Greebe & Moommy Topanga Beach Surf Club sweatshirt
Title
Greebe & Moommy Topanga Beach Surf Club sweatshirt
Description
Before the Topanga Bombers, there was the Greebe and Moommy Surf Club, created by David H. Stern in 1962.
Members included Wes Armand, Bill Cleary, John Clemens, Alden Doseburg, Bob Feigel, Jim Fitzpatrick Sr., Jim Fitzpatrick Jr., Mike Gaughan, Larry Kraus, and George Van Noy.
The club's name alluded to a sign pinned to the door by the guys to let friends know they were with a girl. It read, "Greebe loves Moommy," or, "Moommy loves you," and meant "Do not disturb."
The Greebe was a large brass grebe's head which climbing friend Ralph Kahl had discovered buried outside David’s former Topanga Canyon home. David's special greeting was to put his hands together and dip them down like a bird's beak while slowly saying, "Greebe."
Bill Cleary created the other word from "mommy," which he spelled "MooMMy." Bob gave this name to his Labrador cross puppy, and said, "My dog-brother became quite popular on the beach when he ran head-on into a breaking wave at the beach, got rolled over, covered with sand, and ran right back into the next wave. Like most Labs he loved the water, and that immediately made him a mascot for the beach."
Together, Greebe and Moommy were co-mascots. The half-pidgin motto of the club was "Mo Betta Somewhere Else," which was meant to discourage outsiders from surfing there.
Members included Wes Armand, Bill Cleary, John Clemens, Alden Doseburg, Bob Feigel, Jim Fitzpatrick Sr., Jim Fitzpatrick Jr., Mike Gaughan, Larry Kraus, and George Van Noy.
The club's name alluded to a sign pinned to the door by the guys to let friends know they were with a girl. It read, "Greebe loves Moommy," or, "Moommy loves you," and meant "Do not disturb."
The Greebe was a large brass grebe's head which climbing friend Ralph Kahl had discovered buried outside David’s former Topanga Canyon home. David's special greeting was to put his hands together and dip them down like a bird's beak while slowly saying, "Greebe."
Bill Cleary created the other word from "mommy," which he spelled "MooMMy." Bob gave this name to his Labrador cross puppy, and said, "My dog-brother became quite popular on the beach when he ran head-on into a breaking wave at the beach, got rolled over, covered with sand, and ran right back into the next wave. Like most Labs he loved the water, and that immediately made him a mascot for the beach."
Together, Greebe and Moommy were co-mascots. The half-pidgin motto of the club was "Mo Betta Somewhere Else," which was meant to discourage outsiders from surfing there.
Date
1962
Source
Digital only
Rights
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Contributor
Jim Fitzpatrick