Bill Cridland
Bill Cridland had a major influence on the sport of amateur boxing, as an athlete and official and has left a lasting legacy.
Bill took up boxing in 1946 at the age of 19 while in the British Army. He emigrated to Canada and arrived in Peterborough in 1951. Since then, this dedicated volunteer has won the respect of boxers, trainers, coaches and officials around the world.
As a boxer, Bill was city and provincial light heavyweight champion in 1954 and 1955. He was a member of the original Peterborough Boxing Club and one of the founding members of Boxing Ontario in 1972. For 10 years, he was chief official of Boxing Ontario. Bill has officiated as a referee and judge since 1972, earning his ‘Bureau of Americas’ certificate, the second highest category for officiating in amateur boxing. He has officiated in more than 2000 bouts, in every province in Canada, at four Ontario Winter Games and at two Canada Winter Games. Bill has represented Canada as a manager, referee and judge in world wide competitions and officiated at the Olympic Games in Montreal in 1976.
Bill was awarded a Volunteer Service Award in 1998 for 25 years of service to amateur boxing and received the annual David Sparks Memorial after more than 30 years of commitment to amateur boxing in Eastern Ontario.
Year Inducted:
2004
Status:
Deceased
Bill Cridland had a major influence on the sport of amateur boxing, as an athlete and official and has left a lasting legacy.
Bill took up boxing in 1946 at the age of 19 while in the British Army. He emigrated to Canada and arrived in Peterborough in 1951. Since then, this dedicated volunteer has won the respect of boxers, trainers, coaches and officials around the world.
As a boxer, Bill was city and provincial light heavyweight champion in 1954 and 1955. He was a member of the original Peterborough Boxing Club and one of the founding members of Boxing Ontario in 1972. For 10 years, he was chief official of Boxing Ontario. Bill has officiated as a referee and judge since 1972, earning his ‘Bureau of Americas’ certificate, the second highest category for officiating in amateur boxing. He has officiated in more than 2000 bouts, in every province in Canada, at four Ontario Winter Games and at two Canada Winter Games. Bill has represented Canada as a manager, referee and judge in world wide competitions and officiated at the Olympic Games in Montreal in 1976.
Bill was awarded a Volunteer Service Award in 1998 for 25 years of service to amateur boxing and received the annual David Sparks Memorial after more than 30 years of commitment to amateur boxing in Eastern Ontario.