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Wallace (Wally) Holden (1937) - Swimming

Name
Wallace (Wally) Holden
Class
1937
Category
HoF Individual
Induction Year
2012

Wallace (Wally) Holden began his distinguished swimming career, right here at R.A. Long High School on our first swim team in 1932 and participated in his first meet in 1933. Wally hadn't taken swim lessons prior to his freshman year, but lived on Puget Island during his childhood and learned to swim on his own.  Wally racked up many first place finishes through out his four year career at R.A. Long. His high school career culminated with a State Championship title for the 100 yard freestyle in 58.8 seconds (which we are told still stands). Wally went on to swim on the University of Washington team for three years and lettered all three years. His collegiate career was cut short by World War ll when he joined the Navy. Wally started participating in the Masters swimming in 1978 at San Diego, and after a few years broke his first national records in the SCY & LCM 100 fly. There were many records after this forWallace in just about every stroke, but the breaststroke. He has dominated his age group in butterfly throughout his Master's swimming career and when asked if he was always good at butterfly, he replies, "Butterfly didn't exist when I started swimming!" Before that time, he explains that breaststroke was a combination of today's butterfly and breaststroke. Wallace has achieved All American times (fastest time in your age group in an event) many times over three decades he has competed in Masters swimming. In 2004, at the age of 85, he earned the distinguished USMS Pool All-Star Award for the most #1 times in his age group. He had the fastest time in 17 events from the 50 free to the 400 Individual Medley. He currently holds eight National and/or World records - and has retained the National Record in the M 80-84 SCY 100 fly since 1999. Due to problems with leg cramps Wallace is not competing at this time but does not rule out the possibility of returning in the future. Wallace is also a volunteer for the "Read Program" at the Longview Public Library and does English-Spanish tutoring.