CYCLE RACES January 1906 |
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1906 - SYDNEY CRICKET GROUND MOTOR CYCLE RACES May 1906In May of 1906 the races were run by the Pioneer Motorcycle Club during the interval of the football match.
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1906 - SYDNEY CRICKET GROUND MOTOR CYCLE RACES 1st October 1906
More motorcycle racing events were held, with one on Labour Day the 1st of October 1906.
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1907 - SYDNEY CRICKET GROUND MOTOR CYCLE RACES November 1907
It has been reported that at least one motor cycle racing event was held in 1907, Most motorcycle races were held at carnivals that included bicycle races.
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1909 - SYDNEY CRICKET GROUND
1909 - The Sydney Cricket Ground and Grand Stand. Photo: unknown.
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1911 - SYDNEY CRICKET GROUND WALL OF DEATH
In 1911 motor cycling of a different type was a feature at the Sydney Cricket Ground, this being the Wall of Death.
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1913 - SYDNEY CRICKET GROUND MOTOR CYCLE RACES 27th September 1913A motorcycle race meeting was held on the 27th of September 1913 by the Motor Cycle Club of New South Wales, it cost two shilling's and six pence to enter the race, It was part of the YMCA Carnival activities.
There was an accident during practice in the preceding week.
Despite the 1913 meeting it was guoted that due to the motor cycle racing death of W Bearpark in 1912 at the near by Sports ground there was no more racing at the Sydney Cricket Ground until 1917.
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1917 - SYDNEY CRICKET GROUND MOTOR CYCLE RACES 30th June 1917On the 30th of June 1917 there was a motor cycle match race held.
It is possible that another motor cycle match race was held at the Cricket Ground on the 14th of July 1917.
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June 1917 |
1917 - H SEABROOK
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1920 - SYDNEY CRICKET GROUND
There are no further newspaper reports of further races, but some may have been held. In 1920 the track was torn up and the fence moved in toward the field which resulted in ten thousand more spectators being accommodated at the Sydney Cricket Ground.