Pissed Off Bastards of Bloomington
Encyclopedia
The Pissed Off Bastards of Bloomington (POB for short) was a motorcycle club
that, in 1947, along with the Boozefighters
and the Market Street Commandos
, participated in the highly-publicized Hollister incident
(later immortalized on film as The Wild One
).
After the Hollister incident, a prominent Pissed Off Bastard named Otto Friedli (28 Jun 1931 - 17 Mar 2008) split with the club and formed his own group on March 17, 1948 in Fontana
, just west of San Bernardino
. He called it the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club
. In 1954 Otto's new club merged with the Market Street Commandos to become the Hells Angels San Francisco Chapter.
, in the small town of Bloomington
in 1945, a particular group of veterans and POBOB founder Otto Friedli who was too young to have served in the war, found civilian life to be too slow and set out to get more thrills by riding motorcycles and hot rod cars.
Then on July 4, 1947, in Hollister, California
where the AMA (American Motorcycle Association) sanctioned the Gypsy Tour Run, the Boozefighters
, POBOBs (Pissed Off Bastards Of Bloomington) and the Market Street Commandos
took over the town for nearly three days. The POBOB's played an integral role in the Hollister incident
, on which the movie "The Wild One
" was based, starring Marlon Brando
.
Two months later, the same clubs went to Riverside, California
for the Labor Day weekend, another AMA sanctioned event. The same thing happened again as it did in Hollister. Over four thousand people, bikers and citizens, took over the town's main street. A Riverside sheriff, Carl Rayburn, blamed a bunch of punk kids for disrupting his town, saying "They're rebels, they're outlaws." So from an angry lawman's mouth, the Outlaw Motorcyclists were born.
Then six months later Otto Friedli and some disgruntled POBOBs formed the first Hells Angels
charter on March 17, 1948, in San Bernardino, California
, also known as "Berdoo
." That same year, the AMA made a statement that ninety-nine percent of the motorcyclists are good people enjoying a clean sport and it's the one percent that are anti-social barbarians. The term "One Percenters" is born.
Three years later the P.O.B.O.B.'s came back as a motorcycle club
(minus the car club), in the city of Fontana
known as Felony Flats. The club still exists today with a group of members known as the PISSED OFF BASTARDS OF BERDOO, throughout Southern California
and Northern Nevada
.
Motorcycle club
A motorcycle club is a group of individuals whose primary interest and activities involve motorcycles.In the U.S. the abbreviation, MC or MCC, can have a special social meaning from the point of view of the outlaw subcultures, and is usually reserved by them for those clubs that are mutually...
that, in 1947, along with the Boozefighters
Boozefighters
The Boozefighters Motorcycle Club 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 Ft. Worth, Texas. The first European Chapter was founded in France in 2006...
and the Market Street Commandos
Market Street Commandos
The Market Street Commandos was a motorcycle club that, in 1947, along with the Boozefighters and the Pissed Off Bastards of Bloomington, participated in the highly-publicized Hollister incident . In 1954 the Fontana Hells Angels merged with the Market Street Commandos to become the San Francisco...
, participated in the highly-publicized Hollister incident
Hollister riot
The Hollister riot occurred during the Gypsy Tour motorcycle rally in Hollister, California, from July 4 to July 6, 1947. The event was sensationalized by yellow news reports of bikers "taking over the town" and staged photos of public rowdiness....
(later immortalized on film as The Wild One
The Wild One
The Wild One is a 1953 outlaw biker film directed by László Benedek and produced by Stanley Kramer. It is famed for Marlon Brando's iconic portrayal of the gang leader Johnny Strabler.-Basis:...
).
After the Hollister incident, a prominent Pissed Off Bastard named Otto Friedli (28 Jun 1931 - 17 Mar 2008) split with the club and formed his own group on March 17, 1948 in Fontana
Fontana, California
Fontana is a city of 196,069 residents in San Bernardino County, California. Founded in 1913, it remained essentially rural until World War II, when entrepreneur Henry J. Kaiser built a large steel mill in the area...
, just west of San Bernardino
San Bernardino, California
San Bernardino is a city located in the Riverside-San Bernardino metropolitan area , and serves as the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States...
. He called it the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club
Hells Angels
The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club is a worldwide one-percenter motorcycle gang and organized crime syndicate whose members typically ride Harley-Davidson motorcycles. In the United States and Canada, the Hells Angels are incorporated as the Hells Angels Motorcycle Corporation. Their primary motto...
. In 1954 Otto's new club merged with the Market Street Commandos to become the Hells Angels San Francisco Chapter.
Official History
They were the original outlaw motorcycle and car club. A few miles south of San Bernardino, CaliforniaSan Bernardino, California
San Bernardino is a city located in the Riverside-San Bernardino metropolitan area , and serves as the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States...
, in the small town of Bloomington
Bloomington, California
Bloomington is an unincorporated census-designated place in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The population was 23,851 at the 2010 census, up from 19,318 at the 2000 census....
in 1945, a particular group of veterans and POBOB founder Otto Friedli who was too young to have served in the war, found civilian life to be too slow and set out to get more thrills by riding motorcycles and hot rod cars.
Then on July 4, 1947, in Hollister, California
Hollister, California
Hollister is a city in and the county seat of San Benito County, California, United States. The population was 34,928 at the 2010 census. Hollister is primarily an agricultural town.-History:...
where the AMA (American Motorcycle Association) sanctioned the Gypsy Tour Run, the Boozefighters
Boozefighters
The Boozefighters Motorcycle Club 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 Ft. Worth, Texas. The first European Chapter was founded in France in 2006...
, POBOBs (Pissed Off Bastards Of Bloomington) and the Market Street Commandos
Market Street Commandos
The Market Street Commandos was a motorcycle club that, in 1947, along with the Boozefighters and the Pissed Off Bastards of Bloomington, participated in the highly-publicized Hollister incident . In 1954 the Fontana Hells Angels merged with the Market Street Commandos to become the San Francisco...
took over the town for nearly three days. The POBOB's played an integral role in the Hollister incident
Hollister riot
The Hollister riot occurred during the Gypsy Tour motorcycle rally in Hollister, California, from July 4 to July 6, 1947. The event was sensationalized by yellow news reports of bikers "taking over the town" and staged photos of public rowdiness....
, on which the movie "The Wild One
The Wild One
The Wild One is a 1953 outlaw biker film directed by László Benedek and produced by Stanley Kramer. It is famed for Marlon Brando's iconic portrayal of the gang leader Johnny Strabler.-Basis:...
" was based, starring Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando, Jr. was an American movie star and political activist. "Unchallenged as the most important actor in modern American Cinema" according to the St...
.
Two months later, the same clubs went to Riverside, California
Riverside, California
Riverside is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and the county seat of the eponymous county. Named for its location beside the Santa Ana River, it is the largest city in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area of Southern California, 4th largest inland California...
for the Labor Day weekend, another AMA sanctioned event. The same thing happened again as it did in Hollister. Over four thousand people, bikers and citizens, took over the town's main street. A Riverside sheriff, Carl Rayburn, blamed a bunch of punk kids for disrupting his town, saying "They're rebels, they're outlaws." So from an angry lawman's mouth, the Outlaw Motorcyclists were born.
Then six months later Otto Friedli and some disgruntled POBOBs formed the first Hells Angels
Hells Angels
The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club is a worldwide one-percenter motorcycle gang and organized crime syndicate whose members typically ride Harley-Davidson motorcycles. In the United States and Canada, the Hells Angels are incorporated as the Hells Angels Motorcycle Corporation. Their primary motto...
charter on March 17, 1948, in San Bernardino, California
San Bernardino, California
San Bernardino is a city located in the Riverside-San Bernardino metropolitan area , and serves as the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States...
, also known as "Berdoo
San Bernardino, California
San Bernardino is a city located in the Riverside-San Bernardino metropolitan area , and serves as the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States...
." That same year, the AMA made a statement that ninety-nine percent of the motorcyclists are good people enjoying a clean sport and it's the one percent that are anti-social barbarians. The term "One Percenters" is born.
Three years later the P.O.B.O.B.'s came back as a motorcycle club
Motorcycle club
A motorcycle club is a group of individuals whose primary interest and activities involve motorcycles.In the U.S. the abbreviation, MC or MCC, can have a special social meaning from the point of view of the outlaw subcultures, and is usually reserved by them for those clubs that are mutually...
(minus the car club), in the city of Fontana
Fontana, California
Fontana is a city of 196,069 residents in San Bernardino County, California. Founded in 1913, it remained essentially rural until World War II, when entrepreneur Henry J. Kaiser built a large steel mill in the area...
known as Felony Flats. The club still exists today with a group of members known as the PISSED OFF BASTARDS OF BERDOO, throughout Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
and Northern Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
.