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Cauliflower Alley Club

The Cauliflower Alley Club is a non-profit fraternal organization, which includes a newsletter and website, comprising both retired and active professional wrestlers and boxers in North America.

Established in 1965 by Mike Mazurki and Art Abrams, the organization hosts an annual reunion dinner which has traditionally been attended by celebrities and other professional athletes. Several historical Hollywood locations have been home to the reunion banquets such as the Masquer's Club, the Roosevelt Hotel and the Old Spaghetti Factory as well as The Riviera and the .

Its registered symbol is a solid silver mold of Mazurki’s left ear, which was afflicted by cauliflower ear, a common permanent injury among athletes who compete in violent contact sports, one also pictured in its club logo, and its newsletter is accordingly named The EAR.

History

The Cauliflower Alley Club was founded in 1965 by Mike Mazurki as a fraternal organization of professional wrestlers, boxers, and actors. The first annual reunion dinner was held at the Baron's Castle Buffet Restaurant in Los Angeles, California. The Club also presents numerous awards annually at the reunion dinner.

Several prominent former professional wrestlers have been president of the club, including Red Bastien, Nick Bockwinkel, and the current president, Brian Blair. The Club has a "benevolent fund which helps people from the wrestling business in a time of need." Proceeds are raised for the fund during the annual reunion weekend.

Awards

2020s

2010s

2000s

1990s

1999

Other honorees included Ken Patera, Jack Donovan and Bob Geigel.

1998

  • Iron Mike Mazurki Award: Lou Thesz
  • Art Abrams Lifetime Achievement Award: William Papas
  • Scholarship Award Winners: Billy Pappas

Other honorees included Danny Hodge, Fred Blassie, Dory Funk, Jr. and Dan Severn

1997

Other honorees included:

1996

Other honorees included:

1995

Other honorees included:

1994

  • Iron Mike Mazurki Award: Vic Christy
  • Reel Member Inductees: Harry Carey, Jr.
  • Boxing Honorees: Lou Bogash, Joe Graziano, Lou Couture, Jocko V. Ananian, Micky Finn, Tom McNeely, Harol Gomes, Willie Pep, Carmen Basilio and Vincent Pazienza

Other honorees included:

1993

Other honorees included Verne Gagne, “Cowboy” Bob Ellis, Kinji Shibuya, Wendi Richter, Barbi Dahl and Peggy Patterson.

1992

Other honorees included Maurice Vachon, Hard Boiled Haggerty, Rey Urbano, Johnny James, Gene Kiniski, Pepper Gomez, Penny Banner, Debbie Combs, Belle Starr, Donna Christantello and Diamond Lil.

Presidents

See also

References

Further reading

  • "Cauliflower Alley Club Lends an Ear to Boxers, Wrestlers". Los Angeles Times.
  • "Cauliflower Alley Club: 'Gentle and Warm People'". The Argus-Press.
  • Historical Dictionary of Wrestling. p. 65.
  • Blassie, Fred and Keith Elliot Greenberg. "Classy" Freddie Blassie: Listen, You Pencil Neck Geeks. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2003.
  • Funk, Terry and Scott E. Williams. Terry Funk: The Hardcore Legend. Champaign, Illinois: Sports Publishing LLC, 2005.
  • LeBelle, Gene. Gene Lebell's Grappling World: The Encyclopedia of Finishing Holds. Champaign, Illinois: Sports Publishing LLC, 2005.
  • Loeffler, Carl E. and Darlene Tong. Performance Anthology: Source Book of California Performance Art. San Francisco: Last Gasp Press, 1989.
  • Meltzer, Dave. Tributes II: Remembering the World's Greatest Wrestlers. Champaign, Illinois: Sports Publishing LLC, 2004.

External links