History 50 Years Ago; 1959 Car Club Murder

I am very interested in the Long beach area car club history. There were many great clubs in this area such as the Renegades and the Cut-Outs to name a couple. This morning there was a great read in a free Long Beach area magazine called the "beachcomber".
It's a great read, and here is the link:

http://www.longbeachcomber.com/story.aspx?artID=1533

 

thanks for the link i barely ever grab that paper, crazy story

 

That is a crazy story. Very interesting.

 

Boy, talk about the good ol' days...

 

Has this kind of behavior always been the California way of life? Clubs around the midwest always got ink for getting together for some charity fundraiser or to organize a drag race. Weird. Interesting read.

 

Interesting...Wonder if any of the old timers are still around and can elaborate?

 

That was very interesting.

 

I'm surprised nobody's made that into a movie yet. wow

 

Thats what I was thinking. Interesting read for sure.

 

Yea I was thinking the same thing. Usually Hollywood wouldn't let any thing like this go to waste without exploiting it for profit.

 

Hey,

I grew up in Long Beach and know/knew some early car club members. Most of these guys weren't exactly " Leave it to Beaver " types, or "Fonzie'' posiers either, but none I know of would of emptied a Glock into a house jus' for "shits and giggles". You weren't asked to join a car club because you were president of the stamp collecting club, either! Most of the guys I knew, that got into trouble with the law, did so behind the wheel. Some of us didn't have a dirvers license from 18-21, or until discharge from the military.
I gota tough time buyin' the 150 car clubs figure quoted, given that the population of Long Beach wasn't the 250-275+ thousand it is today. Maybe for the whole Los Angeles basin for 1959?

Swankey Devils C.C.
"Spending A Nation Into Generational Debt Is Not An Act Of Compassion!"

 

The Club I was in in High School (Class of '61) had a business card sized card we use to had out to people we helped (flat tires and such) that said " You have just been assisted by a member of the "Strokers" Car Club". I guess it was different out on the Left Coast...

 

Oh yes, all other car clubs across the nation only helped little old ladies across the street and picked daffodils for the needy....ya right!

 

Padilla....that name rang a bell. An actor with that last name was a Pharoah in American Grafitti!

 

I agree with Pimpin Paint. I can recall the incident. But after 70 years of age I suffer from CRS and don't remember any details. Car Clubs for the most part were nothing more that a bunch of kids having fun. Yes sometimes we screwed up but, nothing that serious. I was born in Long Beach and raised in Compton, which is a city next to Long Beach. As a member of the Bachelor's and along with other clubs we attended their sponsored events, Dance's, Poker Runs etc.. Without any problems except maybe a fight between two guys. All because one of them looked too long at the others girl friend or some other stupid reason.
One club that I recall that was not memtioned was the Dingo's. They for the most part hung out at the Drive-in near Jordan High School. I think if memory serves me correct it was a Clock Drive-in.
Well I've rambled long enough it's always nice try an get the brain working on old memories.

 

Ramble On RRuss, I'd love to hear more stories!

 

You betcha...they were all paragons of virtue, sheeesh!

 

Thanks for the link Dirk, interesting article. IMO, unlike "Outlaw" motorcycle clubs, which haven't been much about motorcycles for a long time, most car clubs were and are primerily about cars. Having said that, boys will be boys!

 

great stuff, I would love to sit down and have a couple beers with the graybeards- lots of hot rod history to tap into- thanks

 

Hey,

You drink the beer for me, I'm allergic to alcohol, I drink it and break out in handcuffs!

Swankey Devils C.C.
"Spending A Nation Into Generational Debt Is Not An Act Of Compassion!"

 

all that and nobody got their patch pulled???........

 

there is a Pharoahs car club still here in wilmington..but its all older lowriders,different club?

 

You guys remember a club called " The Squiers " Compton I think

 

You can pretty much bet these were rogue or loosely organized clubs,.... Over a decade before this, organizations like the SCTA and MHRA were pulling clubs together to work for a common goal,.... The article stated that the clubs mostly represented different Schools, it wasn't uncommon to hear of School rivalries,.... but violent Car Club rivalries were rare at best.

 

California has always been a disgusting den of iniquity, and I can only hope the 24 million Californians (66%) that have mistakenly moved here from other states seeking a better life will read about this 50-year-old crime, come to their senses, and move back now.

Seriously, this unique crime (only know of this one) looks like the product of a car gang, not a car club, and gangs are bad news everywhere. The CA car clubs I personally know are upbeat and community oriented.

 

The funny part of that story is how the reporter had to mention how members had beards or goatees. I guess if you had facial hair back then, that was a sign you were truly up to no good! Evil bastards.

"Many of the attackers were described as having goatees or beards."

 

Well then, those don't sound like no car club members. Sounds to me like you got a problem with some of them krazy, hopped-up BEATNIKS!

 

Interesting! My dad and a friend of mine were in the "lancers of long beach" from '58-'61. I"ll see them tonight and ask if they remember this. Pretty cool thanks for posting.

 

The Squires car club I think was from Long Beach. With regards to beards, yes some people had a problem with the younger crowd (teenagers that could grow a beard). growing facial hair. Long before the Hippies.

 

Gawl dang Beatniks, high on reefer!