Name Bill Holland Role Right-handed pitcher | Died December 3, 1973 | |
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Elvis William "Bill" Holland (February 2, 1901 in Indianapolis, Indiana – December 3, 1973 in New York City, New York) was a baseball player in the Negro Leagues. He was a pitcher and played from 1919 to 1941. In newspaper reports, he is often referred to as "Bill" Holland, and had the nicknames of "Speed" and "Devil."
Holland got his start working for Indianapolis ABCs baseball clubs and was sold to the Detroit Stars in 1920 where he pitched with other Negro League greats like Andy Cooper, Bill Gatewood, Tom Johnson and Gunboat Thompson. After three seasons with Detroit, he moved to the East Coast and spent the rest of his career working for the Lincoln Giants, Brooklyn Royal Giants, and the New York Black Yankees.
In 1930 Holland went 29-2 for the Lincoln Giants and was the first black player to ever pitch at Yankee Stadium.
At age 51, Holland received votes listing him on the 1952 Pittsburgh Courier player-voted poll of the Negro Leagues' best players ever.