Marshall Holman
A fiery competitor who brought theatrical intensity to professional bowling, he dominated the PBA Tour with 22 titles and later became a signature voice of the sport on television.
Born 1954 (age 72)·American sports broadcaster and retired professional ten-pin bowler·Birthday: September 29·Baby Boomers
Biography
Marshall Holman didn’t just bowl; he performed. Hailing from Medford, Oregon, he stormed the Professional Bowlers Association Tour in the 1970s with a combustible mix of supreme skill and raw emotion. Known for his dramatic fist pumps and confrontations with pins (and occasionally the audience), Holman’s style made him a polarizing but undeniable star. His powerful, high-rev delivery earned him the nickname 'The Marshall,' and he racked up 22 career titles, cementing his place among the sport’s greats. After retiring, he seamlessly transitioned to the broadcast booth, where his deep knowledge and still-present passion helped explain the game’s nuances to a new generation of fans.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Marshall was born in 1954, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Marshall Was Born
The biggest hits of 1954
#1 Movie
White Christmas
Best Picture
On the Waterfront
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Marshall's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1954Born
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1959Started school
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1967Became a teenager
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1970Could drive
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1972Could vote
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1975Turned 21
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1984Turned 30
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1994Turned 40
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 50
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 60
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 70
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 72 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won 22 career PBA Tour titles, placing him among the top winners in the organization’s history.
- Captured two major championships: the 1981 and 1985 Tournament of Champions.
- Inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1990, recognizing his impact on the sport.
- Successfully transitioned to a long career as a color commentator for televised bowling events.
Did You Know?
He was famously sponsored by Nike, one of the first professional bowlers to have a major athletic shoe endorsement.
Holman’s signature celebratory move was a powerful, sweeping fist pump down the lane.
He bowled a perfect 300 game on national television during the 1987 True Value Open.
His rivalry with fellow hall-of-famer Earl Anthony was a defining storyline of 1970s and 80s bowling.
“You don't just knock 'em down, you gotta put on a show.”
