In my collection is an Isle of Man Weekly Times dated 9th June 1978....

On page 4 is a "First Rate Article" entitled "Hailwoods Lucky Thirteenth" which was written by a very accomplished young racing fan, 14 years old. It is a very good full page article with a super pic of Mike and should be reproduced this year, the 30th anniversary of Mikes Return.

We must get permission from this young man who has now matured a bit, like a good wine.

SO, Mr Barry Wood of Willaston, Isle of Man, come on down, we need you to re submit this article !!!

Thanks for the big build-up Ian! Yes, I wrote that article when I was 14 years old and still a pupil at Douglas High School, although it was nothing to do with the school; I wrote it off my own bat. My respect and admiration for Mike hasn't in any way diminished with the passing of time. Quite the reverse.
I sent it in to the IOM Weekly Times office for their perusal and was delighted when not only did they decide to publish it, but also they sent me a cheque in the post as payment, for the grand sum of £3.30!!
At that time I had vague ambitions of being a motor cycle race journalist, and this success spurred me on a little more. But I soon realised that to be a top journalist you needed to be pushy with people, and that wasn't me.
If you would like to use this article for whatever purpose, you are most welcome to do so. As long as anyone reading it appreciates it was written by a young boy. Ah happy days.........

Has anyone else seen this article....it's great !!!

A VERY good article which would be very much at at home in the 2008 programme at least...

If you are reading this string, anyone-associated-with-the-TT-programme, I think this article from 1978 should be re-published since it is the 30th anniversary of Mikes return.

This is a first-hand report from someone who was there at the time...

A lot better than an article written by someone who has to pretend to have been there !!!

Great article Barry and yes, I would like to put it on my 2008 website WITH YOUR PERMISSION, I will, of course, tell folks who wrote it.

Crack on yesser. Very welcome!

Then you might like to view http://www.ianhuntly.co.uk/bwud.htm just been uploaded. Lots more to add yet.

Still working on this but thanks a million fella, see you in May !!

All done, Barry, it really is a great article, which should be reproduced in this year 2008.

I hope, in reproducing it on my website it, will not be pirated or reproduced without your permission elsewhere.

Do the Isle of Man Times still have it on file ??

Only one observation, Hailwood rode a FOUR Cylinder Honda-4 did he not ??r