Frederick Owen Williams (12 March 1926 – 20 January 2013) was a motorcycle speedway rider from Wales who was World Champion on two occasions. He was the winner of the Speedway World Championship in 1950 and 1953 and runner-up in 1952.Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). A History of the World Speedway Championship. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. With no Welsh team to represent, he earned 28 international caps for the England national speedway team.
Career Williams grew up in Port Talbot, where he was a classmate of Richard Burton, and they played together in the school rugby team.Rhys, Steffan (2011) "Richard Burton's school days recalled by speedway star", Western Mail, 25 June 2011, retrieved 2011-11-27 In 1941 he moved to Portsmouth where he started an apprenticeship in the dockyards as an engineer-fitter.Morgan, Tom (1949) Who's Who in Speedway, Sport-in-Print, p. 74 He was a despatch rider in World War II, and began his speedway career as the war ended, after initially competing in grasstrack. After attending training sessions at Rye House, he was signed by Alec Jackson for the Wembley Lions and in 1948 got a regular place in the team after injuries to George Wilks and Bill Kitchen.Chaplin, John (2013) "Freddie Williams", Speedway Star, 26 January 2013, pp. 3–5
Williams rode for the Wembley Lions for his entire career, from 1947 until 1956.Jacobs, Norman (2001). Speedway in London. Williams became the first British rider to win two World titles (in 1950 and 1953), a feat only matched by Peter Craven (in 1955 and 1962) and Tai Woffinden (2013, 2015, 2018).
Williams represented England in test match series, gaining his first cap in 1949.Foster, P. (2005) History of the Speedway Ashes, The History Press Ltd.
In 1953, Williams married Olympic skater Pat Devries. His two younger brothers, Ian Williams and Eric Williams, were also speedway riders, and Freddie acted as Ian's mechanic at the 1957 World Final.
Williams presented the winner's trophy to Australian rider Chris Holder at the 2012 Speedway Grand Prix of Great Britain held at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. Like Williams, Holder would go on to become the World Champion at the end of the 2012 Speedway Grand Prix season. Williams finished second behind (Jack Young in the 1952 World Final at Wembley Stadium.
Williams died on 20 January 2013, aged 86, in the Great Western Hospital in Swindon following a stroke the previous day.
Williams is the only Welshman, to win speedway's ultimate individual prize.
World Final appearances 1950 - London, Wembley Stadium - Winner - 14pts 1951 - London, Wembley Stadium - 9th - 7pts 1952 - London, Wembley Stadium - 2nd - 13pts 1953 - London, Wembley Stadium - Winner - 14pts 1954 - London, Wembley Stadium - Res - Did not ride
Grasstrack racing Southern Centre Champion 1948.
References
External links Freddie Williams at BBC Oxford Freddie Williams interview at BBC Oxford