The Townsmen of East Long Beach Car Club

This is the plaque of The Townsmen of East Long Beach Car Club, featuring their emblematic character dressed in a top hat and holding a cane, a symbol of their club's identity in the Southern California car scene during the late 1950s and early 1960s. The Townsmen were known for their modified cars and, unfortunately, gained notoriety following the events of the 1960 Car Club Murder. Photo courtesy of Car Club Plaques.

The 1960 Car Club Murder. On March 28, 1960, a violent car club clash shook Long Beach, California, when members of the Townsmen of East Long Beach Car Club raided a meeting of the Dutchmen of Paramount at the Lakewood Moose Lodge. The attack left 16-year-old Neil Mahan critically injured with a gunshot wound to the head. The event, covered in newspapers like the Independent on March 30, 1960, sent shockwaves through the local community and marked a pivotal moment in the region's car club history. The aftermath of the incident, involving multiple arrests and a high-profile trial, was seen by some as signaling the decline of the car club culture among teenagers in the area. Photo courtesy of the Independent, March 30, 1960.

This Independent article from May 20, 1960, provides a sobering look into the official diary of the Townsmen Car Club of East Long Beach. What starts as a seemingly naive and disorganized record of car runs, parties, and social events quickly reveals an undercurrent of violence and tragedy. The diary fails to mention the harrowing events of March 28, when Townsmen members armed with bayonets, clubs, and guns launched a deadly attack on the Dutchmen at the Lakewood Moose Lodge. The article emphasizes the disconnect between the club's stated intentions and the devastating consequences of their actions, highlighting the fatal shot that claimed the life of 16-year-old Neil Mahan.

The Townsmen of East Long Beach Car Club was a prominent and controversial car club that emerged in the late 1950s. Officially established on September 27, 1959, and centered around Millikan High School in Lakewood, California, the Townsmen developed a reputation that set them apart from many other local car clubs. Lakewood, largely a bedroom community for the booming aircraft industry, had seen the rise of car culture, and by 1960, the Townsmen had firmly established themselves as a presence.

The club's official diary, later analyzed during legal proceedings, painted a picture of teenage ambition, youthful energy, and, at times, reckless bravado. Written in a casual and often naive style, the diary detailed club activities like "poker runs," parties, and high school social events. The word "rumble," used as car club vernacular for violent encounters, did not explicitly appear in the diary's pages. Nevertheless, the Townsmen were known for seeking a reputation as "badasses," frequently disregarding the unspoken rules that governed car club territories in Long Beach.

According to Patrick Farrell, a member of the Cavaliers Car Club, the Townsmen often ignored established boundaries. While other clubs respected rules like leaving members on dates unchallenged, the Townsmen's older members were known to start trouble, often targeting younger high school kids. Farrell recalled that the Townsmen were involved in several altercations, including football games with the Cavaliers that ended in fights.

The 1960 Car Club Murder

Tensions between car clubs escalated in early 1960, culminating in the violent incident now known as the 1960 Car Club Murder. On March 28, 1960, the Townsmen stormed a Dutchmen of Paramount meeting at the Lakewood Moose Lodge. Armed with guns, tire irons, baseball bats, and knives, they caught the Dutchmen off guard. The violent attack left 16-year-old Neil Mahan critically injured from a gunshot wound to the head, and he succumbed to his injuries days later. Witnesses described the raid as a calculated assault, with the Townsmen outnumbering the Dutchmen nearly two to one.

The aftermath was swift and severe. The community's response was one of outrage, leading to the arrest and trial of several Townsmen members. The incident highlighted the danger of escalating car club rivalries and drew attention to the darker side of car culture. Hundreds of local car enthusiasts banded together to oppose the Townsmen, with a large gathering at a drive-in hangout that forced the club to disband. In what Farrell described as a "military action," the Townsmen were warned never to fly their club plaque or wear their jackets again, or face physical repercussions.

The Townsmen's legacy remains a somber reminder of the complexities of youth, identity, and belonging within the car club culture of the 1960s. Their story, marked by camaraderie and tragedy, reflects an era where cars were more than just vehicles; they were symbols of power, status, and, sometimes, rebellion.

Members

Frank Pollard - Club President, Marine carpenter from Bellflower.
Gene R. Stivers - Vice President, Truck driver from Lakewood.
Mickey Mefford - Gymnasium attendant from Lakewood.
Walter E. Miller (Big Red Miller) - From Westminster.
Charles R. Smith - From Long Beach.
Ronald Pontrelli - From Anaheim.
John Pontrelli - Brother of Ronald Pontrelli, also from Anaheim.
John T. Cummings - From Lakewood.
Lawrence Wieland - From Lakewood.
David Kern Hill - From Long Beach.
George Frank Ortiz - From Long Beach.
James M. Hall - From Bellflower.
James Edward Minnis - From Long Beach.
Richard D. Chick - Involved in the incident and mentioned in connection with warrants.
Randell D. Check - Listed as part of the conspiracy charges.
Edward T. Brick - Club sponsor and 30-year-old bricklayer.

Club Cars

Mickey Mefford's 1946 Ford Pickup