Born in 1910, Jimmy Hill was an AMA competitor who raced in the 1930s and '40s. He also held management and engineering positions with the Indian Motocycle Company and is credited with being integral to the development of several Indian models.
Hill was a member of AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Fritzie Baer’s nationally recognized Indian racing team that included Hall of Famer Woodsie Castonguay, Frenchy Castonguay, and Bobby and Butch Baer.
In 1935, Hill began working as a service manager at a retail dealership in Boston. In 1938, he began working for Indian as a service manager in Springfield, Mass., and in 1940 he began work as an experimental engineer with Indian. During World War II he supervised the development of Indian’s shaft-driven military model. Hill is also credited with fostering the development of the 750cc Sport Scout, which was a favorite among dirt-track racers.
In 1951 Hill became the production manager for Indian’s 80 ci (cubic inch) model, and later that year he was promoted to superintendent. He remained with the company until 1954.
Hill and his wife, Florence, were residents of Wilbraham, Mass. He died in 1997, and was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998.