Allen Holder

{{short description|Early 20th century American surfer}}

{{Infobox surfer

| name = Allen Holder

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| birth_name = Allen Holder

| birth_date = 1920

| birth_place = Texas

| death_date = {{death year and age|1997|1920}}

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| residence = San Diego

| nickname = Allen Dempsey Holder

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Allen "Dempsey" Holder (1920-1997){{Cite web|last=Dedina|first=Serge|date=11 October 2011|title=Waterman: Dempsey Holder and the Tijuana Sloughs|url=https://sergededina.com/2011/10/05/waterman-dempsey-holder-and-the-tijuana-sloughs/|url-status=live|access-date=5 May 2021|website=Serge Dedina|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120303181020/http://sergededina.com:80/2011/10/05/waterman-dempsey-holder-and-the-tijuana-sloughs/ |archive-date=2012-03-03 }} was one of the earliest surfers in San Diego, California's south county. He was one of the first surfers to ride the big surf off the coast of the Tijuana sloughs in 1937.{{Cite web|title=LEGENDARY SURFERS: Riders of The Tijuana Sloughs|url=http://www.legendarysurfers.com/2017/03/riders-of-tijuana-sloughs.html|access-date=2021-05-05|language=en}} Dempsey was also head of the Imperial Beach lifeguard services for many years. The public safety building that houses sheriff and lifeguard services is now named after Dempsey for his important contributions to surfing and public safety.{{Cite web|date=2011-10-05|title=Waterman: Dempsey Holder and the Tijuana Sloughs|url=https://patch.com/california/imperialbeach/waterman-dempser-holder-and-the-tijuana-sloughs|access-date=2021-05-05|website=Imperial Beach, CA Patch|language=en}}