Bill Holden (speedway rider) explained

Bill Holden
Nationality:British (English)
Birth Place:Blackburn, England
Career1:Southampton Saints
Years1:1950–1951, 1956–1957
Years2:1951–56, 1958
Teamyear1:1951
Teamhonour1:Division 3 champions
Teamyear2:1952, 1955
Teamhonour2:Division 2 champions
Teamyear3:1952, 1955, 1956
Teamhonour3:National Trophy (Div 2)

William Holden (8 March 1923 – 14 March 2011) was a motorcycle speedway rider from England.[1]

Career

Holden rode for Southampton Saints (1950-1, 1957),[2] Poole Pirates 1951–56, 1958) and England (1952). He won the Division 3 championship with Poole in 1951[3] and the following year won the Division 2 title with Poole. In 1955, he won a third title when Poole won Division 2 again.

He is still regarded by some as one of the best riders ever to don the distinctive blue and white skull and crossbones race jacket. Holden was entered into the Poole Speedway Hall of Fame in 2008 having scored 1,599 points in 639 races.[4]

Personal life

He is uncle to former Exeter Falcons, Poole and England rider Kevin Holden and father to former Weymouth junior Paul Holden.[5]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022 . British Speedway . 5 August 2023.
  2. News: Pike suspension still stands . Leicester Evening Mail . 3 August 1950 . 8 January 2022. British Newspaper Archive. subscription .
  3. Web site: National League Division 3 1951. Speedway Researcher. 8 January 2022.
  4. Web site: Hall Of Fame. poole-speedway.com. 8 January 2022.
  5. Web site: Bill Holden Poole Pirate. The History Of Poole Speedway. 8 January 2022.