March 11, 1999
AMA's Bill Boyce Dies at Age 76

PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- Bill Boyce, a respected
friend of motorcycling and a dedicated official with
the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) for
more than five decades, passed away on March 9,
the AMA reports. He was 76.

Boyce's love of motorcycling started when he was a
youngster growing up in Dayton, Ohio. After
returning from duty with the U.S. Navy in the South
Pacific during World War II, Boyce began a
professional racing career on a variety of machines,
including Harley-Davidsons and Nortons, often with
his trademark cigar clenched between his teeth. He
was recalled by the military for service in Korea,
then took up racing again upon his return home.

After retiring from competition in the late '50s,
Boyce remained active in the Dayton Motorcycle
Club while working for several motorcycle dealers.
He also volunteered his time to help run both
professional and amateur racing for the AMA. He
rose through the ranks of AMA officials and served
as a national referee before joining the AMA staff
as a full-time employee in 1971.

Throughout the rapid growth period of motorcycle
racing in the '70s and '80s, Boyce helped foster
professional competition in this country in a variety
of positions within the AMA, including stints as
director of professional competition. Through it all,
he never missed a chance to attend a race and lend a
hand to racers and officials alike.

He was elected to the Federation Internationale de
Motocyclisme (FIM), the international governing
body of motorcycling, where he served for more
than 20 years and made hundreds of friends for the
AMA and motorcycling in many countries. In his
later years of FIM service, Boyce focused his
efforts on speedway racing; and when he retired
from the international organization in late 1996,
delegates from more than 60 nations named him an
honorary member of the FIM's Track Racing
Commission, a title awarded to only three other
individuals in the FIM's 90-year history.

Boyce retired from his full-time position at the
AMA in 1990, but continued as a part-time
consultant for AMA Pro Racing until the day he
died. Bill oversaw the speedway and professional
hillclimb programs in recent years, yet spent many
weekends riding his street bike to any and all local
races.

Boyce received the AMA's Professional Sportsman
of the Year Award in 1993 for his tireless efforts in
promoting racing. In 1996, he received the AMA's
highest honor, the Dud Perkins Award, for his
lifelong service to motorcycling. In making that
presentation, AMA President Ed Youngblood said:
"Few people involved in pro racing during the past
50 years have gone untouched by the positive
influence Bill Boyce has had on the sport and on the
AMA."

"Bill Boyce has been a mentor, a leader and a friend
to all of us in professional racing," added Merrill
Vanderslice, AMA director of professional racing.
"History will record his contributions to the sport.
Motorcycling has lost one of its best friends."

Boyce is survived by his wife of many years, Ann;
his grandson, Tommy; and many other relatives and
friends. Expressions of sympathy can be sent to the
family in care of the AMA, 13515 Yarmouth Drive,
Pickerington, OH 43147.