American Contract Bridge League
Unit 484   District 20

Profile/Tribute

Bill Holt

(Published March 2002)

Bill Holt is an enthusiastic bridge player! He believes passionately in giving of his time and talents to keep bridge alive to thrive in our Valley. We met at the American Legion Community Center; we talked while his fledglings tested their wings at Easybridge! It was Wednesday morning, a clear day.

Bill was born, raised, and educated in Los Angeles. Home life included board games and card games; pinochle was a family favorite. "I could play pinochle before I could talk," Bill told me.

Following high school, Bill took on the job of installing floor coverings. He also took on the game of bowling, the game that negates the idea of "three strikes, you're out!" In bowling, "three strikes" usually wins.

Way back in 1955, Bill skirted the game of bridge. A friend gave him a lesson in Culbertson, but he wasn't sucked in—at least not yet. A little more than 20 years later, Bill entered a bridge game in a park in Mt. Shasta, and the vortex never let him go.

Bill moved to Mt. Shasta, joined the ACBL and proceeded to develop his skill at the game, gathering in over 1500 masterpoints while circling around the league.

Norma, Bill's wife of 19 years, started a duplicate bridge club in Yreka, their hometown. Norma directed the game until Bill took over the task 15 years ago.

Soon after moving to Yreka, Bill became an ACBL Director. He traveled extensively in that capacity for 19 years and retired in 2000. Sid Davidson was his mentor and friend in that pursuit.

One of the thrills of Bill's bridge career was winning a Flight A team event in 1981. His teammates were: Jack Thorson, Betty Doherty and Patty Below. They beat Ron Andersen (of Precision Club fame) and his team handily.

As busy as he is, Bill finds time to be a devoted father to his four grown children, his eleven grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

Bill is a big promoter of Easybridge! "It's the greatest form of teaching duplicate bridge there is," he says. Bill vows he will travel here from Yreka as long as people show up to learn the game. He also commutes to Redding regularly in his capacity as Unit President.

Bill insists that "involvement in the bridge organization is the key to keeping bridge healthy." He feels that there is a "great attitude toward bridge in our Valley, and we are extremely fortunate to have 8 to 10 superior players playing regularly."

Thanks Bill for everything you do for bridge, for us.