Galloping Goose MC (Motorcycle Club)
Galloping Goose MC is a one percenter motorcycle club founded in Los Angeles in 1942, however they were not an official club until 1946.
They are an important club in a historical sense because of their long history dating back to the 1940’s and involvement in the 1947 Hollister Rally.
Galloping Goose MC History
Galloping Goose Motorcycle Club was founded in Los Angeles in 1942, however did they were just a bunch of friends hanging out unofficially on their Harley Davidson motorcycles and racing, it wasn’t until 1946 that they became an official club.
“Galloping Goose” was the name of a motorcycle owned by Dick Hershberg. The word “Galloping Goose” and the image of the running finger (seen on the Galloping Goose Motorcycle Club patch) was painted on the gas tank. Dick Hershberg’s group of followers were known as the “Galloping Goose”, or “GG Bunch”.
Originally the group met at the Pullman Bar, which was located near Union Station, Los Angeles. The original patch was designed at this bar by John Altoon, who was a famous artist and a friend of Dick Hershberg. The patch was initially made up for a sweater, rather than a leather vest.
At the time when the group officially became a club there were a total of 13 members.
The Galloping Goose Motorcycle Club were well known for their involvement in racing, which led to them being invited to the Hollister Rally in 1947 along with other clubs including the Boozefighters MC, Market Street Commandos and Pissed off Bastards of Bloomington MC (POBOB MC) who would later become involved in the formation of Hells Angels MC. This was the event which would then become known as the 1947 Hollister Riot, out of which the term “one percenter” would be coined.
After the Hollister Riot the Galloping Goose Motorcycle Club shut down for a year, but then reformed and met up at Para Boo Bar on Beverly Hills Boulevard, Los Angeles.
After the Los Angeles chapter, the next chapter would be the Valley chapter. These chapters would then merge to become the So Cal chapter.
In 1962 the Galloping Goose Chicago Chapter was set up by a member named Smitty.
In 1969 members Mousey Rider, Frog, Matin and Jerry started the Galloping Goose New Orleans chapter.
In 1970 members Smitty (the same member who set up the Chicago chapter), Dink, Don Wetzel and Rob Maybe started the Galloping Goose Oklahoma chapter.
In 1970 the Galloping Goose So Cal chapter also formed the Galloping Goose Montana and Galloping Goose Wyoming chapters.
Member Camper John from the Galloping Goose New Orleans chapter then started the Galloping Goose Kansas City chapter.
Member R.G Waters from the Galloping Goose Kansas City chapter then left to start the Galloping Goose Springfield, Missouri chapter. At one stage the Kansas City chapter had a strong hold over the city, with a 100-mile exclusion zone in place for all other clubs. Their power in the city has significantly reduced in more recent decades, as a number of other major motorcycle clubs including Bandidos MC, Outlaws MC, Mongols MC and Vagos MC have entered the area.
The Galloping Goose Motorcycle Club has strong ties to the El Forastero Motorcycle Club, who provided Galloping Goose with their first one percenter patch. The clubs have also at one point shared a clubhouse.
Galloping Goose MC Patch / Motto
The Galloping Goose MC motto is “Often Tested, Always Faithful”.
The Galloping Goose Motorcycle Club patch consists of a set of legs running. The torso on top of the set of legs is a large hand with the index finger extended. In the background of the patch you can see an outhouse, this links back to an outhouse which used to be towed on a trailer in the club’s early years when they went on runs. The patch is purple writing on a gold background.
The Galloping Goose Motorcycle Club colors are purple and gold.
Galloping Goose MC Chapters
The Galloping Goose Motorcycle Club have a number of chapters spread throughout the United States.
- Galloping Goose Harrison, Arkansas
- Galloping Goose Chicago, Illinois
- Galloping Goose Houma, Louisiana
- Galloping Goose New Orleans, Louisiana
- Galloping Goose Montana
- Galloping Goose Picayune, Mississippi
- Galloping Goose Cape Girardeau, Missouri
- Galloping Goose Billings, Missouri
- Galloping Goose Joplin, Missouri
- Galloping Goose Kansas City, Missouri
- Galloping Goose Poplar Bluff, Missouri
- Galloping Goose Rolla, Missouri
- Galloping Goose Springfield, Missouri
- Galloping Goose West Plains, Missouri
- Galloping Goose Wyoming
Famous Galloping Goose MC Members
Some of the earliest members of Galloping Goose Motorcycle Club:
- Kim May
- Slim Summerville
- Rink
- Sweet Willie
- One Leg John Grey
- Preacher Bob Smith
- Jim Aubry
- Little Dick
- Sherman
- Charles the Mute
- Pinky Pineda
- Shaggin Chuck
- Sam the Banana Man
- Johnny Angel
- Secretary Bobby Elliot
Galloping Goose MC Crime / In The Media
- 2001 – Law enforcement in Kansas City, Missouri sets up a new motorcycle club named the Outsider Motorcycle Club and attempts to infiltrate the Galloping Goose Kansas City chapter.
Galloping Goose MC Enemies and Allies
Galloping Goose Allies:
- El Forastero MC
- Hangmen MC
- Hells Angels MC
- Midwest Drifters MC are a support club
Galloping Goose Enemies:
- Because of their alliance with the Hells Angels, the club then in parts adopts some of the known enemies of the Hells Angels too, including Bandidos MC, Mongols MC, Outlaws MC, Vagos MC, Sons of Silence MC.
Galloping Goose MC Books / Movies / TV
There are no books that we are aware of that are specifically written about the Galloping Goose Motorcycle Club, however they do have a brief mention in the following books:
The One Percenter Encyclopedia by Bill Hayes. View this book on Amazon (link opens in a new window).
The 1953 movie “The Wild One” which starred Marlon Brando is loosely based on the events at the 1947 Hollister Riot, an event which was attended by the Galloping Goose Motorcycle Club. Click to see this movie on Amazon (link will open on a new tab).
A short YouTube clip of the Galloping Goose in New Orleans, Louisiana:
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