Tom Phillis
Thomas Edward Phillis (9 April 1934 in Sydney – 6 June 1962) was a Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. In 1961, he won Honda's first championship race when he took the 1961 125cc Spanish Grand Prix. He went on to win the FIM 1961 125cc World Championship. This was also Honda's first world championship.
Phillis was married to Betty and they had two children, Debra and Braddan. He died while competing in the 1962 Isle of Man TT. He was cremated and his ashes were scattered at the TT race course startline. The defending 500 cc world champion, Gary Hocking, was so affected by the death of his friend that he immediately retired from competitive motorcycling.
Read more about Tom Phillis: Motorcycle Grand Prix Results
Famous quotes containing the words tom and/or phillis:
“Come dame or maid, be not afraid,
Poor Tom will injure nothing.”
—Unknown. Tom o’ Bedlam’s Song (l. 11–12)
“My Phillis hath prime-feathered flowers
That smile when she treads on them;
And Phillis hath a gallant flock
That leaps since she doth own them.
But Phillis hath so hard a heart—”
—Thomas Lodge (1558?–1625)