Warlocks
Forever
Leslie
K. Penny
Chancellor
University
Module
5 Research Assignment 4
Warlocks
Forever
Interestingly enough, the Warlocks came about when
thirteen sailors, who were coming back from an eight month deployment on the
U.S.S Shangri-La, started to think of their future and what they would do when
their service in the Navy was over (History of the Warlocks
Motorcycle Club, 2004).
All thirteen sailors loved motorcycles and they all liked to party so
the idea popped into their heads to start a motorcycle club , a 1%er, which
became the Warlocks, in February of 1967 (History of the Warlocks
Motorcycle Club, 2004).
Upon returning to each of their home states after the Navy, they had
planned on founding chapters in those states, but civilian life took precedence
and all but one put the club aside (History of the Warlocks
Motorcycle Club, 2004).
The one brother of the Warlocks that took the commitment
seriously went by the name of Grub who was from Lockhart, Florida (History of
the Warlocks Motorcycle Club, 2004). He founded the original chapter on the
outskirts of Orland Florida, "where the Orlando Mother chapter (headquarters)
remains to this day" (History of the Warlocks
Motorcycle Club, 2004).
Grub remains an active member among the Warlock nation and "the
Warlocks of the world today are truly grateful for the commitment and
dedication of our founder Grub" (History of the Warlocks
Motorcycle Club, 2004).
According to the official Warlocks Forever website, http://www.warlocksmc.net/INTERNATIONAL%20HOME%20PAGE.htm,
there are 32 chapters of Warlocks throughout the United States and seven
chapters overseas (Chapters, 2004).
There are eleven chapters in the state of Florida, seven chapters in
South Carolina, five chapters in Virginia, four chapters in West Virginia, one
chapter in New York, two chapters in Ohio, one chapter in Minnesota, and one
chapter in Georgia (Chapters, 2004). There are two chapters in Germany, three
chapters in England and two chapters in Canada (Chapters, 2004). According to the National Geographic Channel
website, which is much more up to date than the Warlocks own official page that
dates back to 2004, there are 18 chapters total across the U.S. and Europe with
an estimate, by law enforcement, of 200 members (The Warlocks,
2013).
The most recent news article concerning the Warlocks
Motorcycle Club was the announcement of a mini-series that the Discovery
Channel debuted on July 5th called "Warlocks Rising" (Belanger,
2013). The first episode, which premiered on July
5th, took viewers inside the homes of Warlock members and "behind the
fences of their parties and into the sticky business that is their
livelihood" (Belanger, 2013). The article goes on to express the prevalence
of Warlocks in Orlando who are "tied to local crime, frequently prompting
violent retaliation between warring clubs feuding over territories" who "operate
on their own level" with viewers getting a rare glimpse into their lives (Belanger,
2013).
To conclude, the mini-series on the Discovery Channel
provided those who are interested all the information laid out in this essay
plus information that one cannot glean from the internet. I find it fascinating that the Warlocks
originated from sailors who were just dreaming about what they would do once
they got out of the Navy. It is a pretty
good story that only one of the original 13 stuck to his guns and made that
dream come true upon returning to his home state of Florida. The Warlocks are not as well known around the
dinner table as the Hells Angels are, for instance, but they have held their
own for going on half a century now.
Works Cited
Belanger, A. (2013, 07 03). Discovery Channel
Debuts "Warlocks Rising" mini-series about Florida biker club.
Retrieved 08 03, 2013, from Orlando Weekly:
http://blogs.orlandoweekly.com/index.php/2013/07/discovery-channel-debuts-warlocks-rising-mini-series-about-florida-biker-club/
Chapters. (2004). Retrieved 08 03, 2013, from Warlocks
Forever: http://www.warlocksmc.net/chapters.html
History of the Warlocks Motorcycle Club. (2004).
Retrieved 08 03, 2013, from Warlocks Forever:
http://www.warlocksmc.net/about.html
The Warlocks. (2013, 07). Retrieved 08 03, 2013, from National
Geographic Channel: http://natgeotv.com.au/tv/outlaw-bikers/the-warlocks.aspx
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