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Hammers career : 1994, 2002-2004
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FORMER England captain and world number three Kelvin Tatum was for so long British Speedway's great hope for the game's biggest prize.
An immediate sensation as a teenager with British League Wimbledon in 1983, he topped six-points a match that season and achieved heat leader status with a seven point figure in 1984. When the Dons dropped to the National League on the eve of the 1985 season, Kelvin switched to Coventry in a big money deal where he helped lead the club to league honours in 1987 and 1988.
He remained with the Bees - collecting other numerous domestic and international honours on the way - before a surprise bid from ambitious First Division newcomers Berwick in 1991 tempted him to the border country.
When the Bandits developed financial problems, Kelvin moved on again in 1992, this time to Bradford where he helped the club to successive KO Cup final wins - including the infamous victory over the Hammers in 1993.
When the Hammers were hit by retirements and stay-aways in the 1993/94 close season, Tatum was snapped up in another big-money deal. He started the season like a train, collecting a couple of maximums on the way as he formed a potent spearhead with Leigh Adams.
He opted out of British Speedway in 1995, but did return to ride for the Hackney-based London Lions in 1996. A three-times World Longtrack champion - in 1995, 1998 and 2000 - Kelvin rode little Speedway in subsequent seasons, restricting his domestic action to short spells with Peterborough, Poole and Eastbourne.
In a career that had been raced solely in British Speedway's top division, the Hammers caused a sensation when they named Kelvin as their big 2002 signing in the Premier League. He went on to average eight-and-a-half points over the season, a figure he matched the following year when he was nominated as team captain.
When the Hammers moved into the Elite League in 2004, Kelvin stayed with them and was an early season trump card at reserve. His form back among the big boys was sensational - he collected a season-opening maximum against Eastbourne as the Hammers took victory at Arlington and followed it up with another full score against Oxford.
Sadly, Kelvin's heat seven outing at Eastbourne in August proved his final-ever speedway outing. A long-standing hip injury - a result of a severe injury sustained a few years previous - forced Kelvin out of the short-track saddle for good. His racing career came to an end that year when he was so close to adding a fourth longtrack crown, missing out thanks to an engine failure when 500 metres from victory.
An acclaimed Sky Sports analyst, Kelvin was awarded an MBE in 2003 and leaves an on-track legacy as one of this Country's finest all-round motorcyclists.
Year |
Matches |
Rides |
Points |
Bonus |
Total |
Average |
Full Max |
Paid Max |
1994 |
41 |
216 |
426 |
20 |
446 |
8.26 |
1 |
1 |
2002 |
41 |
193 |
392 |
17 |
409 |
8.48 |
1 |
0 |
2003 |
46 |
206 |
406 |
28 |
434 |
8.43 |
4 |
0 |
2004 |
24 |
103 |
142 |
10 |
152 |
5.90 |
0 |
1 |
TOTAL |
152 |
718 |
1366 |
75 |
1441 |
8.03 |
6 |
2 |
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