70TH ANNUAL TRAILBLAZERS BANQUET SET FOR APRIL 5, 2014
Looking back to March 16, 1946, the Trailblazers Motorcycle Club held its 7th annual banquet at the Rosslyn Hotel in Los Angeles. Ed Kretz, Jack Milne, Floyd Clymer, A.F. Van Order, Cannon Ball Baker, Max Bubeck, Freddie Ludlow, Hap Jones and many other stars of the motorcycling sport and business were on hand to see old friends, have a nice dinner, do some bench racing and have some laughs.
On Saturday, April 5, 2014, the tradition continues with the 70th annual banquet to be held at the Carson Center in Carson, CA. The Trailblazers Board of Directors is going all out to make sure this year’s event is something special. As we always do, we will be honoring many notable motorcyclists at the banquet. We will soon be announcing the recipient of our Dick Hammer Award, but rest assured this year’s honoree will be very deserving of the club’s highest honor.
What I can tell you is we have a great group of both living and posthumous Hall of Fame awards to present. The Class of 2014 inductees include Sid Carlson, Bill Cody, Dusty Coppage, Tom Horton, Jim O’Neal, Mary McGee and Ron Wood. Additionally our posthumous inductees include Howard Barnes, Charlie Barnett, Don Basile, Dick Dorresteyn, Terry Dorsch, Ernie Pico and Carol Sims.
A few months back, there was a great local motorcycling event produced by Trailblazers members Mark and Randy Zimmerman. The 2nd annual Hopetown Reunion celebrated the 1967 race held on the Corriganville movie lot that really got America interested in motocross. This year, the Zimmermans invited the men who got it all started here in the United States: Torsten Hallman, Joel Robert, Roger DeCoster and Brad Lackey, plus Malcolm Smith, Dan Gurney, J.N. Roberts and many more. At our banquet in April, the Trailblazers will be toasting Mark and Randy for their contributions to motorcycling.
Banquet tickets go on sale here online on January 1st and you will be able to order single tickets, or a table of ten. We are holding our price at $70 per ticket and that includes a one-year membership. If you can’t attend the banquet, but want to remain as a member and receive our e-newsletter updates, a one-year membership costs just $10.00.
Lastly, the annual Tom Cates Memorial Bike Show will be held in the courtyard of the Carson Center the afternoon of the banquet. Interesting and historic motorcycles, photo boards, and memorabilia are always welcome, especially anything relating to this year’s honorees.
I look forward to seeing you at the banquet next April.
Don Emde
President
Trailblazers M.C.
