HISTORY

The club was launched by eight founding members: Butch Linden, John Ward, Jerry Whitesides, Frank Maxwell, Bob Barada, Nolan Brewer, Jim Gale, and Steve Perrin. Butch Linden took on the role of Club President, with Bob Barada serving as his Vice President. Initially, the group met every Tuesday at the Linden residence, before relocating their weekly gatherings to the Malibu Inn in 1962.

Membership quickly flourished, and by February 1962, the club had established an official charter, complete with by-laws (though the founding members were granted exemption from these rules). Given that the founders were quite young, they enlisted the help of two adults, Neil Cross, a local DJ for KSUR, and Jordie Fairchild, to manage financial responsibilities like the club’s checking accounts.

In its early years, the club's rapid growth led the charter members to cap membership at 200 to manage space constraints during their meetings, which by then were being held at the Jonathan Club in Santa Monica. Initially, the club was all-male, but this changed when Jeannie Vore (Bob Barada’s then-girlfriend and later the club's first Secretary), Jackie Tanny, and Shelley Merrick were inducted, marking the introduction of female members.

The club thrived throughout the 1960s but went into a dormant phase at the end of the decade, influenced by the emergence of shortboard surfing among other factors. It reawakened in 1977 with a renewed focus on preserving the tradition of longboard surfing and fostering the camaraderie among its members. Under the guidance of Mike Sprock, who served as MSA President until around 1984, the club began to regain its prominence and saw a resurgence in growth and activity.