{{Short description|American speedway rider (1914–1978)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}} {{Use American English|date=January 2024}} {{Infobox Speedway rider | image = Cordy Milne 1942.jpg | caption = Milne, circa 1942 | birth_date = {{Birth date|mf=yes|1914|4|14}} | death_date = {{death date and age|1978|10|15|1914|4|14|mf=y}} | birth_place = [[Buffalo, New York]], United States | death_place = [[Los Angeles]], United States | years1 = 1936-1937 | career1 = [[Hackney Wick Wolves]] | years2 = 1938 | career2 = [[Bristol Bulldogs]] | years3 = 1939 | career3 = [[Southampton Saints]] | indivyear1 = 1934, 1935, 1947 | indivhonour1 = [[AMA National Speedway Championship|AMA National Speedway Champion]] | indivyear2 = 1940 (3 Laps) | indivhonour2 = [[Australian Individual Speedway Championship|Australian Champion]] | teamyear1 = 1936 | teamhonour1 = London Cup }}

'''Corydon Clark Milne''' (April 14, 1914 – October 15, 1978)<ref name="ama">{{cite web |url=http://hof.motorcyclemuseum.org/halloffame/detail.aspx?RacerID=232&lpos=-1640px&letter=M&txtFname=&rblFname=S&txtLname=&rblLname=S&discipline=0|title=Cordy Milne|website=AMA Motorcycle Museum Hall of Fame|access-date=16 December 2021}}</ref> was an American international [[motorcycle speedway]] rider who finished third in the [[1937 Individual Speedway World Championship|1937 Speedway World Championship]] final, behind his brother [[Jack Milne (speedway rider)|Jack]] and second placed [[Wilbur Lamoreaux]].<ref>Bamford, R & Jarvis J.(2001). ''Homes of British Speedway''. Stroud: Tempus Publishing {{ISBN|0-7524-2210-3}}</ref> Corydon rose under the name '''Cordy Milne''' and all three riders came from [[Pasadena, California]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://britishspeedway.co.uk/docs/Ultimate_Index_1929-2022.pdf |title=ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022 |website=British Speedway |access-date=29 July 2023}}</ref>

==Early life== Milne was born in [[Buffalo, New York]], but his family moved to [[Pasadena, California]], while he was still young. While working as a messenger deliver boy for [[Western Union]] he saved his money and bought a motorcycle, converting it to a speedway bike.<ref name="ama"/>

By the early 1930s, Milne had started to earn some decent money in racing. His brother Jack decided that if he and his brother raced and shared expenses, they could earn a living from the sport. Jack sold his service station and purchased a pair of Comerford-JAP Speedway racing machines from England. Milne married famed burlesque dancer [[Lili St. Cyr]] in 1936. They later divorced, but the year is unknown.

==Career== Milne won his first American titles in 1934 and 1935. After [[World War II]], he returned to win the U.S. title again in 1947 and 1948.

The Milne brothers came over to England, where speedway was very popular, after receiving help from [[Clem Mitchell]].<ref>{{cite news |title=It's worth a note that... |work=Lewisham Borough News |date=24 March 1936 |access-date=3 January 2024 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004585/19360324/559/0016 | via = [[British Newspaper Archive]]|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Cordy signed up to ride for the [[Hackney Wick Wolves]],<ref>Fenn, C.(2003). ''Hackney Speedway, Friday at Eight''. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. {{ISBN|0-7524-2737-7}}</ref> Jack for the [[New Cross Lambs]].<ref>Jacobs, N. ''Out of the Frying Pan'', {{ISBN|978-0-7524-4476-5}}</ref> They became celebrities, appearing on trading cards and being featured in advertisements for a variety of products. He took his girlfriend, Marie Van Schaack, to England with him where they married, in July, 1936. She enjoyed her newfound fame as Cordy's wife and loved the glamorous lifestyle. She subsequently divorced Milne and began her life as [[Lili St. Cyr]], a world-famous [[burlesque]] artist.<ref name="ama"/>

Milne reached the final of the Speedway World Championship three times, never finishing lower than sixth place and was in first place after the semi-finals in 1939 when [[World War II]] broke out and the final was never run. He returned to Pasadena with his brother and opened a bicycle shop with $4,000 from their racing earnings. The business grew to include a motorcycle dealership and later the Milnes expanded to a major car dealership in the [[Los Angeles]] area.<ref name="ama"/>

Cordy also toured [[Australia]] alongside his brother Jack and fellow American [[Wilbur Lamoreaux]] on occasions during the mid-late 1930s and early 1940s. Cordy won the 1940 [[Australian Individual Speedway Championship|Australian Championship]] at the famous [[Sydney Showground Speedway]] after having finished second in 1938 in the 5 Lap Championship at the [[Camden Motordrome]] in [[Adelaide]]. He also represented the [[United States national speedway team|USA]] in test matches against the [[Australia national speedway team|Australians]]. Cordy married his second wife, Australian beauty, Verna Ross. He met Verna when he was in hospital after a riding accident. She was visiting her 12-year-old brother, Kevin in the next bed. He and Verna returned to live in the US. They had five daughters.

After the war, the brothers helped revive Speedway racing in Southern California, and Milne won his last two American National titles.

In 1998, Milne was inducted into the [[American Motorcyclist Association|AMA]] [[Motorcycle Hall of Fame]].

== World Final Appearances == [[File:Cordy Milne motorcycle speedway rider cigarette card.png|thumb|right|150px|1937 cigarette card]] * [[1936 Individual Speedway World Championship|1936]] - {{Flagicon|ENG}} [[London]], [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley Stadium]] - 4th - 20pts * [[1937 Individual Speedway World Championship|1937]] - {{Flagicon|ENG}} London, Wembley Stadium - '''3rd''' - 23pts * [[1938 Individual Speedway World Championship|1938]] - {{Flagicon|ENG}} London, Wembley Stadium - 6th - 15pts

== Players cigarette cards == Milne is listed as number 30 of 50 in the 1930s Player's [[cigarette card]] collection.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.speedwaymuseumonline.co.uk/playerscigarettecards6.html|title=Speedway Riders|website=Speedway Museum Online|access-date=14 October 2021}}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Milne, Cordy}} [[Category:1914 births]] [[Category:1978 deaths]] [[Category:American speedway riders]] [[Category:Sportspeople from Buffalo, New York]] [[Category:Hackney Wick Wolves riders]] [[Category:American expatriate speedway riders in England]] [[Category:Bristol Bulldogs riders]] [[Category:Southampton Saints riders]] [[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]