In the beginning there was .
. .
Many of us probably do not realize where
the real biker lifestyle & mystic began. So to let you know,
it all began in Hollister, California, July 1947.
"Before Hollister there were motorcycles
. . .
. . . after Hollister there
were bikers,
before Hollister, motorcycles were transportation
. . .
. . . after Hollister they
became a life style,
before Hollisters, there were friendships
. . .
. . . after Hollister, there
was a brotherhood."
said Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell.(R,
Colorado) an avid biker.
The weekend of July 4th, 1997 was the 50th Anniversary
of the "Battle of Hollister", the party that inspired the Brando movie
"The Wild One". Planners predicted that as many as 200,000
bikers would show up to celebrate.
The original party, according to the July
7th, 1947 edition of the Hollister Free Lance, veterans just
having a good time after WWII, were attracted by three days of motorcycle
competition that turned two blocks of San Benito Street into a "racetrack,
fiesta area and beer-bottle target range." According to reports
a half ton of broken glass was left behind (amateurs).
"Wino Willie" Forkner, co-founder of the
first biker clubs (Boozefighters M/C) looked forward to this anniversary
rally. Unfortunately, Willie died June 23, 1997 of an aortic aneurysm.
Originally arrested at the 1947 rally, Forkner cheerily said "of
course, I had been drinking. That doesn't help when you are talking
to the fuzz." Forkner also said "There are always mavericks, but
most bikers are pretty nice people."
Catherine Dabo, now 77, still remembers the
day the motorcyclists rode through the lobby of her hotel. "They
didn't hurt anything, they were just having a good time."
"This 50th Anniversary is to celebrate what
most look at as the defining moment when the perception of the motorcyclist
began to change" said Senator Campbell.
Dabo thinks its great, "I tell people now
that (bikers) are coming to have fun. They are good people; I have
nothing bad to say about them."
Personally, I think that says it all. Maybe
next year, you'll be able to go.
Carmen,
July 1997
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