William (Bill) Linderman 1920 -1965 Born
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Introducing 2012 Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame Inductee… William (Bill) Linderman 1920 -1965 Born -April, 13th, 1920 - parents - John Linderman 1883 - 1926 and Charlotte E. Burns -1891 -1976. Bill was one of five brothers and two sisters and one half- brother - John Jr., George (Lup), Elmer (Bud), Douglas (Doug). Sisters - Margaret Ishmal and Katherine Lindquist and a half-brother, Samuel Dean Spualding. Bill's father John died during the depression in 1926. His mother Charlotte (Rusty) raised her family alone, hauling milk with a horse and wagon. Bill and his brothers worked hard with chores and fishing and hunting to keep the family fed. Rusty remarried in!928 to Emery Spaulding, where, they lived south of Belfry on the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River. Bill grew up there, leaving home at the age of 16 to start his career as a rodeo cowboy. After the 4th of July Rodeo at Red Lodge, later to be named "The Home of Champions" for the Linderman's and the Greenough's. Rusty hugged him and gave him a kiss, wished him good luck, not knowing when she would see him again! How could she know that this would be the beginning of a lifelong career, and that he would be a world champion, and one of three brothers to make the Linderman's, often referred to as "The Riding Linderman's", a name so famous, how could she know he would go on to win numerous world championships. He hopped a freight train headed for Cheyenne, Wyo. which was to be his first "big rodeo" where he won first place in the bronc riding. There were hard times from 1936 up into the early 40's. Bill would write his mother a series of some 50 letters through the years from 1941 to 1946, telling her how he was doing, winning or of the dry spells, and could use a few bucks to get him by until the next rodeo. Rusty did not have a phone until 1967. Letters were their only form of communication. Bill fell in love and married Jean Widden, in the spring of 1944. Jean was from Livingstone, Montana. They had a daughter, Charlotte (Char), named for her Grand-mother Charlotte (Rusty) Linderman, born May 31st, 1945. Char married Jay Parsons and has two sons, Robert John and John William. Jay Parsons parents, Jay and Polly were well known in the horse world, as are Jay and Char. Jean passed on when Char was three days old. Char was raised by her grandmother Marion Widden and her Aunt Suzanne, until Bill remarried in 1948. He married Patricia Abor. Pat had a daughter, Michael (Mike), she and Char were only a few months apart. Bill adopted Mike and raised her as his own. Mike married Dick Galley and, she has one son, William Robert Galley, and two grandsons. Bill and Pat had a son, named Billy. He was a sickly baby, only grew to 5'7. Served in Vietnam, he married and has two daughters. Billy died at age 33. Bill took the family to Belgium in 1958. There was a large rodeo company, going to Europe to put on a "Wild West show and Rodeo" produced by Vern Elliott, from Colorado. Over one hundred bronc riders, ropers, clown acts, stage coaches, Indians, and much more. The a show didn't last as long as planned as there was much rain and bad weather, and war broke out in Turkey. Many had to sell their saddles and other gear to get home, riding in an old army transport plane with no seats. Bill was never drafted in to the service, he took his physical and was classified 4F, said, he did not know why? He thought he was too beat up from all his rodeo injuries. Three of his brothers, Lup, Bud and Doug all served. Bill had a great work ethic, hated lying, and deception. Was always the one to go out of his way to help, someone. He would buy old properties and build them up, repair the buildings and resell them. He became the most famous, as a contestant as well as a member of the team that developed professional rodeo. He was considered be as good of a three event contestant as anyone in his time. His ability to cowboy and beat the best in the world during his career is truly a small part of his success. He was a leader among men and really played an important part in the pioneering of the organization. Bill was president of the Rodeo Cowboys Association at the time when it could have easily succumbed to the International Rodeo Association which was made up of committeemen from Calgary, Pendleton, Ellensburg, Denver and many more. Not many will remember the part he played in this period of preservation and growth of the sport as we know it today. Bill had the ability to cowboy at both ends of the arena, riding rough stock as well as competing in the timed events. He was the winner of the all-around championships in 1950 and 1953, also winning world champion bareback riding, steer wrestling (bull dogging) and saddle bronc riding titles. He was the PRCA-predecessor Rodeo Cowboys Association president from 1951-57 and served as secretary/treasurer. While serving in this capacity he gave his life for rodeo, he died a hero just as he lived his whole life. While flying from Denver to Spokane to speak at a rodeo meeting, the airplane he was on caught fire while landing in Salt Lake airport. It is said; Bill made it out of the plane 'scott-free' and then went back in to try to help others escape, and died giving his for life his fellow man. That day he went into the Pig 'n Whistle restaurant in Denver before getting on the plane and wrote a check for $20, when ask for his address he wrote heaven, the date was 11/11/65. He was truly the King of the Rodeo Cowboys. He was also an avid golfer, called it "cow pasture pool". After Bills Death, in his honor the RCA created the Linderman award. To qualify, a contestant must earn at least one thousand dollars in prize money in each of three events in one year. The first award went to another Montana cowboy; Benny Reynolds of Melrose. Twenty years later, was won by Bob Schall of Arlee, the only other Montana cowboy to win it up to date. Caring on the family tradition of, rodeo was Walt Linderman, Bill's nephew. Walt won many championships in steer wrestling and set an arena record of 3.9 seconds at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, Colorado. His son Jay was on the Rodeo Team at the University of Montana at Bozeman. He made the College finals three years in a row, in Steer Wrestling. A world's Championship Rodeo was produced by Don Wright and Bill Linderman, June 20/22/23/1947, in Billings, MT. It is not known how long it ran, it is believed to be several years. It was well known all over the state of Montana, Wyoming, and the Dakotas. A man must be dead before he is enshrined in the Rodeo Hall of Fame in Oklahoma, City. Montana Sculptor Bob Scriver was commissioned in 1966 by the RCA to create a statue of Bill Linderman. The sculpture was placed in the Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City, OK. The first sculpture to be so honored and remains there today. .