Issue link: https://cp.revolio.com/i/1463439
Who Was Otto Friedli? 1931-2008 Fifteen or so years ago, the Black Sheep met Otto Friedli; a quiet, elderly man in his middle to late seventies, who would have made a wonderful Santa Clause had he worn a long white beard and a red suit. His wife Carol was quiet and unassuming. His best friend, known only to us as "Buzzard" was also quiet, polite, tall, and hairy. Both Otto and Buzzard spoke freely of their love and commitment to Christ, and it wouldn't be long before they joined the Santa Barbara, CA Black Sheep. (This was long before Black Sheep's background checks and extended mentorship training, was required for membership.) Marty Edwards writes: "I was privileged to have Otto and Buzzard and their wives stay in our home for a few nights. My understanding at the end of those 48 hours was that Otto was the founder of the Hell's Angels." Others, however, claim that he was not the founder, but certainly an original member. Otto quickly clarified, "You have to understand Marty, in those days all we (Hell's Angels) did was ride our motorcycles really fast, drink a lot of beer and chase women." Friedli continued, "One day I was sitting in our hometown bar when a call came in on the pay phone hanging on the wall. The voice on the other end said, "Otto! This is Sonny Barger! Do you know who I am?" Otto confirmed that he did. Then Sonny said, "I'll be taking over the Hell's Angels! Are you going to be OK with that?" and Otto said, "It's all yours." At the end of that phone conversation, Otto reports that he removed his H.A. cut and hung it on the back of a chair and walked away - never to return. OnePercenterBikers.com writes, "Otto Friedli was a former President of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club, San Bernardino chapter and previously a member of the Pissed off Bastards of Bloomington who attended the1947 Hollister Riot." They continue, "Otto Friedli was born 28 June 1931 in Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin. He grew up in Los Angeles and then moved to Santa Barbara when he was in his teens." Although Otto Friedli is often credited with being one of the founders of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club, he has stated that this was not the case and that the was invited to a club meeting by the partner of a former girlfriend of his. He is listed in many sources to have joined the club in 1948, but the date may have been a year or two later, with other sources stating as late as 1951.Many of the same sources that list him as being the founder of the club in 1948 also list him as a World War II veteran, which is not realistic as he would have been 14 at the end of the war in 1945. According to Sonny Barger, (4th from the left above) Otto Friedli became the Hells Angels San Bernardino President after Bobby Zimmerman was killed in a motorcycle accident on the way home from Bass Lake in 1961. Otto Friedli also acted as the National President up until he went to prison and Sonny Barger, the Hells Angels Oakland chapter President, took over as National President and moved the headquarters from San Bernardino to Oakland. "During Otto's three years in prison, he began reading the bible for several hours a day. His "finding of religion" significantly changed his life from this point on." Otto passed away a few years back, but you can see his pictures here and on the BSHDFC website: "Streets of Gold" memorial page. He was loved and respected by everyone in the Santa Barbara Black Sheep and beyond. He was the kind of guy you wanted to sit and listen to for hours and conclude the session with a hug! The Internet reports various versions of the same story. Wikipedia reports: "Otto Friedli was one of the founding members of the Pissed Off Bastards of Bloomington (POBOB) motorcycle and car club in 1945, which took part in the 1947 Hollister riots. As one of the few Sonny Otto