Billy Griggs
Encyclopedia
William Luther Griggs is an American "Old School/Mid School" former professional Bicycle Motocross (BMX)
racer whose prime competitive years were from 1985 to 1996.
His nickname was "Mr. Bill" which was a play on his name and an allusion to a late 1970s Saturday Night Live
skit
called "The Mr. Bill Show." Billy Griggs had a more successful career than most, winning two World Championships during his amateur days, but did not quite make it to the top in pro although he would consistently make the mains.
National Bicycle League (NBL)
American Bicycle Association (ABA)
United States Bicycle Motocross Association (USBA)
International Bicycle Motocross Federation (IBMXF)
Other titles
(NBA)
National Bicycle League
(NBL)
American Bicycle Association
(ABA)
United States Bicycle Motocross Association
(USBA)
International Bicycle Motocross Federation (IBMXF)
Pro Series Championships
Minicycle/BMX Action & Super BMX:
Bicycle Motocross Action & Go:
BMX Plus!:
*Due to a change in ownership BMX Plus! did not publish a May issue in 1983.
Total BMX:
Bicycles and Dirt:
BMX World (1990 Version)
Snap BMX Magazine & Transworld BMX:
Moto Mag
BMX World (2005 version):
NBA World & NBmxA World (The official NBA/NBmxA membership publication):
Bicycles Today & BMX Today (The official NBL membership publication under two names):
ABA Action, American BMXer, BMXer (The official ABA membership publication under three names):
USBA Racer (The official USBA membership publication):
*After the ABA acquired the USBA the ABA printed the USBA paper within American BMXer beginning with the May 1986 issue.
BMX
Bicycle motocross or BMX refers to the sport in which the main goal is extreme racing on bicycles in motocross style on tracks with inline start and expressive obstacles, and it is also the term that refers to the bicycle itself that is designed for dirt and motocross cycling.- History :BMX started...
racer whose prime competitive years were from 1985 to 1996.
His nickname was "Mr. Bill" which was a play on his name and an allusion to a late 1970s Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
skit
Sketch comedy
A sketch comedy consists of a series of short comedy scenes or vignettes, called "sketches," commonly between one and ten minutes long. Such sketches are performed by a group of comic actors or comedians, either on stage or through an audio and/or visual medium such as broadcasting...
called "The Mr. Bill Show." Billy Griggs had a more successful career than most, winning two World Championships during his amateur days, but did not quite make it to the top in pro although he would consistently make the mains.
Racing career milestones
----| Milestone | Event Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Started racing: | January 21, 1981 at 12 years old. | |
| Sanctioning body: | American Bicycle Association American Bicycle Association The American Bicycle Association is a United States-based Bicycle Motocross sports governing body in Gilbert, Arizona created by Merl Mennenga and Gene Roden in 1977. It is the largest sanctioning body in the United States concerning BMX. It has tracks in Canada and Mexico as well as in the USA... (ABA) |
|
| Home sanctioning body districts): | ABA California 14 (CA-14) 1982-1985 | |
| First race bike: | ||
| First race result: | Third in 12 Beginner class. | |
| First win (local): | ||
| First sponsor: | BS Bikes in Santa Ana, California Santa Ana, California Santa Ana is the county seat and second most populous city in Orange County, California, and with a population of 324,528 at the 2010 census, Santa Ana is the 57th-most populous city in the United States.... . |
|
| First national win: | ||
| Turned Professional: | February 1987 at 18 years old. | |
| First Professional race result: | Fourth place in "A" pro on Saturday, February 14 at the 1987 American Bicycle Association American Bicycle Association The American Bicycle Association is a United States-based Bicycle Motocross sports governing body in Gilbert, Arizona created by Merl Mennenga and Gene Roden in 1977. It is the largest sanctioning body in the United States concerning BMX. It has tracks in Canada and Mexico as well as in the USA... (ABA) Winter Nationals in Scottsdale, Arizona Scottsdale, Arizona Scottsdale is a city in the eastern part of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, adjacent to Phoenix. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2010 the population of the city was 217,385... . He won USD$135. |
|
| First Professional win: | At the 1987 ABA Winter Nationals in "A" pro on Sunday, February 15. He won US$640. | |
| First Junior Men/Pro* race result: | See "First professional race result". | |
| First Junior Men/Pro win: | See "First Professional win". | |
| First Senior Pro** race result: | Third Place in "AA" pro at the ABA Silver Dollar Nationals in Reno, Nevada Reno, Nevada Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area... on May 24, 1987. He won US$140. |
|
| First Senior Pro win: | In "AA" pro at the ABA Lumberjack Nationals in Eugene, Oregon Eugene, Oregon Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S... On July 25, 1987. He also won Pro Open, doubling and he doubled again the next day. No purse break down given. |
|
| Height and weight at height of his career: (1991) | Ht:5'10" Wt:175 lbs. | |
| Retired: | Griggs retired from full time AA pro racing in July 1995 after he took a Research and Development position at GT Bicycles. He would race occasionally in "AA" pro until his last "AA" equivalent pro race at the UCI World Championships in Cordoba, Argentina Córdoba, Argentina Córdoba is a city located near the geographical center of Argentina, in the foothills of the Sierras Chicas on the Suquía River, about northwest of Buenos Aires. It is the capital of Córdoba Province. Córdoba is the second-largest city in Argentina after the federal capital Buenos Aires, with... on the weekend of July 29, 2000. |
|
Amateur
- BS (Brian Scura) Bikes: 1981-1982.
- CW (Custom Works) Racing: January 1983-December 1983. "CW", regarding the bicycle manufacturing firm, never stood for "Coast Wheels" as it is widely thought. Coast Wheels was a bike shop that Roger Worsham owned. Custom Works was a completely different and independent company. This is in contrast with JMCJMC BicyclesJMC, or Jim Melton Cyclery was a bicycle company in the 1970s and 1980s. It started as a bicycle shop in 1969. It began manufacturing bicycle components in 1974, mostly to make a bicycle look more like a motocross motorcycle, including fenders and false fuel tanks. In 1977 JMC began manufacturing...
(Jim Melton Cyclery) which did start out as a bicycle shop and then began manufacturing its own BMX components including entire bicycles.
- Schwinn Bicycle Company: January 1984-Mid June 1984. Schwinn dropped Billy Griggs because Griggs was not using Schwinn equipment. As Griggs explained in an interview in the February 1985 issue of Super BMX & Freestyle:
SBMX: So you're saying you had no bicycle to race?
He opted to leave the team in part because it would had taken too long to adjust to a bike with a Schwinn manufactured frame.
Billy Griggs: "I had a bike to race but it wasn't what I would consider a race bike. It would be fine for a novice or a beginner. I was riding a fully short stock frame. I tried to ride a Sting for a while but I just didn't like it. They understood that and they let me try a different frame they made. But you know I prefer Flight crank and day over one-piece cranks, and the other frame they made was too wide in the rear section for Flights, they just hit the frame, and so I didn't want to ride that bike. It was also too short in the front end by three inches easy, it was really a small bike."
SBMX: Yet you won quite a few races on Schwinn bicycles.
B.G.: No I didn't, the bike I had was made by Voris Dixon.
SBMX: It said Schwinn.
B.G.: That's just it, it said Schwinn, but that's as far as it went. I had to put Schwinn stickers on it because I had to fool everyone with it.
SBMX: Were you fooling the people at Schwinn?
B.G.: For a while. At first they didn't mind it but then when the Schwinn dealers started asking for that bike and they couldn't supply it, then the problem started."
SBMX: So did Schwinn leave you or did you leave Schwinn?
B.G.: They called me up and gave me a choice: Either put a Sting together or a bike we make and stay on the team, or don't do it and I wouldn't be on the team anymore.
- Mongoose (BMX Products): June 24, 1984-September 1, 1985
- Redline Engineering: September 2, 1985-December 31, 1990 Billy would turn pro with this sponsor.
- Billy Griggs was also employed as a BMX Plus! test rider from July 1984-June 1992.
Professional
- Redline Engineering: September 2, 1985-December 20, 1990. Left under very good circumstances, even praise by Billy Griggs.
- Haro Designs/Cycles: December 21, 1990.-December 1992.
- Iron Horse: December 1992-1993
- Haro Bicycles: 1994-December 1995
- Shimano: December 1995-June 1998
- GT (Gary Turner) Bicycles: June 1998-2001 Billy Griggs was employed by GT Bicycles in Product development.
Amateur
National Bicycle Association (NBA)- None
National Bicycle League (NBL)
- 1984 15 Cruiser National No.1
American Bicycle Association (ABA)
- 1982 California District No.14 Cruiser No.1
- 1982 California District 14 No.1
- 1983 15 Expert National No.1 Amateur (National No.2 Amateur Overall)*
- 1983 Cruiser National No.3
- 1985 16 Expert Winter Season California District 14 (CA-14) District Age Group (DAG) No.1
United States Bicycle Motocross Association (USBA)
- 1984 15-16 Cruiser 7-UP World Champion** (USBA promoted & sanctioned)
International Bicycle Motocross Federation (IBMXF)
- 1984 15 Cruiser Murray World Cup III Champion
Other titles
- 1983 14-15 Cruiser Champion Jag BMX World Super Bowl Champion (Non-Sanctioned).
Professional
National Bicycle AssociationNational Bicycle Association
The National Bicycle Association , later known as the National Bicycle Motocross Association was an United States based Bicycle Motocross sports sanctioning body originally based in Soledad, California that was created by Ernie Alexander in 1973 and ceased operations as an independent body in 1981...
(NBA)
- None
National Bicycle League
National Bicycle League
The National Bicycle League is a United States based Bicycle Motocross sports sanctioning body originally based in Deerfield Beach, Florida but after several moves it was based in Hilliard, Ohio...
(NBL)
- 1989 National No.3 Pro
American Bicycle Association
American Bicycle Association
The American Bicycle Association is a United States-based Bicycle Motocross sports governing body in Gilbert, Arizona created by Merl Mennenga and Gene Roden in 1977. It is the largest sanctioning body in the United States concerning BMX. It has tracks in Canada and Mexico as well as in the USA...
(ABA)
- 1988 Yamaha Supercup Pro Champion. As a prize he won a Yamaha 350 "Big Wheel" off road motorcycle.
- 1990 "Pros in Paradise" series winner (third seriers)
- 1990 National No.2 Pro
United States Bicycle Motocross Association
United States Bicycle Motocross Association
The United States Bicycle Association was a short lived Bicycle Motocross national sanctioning body based in Tempe, Arizona. It was founded in March 1984 by five former members of the American Bicycle Association : Rich Mann, Dave Cook, Geoff Sims, Steve Schaefer and Rod Keeling, who became the...
(USBA)
- None
International Bicycle Motocross Federation (IBMXF)
- None
Pro Series Championships
Notable accolades
- Named the Sixth of the 25 Hottest amateurs in BMX racing by a 1984 survey conducted by BMX Plus! for the opinions of four prominent figures in BMX: Two racers, Brent Patterson and Mike Poulson; and two team officials: Dr. Gary Scofield of GT, Howard Wharthon of Diamond Back.
- Named one of eight top amateurs deemed top "Pros of the Future" by Super BMX & Freestyle magazine along with Eric CarterEric CarterEric Robert Carter is a former American professional "Old/Mid School" Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1983 to 1998...
, Mike King, Doug Davis, Matt HadanMatt HadanMatthew Merle Hadan is an American professional "Old/Mid School" Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years are from 1985-1995. Nicknamed early in his career "The Master" and later "The Diesel"....
Brent Romero, Darwin Griffin and Brad Birdwell. - Named one of the new BMX Action's "Terrible Ten" top amateurs and future professionals for 1986.
Significant injuries
- Suffered a separated shoulder during a practice run before the pre-race at the 1985 ABA Land of Lincoln Nationals in Springfield, IllinoisSpringfield, IllinoisSpringfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
on April 27, 1985. Laid up for approximately seven weeks until the NBL/IBMXF Murry World Cup race in Nashville, TennesseeNashville, TennesseeNashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
in mid June.
- In 2008 Griggs had surgery to repair a valve in his heart. Apparently his heart had been pumping less than normal volume of blood for all his life inclucing his BMX career. On the BMX Action Online discussion site he discusses his repair with a poster:
Miscellaneous
- Named number four on the list of the "Dirtiest Riders in BMX" in the June 1992 issue of BMX Plus!
BMX and magazine covers
Bicycle Motocross News:- None
Minicycle/BMX Action & Super BMX:
- November 1983 Vol.10 No.11 In inset celebritiy actor David HasselhoffDavid HasselhoffDavid Michael Hasselhoff is an American actor, singer, producer and businessman. He is best known for his lead roles as Michael Knight in the popular 1980s US series Knight Rider and as L.A. County Lifeguard Mitch Buchannon in the series Baywatch...
. Griggs also appears in a centerfold poster with celebrity actress Missy GoldMissy GoldMissy Gold is a former American child actress. She is best known as portraying the Governor's daughter, Katie, on the TV sitcom Benson ....
. (SBMX)
Bicycle Motocross Action & Go:
- February 1986 Vol.11 No.2 (BMXA)
- August 1987 Vol.12 No.8 with Eddy KingEddy KingEdward King is an "Old School" former professional Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1977 to 1985....
and Charles TownsendCharles Townsend (BMX racer)Charles Heath Townsend is an "Old School/Mid School" former professional Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1985 to 1996....
. (BMXA) - March 1988 Vol.13 No.3 (BMXA)
- August 1990 Vol.1 No.10 (Go).
- November 1990 Vol.2 Iss.1 behind Steve VeltmanSteve VeltmanStephen James Veltman is a former American "Old School/Mid School" professional Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1981–1983 and 1989 to 1998...
, and ahead Traves Chipres and Mike KingMike King (BMX racer)Michael Allen King is an "Old School/Mid School" former professional Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1984 to 1998 and is also a former Mountain Bike racer who prime competitive years in that discipline were 1993 to 2004.- Biography :Mike King is the younger...
In insert John Paul Rogers (Go). - May 1991 Vol.2 No.7 with Mike KingMike King (BMX racer)Michael Allen King is an "Old School/Mid School" former professional Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1984 to 1998 and is also a former Mountain Bike racer who prime competitive years in that discipline were 1993 to 2004.- Biography :Mike King is the younger...
(Go).
BMX Plus!:
- July 1983 Vol.6 No.6* Insert. Maine Image Dave Gianunzio.
- January 1985 Vol.8 No.1 in circle insert ahead of Eddy King testing bikes. Mian image: freestyler Marc McGlynn.
- August 1985 Vol.8 No.8 with Mike Miranda, Harry LearyHarry LearyHarry Clarence Leary Jr. was a "Old School" professional bicycle motocross racer....
, Pete LoncarevichPete LoncarevichPeter Loncarevich is a former Bicycle Motocross racer. Loncarevich was an "Old School" professional BMX racer whose prime competitive years were from 1980 to 1994....
, Robert Fehd and Scott ClarkScott Clark (BMX rider)Scott Clark is an "Old School" former professional Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1978 to 1985....
in separate inserts and together on a starting line in the top insert. - January 1986 Vol.9 No.1 in bottom insert wearing Redline uniform. In separate inserts Shawn Carmody (top) (53); Tony Adams (BMX Plus! Tester); freestylers Mike Buff (CW), Mike Dominguez (Hutch) and Ron Wilkerson (Haro).
- October 1986 Vol.9 No.10 in upper insert in center. to his left is Robby Rupe & Scott Towne. To his right Dave Cullinan & Tim Ebbett. In bottom insert Pete LoncarevichPete LoncarevichPeter Loncarevich is a former Bicycle Motocross racer. Loncarevich was an "Old School" professional BMX racer whose prime competitive years were from 1980 to 1994....
(3) ahead of Eric RupeEric RupeEric Fitzgerald Rupe is an "Old School" American professional bicycle motocross racer. His prime competitive years were from 1978 to 1990....
(2), Eddy King (6.) Main image Todd Anderson. - May 1988 Vol.11 No.5 In circular insert at bottom. Main image freestyler Dino Deluca plus unidentified spectator.
- October 1988 Vol.11 No.10 In circular insert (8). Main image: Dirt Jumper Tim "Fuzzy" Hall.
- July 1989 Vol.12 No.7 main image. Freestyler Dave Voelker, Mike Miranda in top insert Lake Jumping with spectators. in middle insert freestyler Woody Itson with models Liz Corey (sitting on ground) and Danielle Shields.
- August 1989 Vol.12 No.8 in main image third from foreground in the lead. In foreground Eric CarterEric CarterEric Robert Carter is a former American professional "Old/Mid School" Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1983 to 1998...
(Schwinn) with Travis Chipres (Mongoose), Matt Hadan (obscured silver black/blue helmet), Mike King (obscured in silver/black helmet with "1") behind and to Grigg's immediate right) and GT's Mike Ellis. Also in top insert with aforementioned. - October 1989 Vol.12 No.10 in insert with Brandon Allen (left Diamondback) and Todd Blaser (right Dyno). Mian image freestyler Jay Miron.
- August 1992 Vol.15 No.8 (5) in insert with Greg HillGreg A. HillGregory Alan Hill is a former "Old School" professional bicycle motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1977 to 1989...
(3) and four unidentifieds (8), (64), (53) and (51). Main image freestyler Jimmy LeVan. - May 1993 Vol.16 No.5 with Pete LoncarevichPete LoncarevichPeter Loncarevich is a former Bicycle Motocross racer. Loncarevich was an "Old School" professional BMX racer whose prime competitive years were from 1980 to 1994....
and Matt Hoffman (Inset). - February 1994 Vol.17 No.2 (6) ahead of Gary EllisGary EllisGary Leo Ellis Jr. was an American "Old School" professional bicycle motocross racer.Ellis was one of the last of the "Old School" BMX racers whose careers started in the 1970s to early 1980s. His prime competitive years were from 1982-1996.Nickname: "The Lumberjack"...
(2) and unidentified third place racer (55). - September 1994 Vol.17 No.9 with Justin Green (1).
- February 1998 Vol.21 No.2 with Robert MacPherson and T.J. Lavin in insert.
*Due to a change in ownership BMX Plus! did not publish a May issue in 1983.
Total BMX:
- None
Bicycles and Dirt:
- None
BMX World (1990 Version)
- November 1990 Vol.1 No.1 (Premier issue)
Snap BMX Magazine & Transworld BMX:
- September 1994 Vol.1 Iss.1 (Snap)
Moto Mag
BMX World (2005 version):
NBA World & NBmxA World (The official NBA/NBmxA membership publication):
Bicycles Today & BMX Today (The official NBL membership publication under two names):
ABA Action, American BMXer, BMXer (The official ABA membership publication under three names):
- American BMXer January/February 1985 Vol.7 No.12
- American BMXer August 1985 Vol.7 No.6
- American BMXer December 1986 Vol.8 No.11 in USBA Racer* section pg.48 Technically not a cover but would had been if USBA Racer remained an independent organization. Griggs is ahead of Jason Kraig (foreground) and an unidentified racer (obscured). It was the last cover of USBA Racer.
USBA Racer (The official USBA membership publication):
*After the ABA acquired the USBA the ABA printed the USBA paper within American BMXer beginning with the May 1986 issue.
BMX press magazine interviews and articles
- "Griggs & CW" BMX Action December 1983 Vol.8 No.12 pg.68
- "NBL National Number 1's" Bicycles Today January 1985 Vol.7 No.1 pg.15 Short biographical blurb in sanctioning body newspaper for becoming NBL national no.1 15 Cruiser in 1984.
- "Mr. Bill" Super BMX & Freestyle February 1985 Vol.12 No.2
- "Charlie & Billy" BMX Action August 1987 Vol.12 No.8 pg.58 A joint interview with Charles TownsendCharles Townsend (BMX racer)Charles Heath Townsend is an "Old School/Mid School" former professional Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1985 to 1996....
. - "On the Cover...Billy Griggs" BMX Action March 1988 Vol.13 No.3 pg.59
- "Billy's Birthday Bash: The Coming of Age" Freestylin'/BMX Action January 1990 Vol.1 Iss.3 pg.41
- "Trading Places: Mikey King and Billy Griggs tell all!"BMX Plus! June 1991 Vol.14 No.6 pg.62 A joint interview with Mike KingMike King (BMX racer)Michael Allen King is an "Old School/Mid School" former professional Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1984 to 1998 and is also a former Mountain Bike racer who prime competitive years in that discipline were 1993 to 2004.- Biography :Mike King is the younger...
. - "billy griggs interview" Snap BMX Magazine May 1998 Vol.5 Iss. No.22 pg.92