Boozefighters
 | |
| Motto | "The Original Wild Ones" |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1946 |
| Location | California, USA |
| Founder | "Wino" Willie Forkner |
| Website |
www |
| Abbreviation | BFMC |
The Boozefighters Motorcycle Club (BFMC) is a motorcycle club, formed in California just after World War II. Today, the BFMC has chapters across America with its national headquarters located in Fort Worth, Texas. The first European Chapter was founded in France in 2006. Other international chapters include: Canada, Japan, Philippines, South Korea, Italy, Germany, and Belgium.
History
The Boozefighters MC first gained notoriety at the Hollister riot in Hollister, California the weekend of July 3–6, 1947, later portrayed in the movie The Wild One starring Marlon Brando.
An article featuring actor Robert Patrick, current charterholder of Boozefighters MC Chapter 101, describes the club as "a nonprofit organization that raises money to help vets, children and the poor".
The Boozefighter Motorcycle Club was formed by veterans of World War II. "Wino" Willie Forkner is recognized as the founder. They were at the infamous Hollister, California event of July 4, 1947 which has been immortalized by the movie "The Wild One," starring Marlon Brando. Lee Marvin played the part of "Chino", based on "Wino" Willie Forkner.
California racing culture gave rise to a special kind of motorcycle engine, the "stroker". According to historians, it originated in the So Cal Racing circuit, shortly after the introduction of the Harley Davidson knucklehead. "Sitting around on a Saturday, at the bike shop, guys even from different clubs drinking beer together. CB Clauson, a Boozefighter was eyeing a scooter. He walked over and looked at it very calculatingly. CB picked up a piston from that scooter, walked over to another scooter, and looked at the cylinders. He then started to take measurements. No one had any idea what he was up to. This was when he had the idea that if he interchanged the pistons he could make a 'stroker' motor - which he did and the stroker was born.
The Boozefighters have chapters worldwide including the US, Canada, Europe, Japan, Korea and the Philippines but claim no territory, only history.[1]
To become a prospect, candidates must have an American or World War II allied motorcycle and the sponsorship of a full patched member. After a potential member is invited to ride and party with the club, he is deemed a “hangaround”, indicating that the individual is invited to club events and can associate with members. If a hangaround is deemed appropriate and finds sponsorship he may be invited to join the club as prospect and don the bottom single rocker of a full patch member in training. The term full patch refers to the top and bottom rockers in combination with the Boozefigher center patch, “the bottle” and the MC cubes.
To make the transition to a full patch member, the prospect must be voted on unanimously by the chapter. It is the duty of every prospect to support his club to the fullest and make himself known to the chapter, Nationals chapter as a member of good character. Even after a member is given his patches, the patches themselves remain the property of BFMC and, if the member departs, the patches must be returned.
Notes
- ↑ "Robert Patrick", ABILITY Magazine, retrieved June 17, 2011
References
- Hayes, Bill (2005), The Original Wild Ones: Tales of the Boozefighters Motorcycle Club, MBI Publishing Company, ISBN 978-0-7603-2193-5
- Marlon Brando (star) (1954). The Wild One (Motion Picture).