Boozefighters MC takes pride in preserving its 80 year rich history in the spirit of fellowship and good fun. Hangtown’s Original Wild Ones! It all began in 1946 in a bar in Los Angeles, California, “The All American Bar” where returning WWII war vets gathered with “Wino” Willie Forkner, Vern Autry, Jack Lilly, Jim Cameron, J.D.Cameron, George Manker, Bobby Kelton, “Red Dog” Dahlgren, “Dink” Burns, Gil Armas, Johnny Roccio, Johnny Davis, “Fat Boy” Nelson, Lance Tidwell, and C.B. The club name came ironically from a man who never became a member; Walt Porter. Porter, who was a regular at the All American Bar, overhearing Forkner and others discussing possible names for their new club, ( after being thrown out of the 13 Rebels MC ) raised his head from the bar and said “ The Boozefighters,” all you do is come in this place and fight that Booze anyway. Thus was born THE BOOZEFIGHTERS MC. In the small town of Hollister, California, in 1947, the Boozefighters made history. They had gone there to party and attend The Gypsy Tour. Riding their motorcycles up and down the small town’s main drag, and into the local bars, notably Johnny’s which to this day is a landmark in Hollister. Barney Peterson, a photographer from The San Francisco Chronicle, staged the infamous photo of an unknown drunk (not a Boozefighter) on a motorcycle surrounded by empty b**r bottles. The photo never ran in the Chronicle, but it made page 31 of the July 21St 1947 issue of LIFE Magazine, with the following caption” Cyclist Holiday: He and his friends terrorize a town”
In 1951 Harper’s magazine writer Frank Rooney, inspired by the LIFE article, wrote a motorcycle story “Gang Takes Over a Town.” Stanley Kramer a film producer/director, taking from Frank Rooney’s story, produced his classic movie “The Wild One” starring Marlon Brando and Lee Marvin. Millions wanted to be a “ Wild One” and from that day pursued the lifestyle, to this day The Boozefighters remain “The Original Wild Ones”
The Boozefighters are not and have never been a 1% Club, we are one of the oldest active motorcycle clubs, we believe in respecting the rights of all motorcycle clubs in a peaceful co-existence, and all members of the community. We enjoy the open road, the brotherhood, the heritage, history and good fun of our club. It is these ideals that have made us the most unique and honored club in the biker community.
