Cauliflower Alley Club
Professional wrestling fraternal organization
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.
 CAC logo | |
| Formation | 1967 |
|---|---|
| Type | Professional wrestling 501(c)(3) |
| Headquarters | 13900 CR 455 Suite 107-379 Clermont, Florida, U.S. |
President | Brian Blair |
Key people | Executive & Advisory Board: Brian Blair President & CEO Rich Ingling EVP & Treasurer Royal Duncan Secretary & "The Ear" Publisher Ron Hutchison Canadian Director, Reunion Seminar & Website Administrator Darla Staggs Benevolent Coordinator Bruce Tharpe Attorney and Legal Counsel Dan Murphy Vendor Room/Reunion Program Ad Sales & Advisory Board Chair Vance Nevada "The Ear" Editor Social Media Administrator Herb Simmons Benevolent Outreach Ambassador |
Publication | The Ear |
| Website | http://www.caulifloweralleyclub.org/ |
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 RMS Queen Mary.
Its registered symbol is a solid silver mold of Mazurki’s left ear,[1] 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.[2]
History
The Cauliflower Alley Club was founded in 1965 by Mike Mazurki as a fraternal organization of professional wrestlers, boxers, and actors.[3][4] The first annual reunion dinner was held at the Baron's Castle Buffet Restaurant in Los Angeles, California.[4] 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.[4][5] The Club has a "benevolent fund which helps people from the wrestling business in a time of need."[4] Proceeds are raised for the fund during the annual reunion weekend.[4]
Awards
2020s
| Award | Year | Recipient(s) | Nationality | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Active awards | ||||
| Courage Award | 2021 | Jim Valley and Stuart Kemp |  |
[6] |
| 2022 | Joyce Grable | |
[7] | |
| 2023 | Patricia Summerland | |
[8] | |
| 2024 | Black Bart | |
||
| 2025 | Chris Bey and Joel Goodhart | |
[9] | |
| Independent Wrestling Award | 2023 | Riea Von Slasher |  |
[10] |
| 2024 | Gary Jackson | |
[11] | |
| 2025 | Steve Rivers | |
[12] | |
| International Award | 2025 | Abdullah the Butcher | |
[13] |
| 2026 | Dan Spivey | |
[14] | |
| Iron Mike Mazurki Award | 2021 | Alundra Blayze | |
[15] |
| 2022 | John Bradshaw Layfield | |
||
| 2023 | CM Punk | |
[10][16] | |
| 2024 | Sting | |
[17] | |
| 2025 | Mick Foley | |
[18] | |
| 2026 | Ric Flair | |
[19] | |
| James C. Melby Historian Award | 2021 | Greg Oliver | |
[15] |
| 2023 | Koji Miyamoto |  |
[10] | |
| 2025 | Bertrand Hébert and Pat Laprade | |
[20] | |
| 2026 | Dan Murphy | |
[21] | |
| Jim Ross Announcer Award | 2024 | Jim Ross | |
[22] |
| 2026 | Gary Michael Cappetta | |
[23] | |
| Karl Lauer Independent Promoter Award | 2025 | Herb Simmons | |
[24] |
| Legends Legacy Award | 2026 | Tony Atlas | |
[25] |
| Lou Thesz/Art Abrams Lifetime Achievement Award | 2021 | Rob Van Dam | |
[26] |
| 2023 | Ron Simmons | |
[10] | |
| 2025 | Natalya Neidhart | / |
[27] | |
| 2026 | Bill Apter | |
[28] | |
| Bret Hart | / |
[29] | ||
| Lucha Libre Award | 2021 | Rey Mysterio | / |
[15] |
| 2022 | Konnan |  / |
||
| 2023 | Damian 666 | |
[10] | |
| 2024 | Negro Casas | |
[30] | |
| 2025 | El Fantasma | |
[31] | |
| 2026 | Psychosis | |
[32] | |
| Men's Wrestling Award | 2021 | Ricky Santana | |
[15] |
| Thunderbolt Patterson | |
[15] | ||
| 2022 | Kevin Sullivan | |
||
| Tommy Rich | |
|||
| 2023 | Joe Malenko | |
[10] | |
| Koko B. Ware | |
[10] | ||
| 2025 | Bob Orton Jr. | |
[33] | |
| 2026 | Bobby Bass | |
[34] | |
| The Mick Foley Philanthropy Award | 2025 | Mick Foley | |
[35] |
| Posthumous Award | 2021 | Jim Londos |  / |
[15] |
| 2022 | Christine "Teeny" Jarrett | |
||
| 2023 | Killer Karl Kox | |
[10] | |
| 2025 | Harley Race | |
[36] | |
| Red Bastien Friendship Award | 2025 | Wayne Palmer | |
[37] |
| Ron Hutchison Trainers Award | 2025 | Dr. Tom Prichard | |
[38] |
| 2026 | Rip Rogers | |
[39] | |
| Tag Team Award | 2021 | The Road Warriors (Hawk and Animal) with Paul Ellering |
|
[15] |
| 2022 | Rock 'n' Roll Express (Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson) |
|
||
| 2023 | The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs and Jerry Sags) |
|
[10] | |
| 2025 | The Bushwhackers (Butch Miller and Luke Williams) |
 |
[40] | |
| 2026 | The Glamour Girls (Judy Martin and Leilani Kai) |
|
[41] | |
| Women's Wrestling Award | 2021 | Jazz | |
[15] |
| 2022 | Jacqueline Moore | |
[42] | |
| 2023 | Mickie James | |
[10][43] | |
| 2024 | Allison Danger | |
[44] | |
| 2025 | Jazz (2) | |
[45] | |
| Award | Year | Recipient(s) | Nationality | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Defunct awards | ||||
| Charlie Smith Referee Award | 2021 | Art Williams | |
[15] |
| 2022 | Billy Silverman | |
||
| 2023 | Kevin Jefferies | |
[10] | |
| President’s Award | 2022 | Jerry Lawler | |
|
| REEL Award | 2023 | Al Burke | |
[10] |
| 2024 | Todd Bridges | |
[46] | |
| Rising Star Award | 2021 | Brian Pillman Jr. | |
[15] |
| Maddison Miles | |
[15] | ||
| 2022 | ||||
2010s
2000s
1990s
1999
- Iron Mike Mazurki Award: Jesse "The Body" Ventura[58]
- Art Abrams Lifetime Achievement Award: Dan Gable[58]
Other honorees included Ken Patera, Jack Donovan and Bob Geigel.[58]
1998
- Iron Mike Mazurki Award: Lou Thesz[58]
- Art Abrams Lifetime Achievement Award: William Papas[58]
- Scholarship Award Winners: Billy Pappas[58]
Other honorees included Danny Hodge, Fred Blassie, Dory Funk, Jr. and Dan Severn[58]
1997
- Iron Mike Mazurki Award: Tom Drake[58]
- Art Abrams Lifetime Achievement Award: Penny Banner[58]
- Reel Member Inductees: Elliott Gould, Tommy Sands and Terry Moore[58]
- Boxing Honorees: Don Fraser, Lou Filippo and Robert Salazar[58]
Other honorees included:
- Elizabeth, New Jersey (October 11): Sika Anoa'i, Ted Lewin, Donn Lewin, The Fabulous Moolah, Jimmy Valiant, Jim Cornette, Diamond Lil, The Destroyer, The Dudley Boyz, Devon Storm and Georgiann Makropoulos.
- Studio City, California (March 15): Tony Borne, Don Curtis, Tom Drake, Don Manoukian, Steve Rickard and Jim White.[58]
1996
- Iron Mike Mazurki Award: Dick Beyer[58]
- Scholarship Award Winners: Gordy Morgan and Marty Morgan[58]
- Reel Member Inductees: Lawrence Tierney, Fred Williamson, Denver Pyle, Beverly Garland, Norm Crosby and John T. Smith[58]
- Boxing Honorees: Chuck Wepner[58]
Other honorees included:
- Tampa, Florida (October 26): Angelo Poffo, Bonnie Watson, Judy Glover, Jack & Jerry Brisco, Carl Engstrom, Wahoo McDaniel, Gordon Solie and Molly McShane.
- Elizabeth, New Jersey (October 5): Vince McMahon, Vince McMahon, Sr., Jimmy Snuka and Tammy Lynn Sytch.[58]
- Studio City, California (March 16): Stan Hansen, Nelson Royal, Art Michalik, Stan Stasiak, Larry Zbyszko, Angelo Mosca, Seiji Sakaguchi, Masami Yoshida, Chigusa Nagayo, Bobby Heenan, Baron von Raschke and Antonio Inoki.[58]
1995
- Iron Mike Mazurki Award: Gene LeBell[58]
- Reel Member Inductees: Binnie Barnes, Marie Windsor, Jan Merlin and John Saxton[58]
- Martial Arts Honorees: Benny Urquidez and Mimi Lessos[58]
- Boxing Honorees: Gabriel Ruelas and Rafael Ruelas[58]
Other honorees included:
- Elizabeth, New Jersey (September 30): Angelo Savoldi, Capt. Lou Albano, Abe Coleman, Gloria Barratini, Millie Stafford, Pat Patterson, Johnny Rodz and The Public Enemy.[58]
- Studio City, California (March 8): Tiger Conway, Sr., Leo Garibaldi, Susan Sexton, Dave Levin, Ray Stevens, The Sheik and Buddy Lee.[58]
1994
- Iron Mike Mazurki Award: Vic Christy[58]
- Reel Member Inductees: Harry Carey, Jr.[58]
- Boxing Honorees: Lou Bogash, Joe Graziano, Lou Couture, Jocko V. Ananian, Micky Finn, Tom McNeely, Harol Gomes, Willie Pep, Carmen Basilio and Vincent Pazienza[58]
Other honorees included:
- Springfield, Massachusetts (October 1): Gorilla Monsoon, Pedro Morales, Brittany Brown, Candi Devine, Arnold Skaaland, Jackie Nichols, Karl Von Hess, Ilio DiPaolo and Kitty Adams.[58]
- Studio City, California (March 19): Dick Hutton, Billy Robinson, Stuart McCullum, Al Costello, Peggy Allen, Sherri Martel, Ed Francis and Sue Green.[58]
1993
- Iron Mike Mazurki Award: Hard Boiled Haggerty[58]
- Scholarship Award Winners: Nick Cline and Mike Bresnan[58]
- Reel Member Inductees: John Agar, Guy Madison, John Phillip Law and Will Hutchins.
- Boxing Honorees: Genaro (Chicanito) Hernandez, Zacky Padilla, Oscar De La Hoya, Mike Witowich, Chuck Bodak, Jerry Moore, Petey Servin and Jerry Quarry[58]
Other honorees included Verne Gagne, “Cowboy” Bob Ellis, Kinji Shibuya, Wendi Richter, Barbi Dahl and Peggy Patterson.[58]
1992
- Iron Mike Mazurki Award: Woody Strode[58]
- Reel Member Inductees: Woody Strode[58]
- Boxing Honorees: Clarence Henry, Fabela Chavez, Jimmy Roybal, Jimmy Casino and Dave Maier[58]
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.[58]
Presidents
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Term of office | Country of origin | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | ||||
| 1 | .jpg) |
Mike Mazurki (1907–1990) |
1965 | 1990 |  Austria-Hungary/ United States |
| 2 |  |
Archie Moore (1913–1998) |
1991 | 1992 | United States |
| 3 |  |
Lou Thesz (1916–2002) |
1992 | 2000 | United States |
| 4 |  |
Red Bastien (1931–2012) |
2001 | 2007 | United States |
| 5 |  |
Nick Bockwinkel (1934–2015) |
2007 | 2014 | United States |
| 6 |  |
B. Brian Blair (Born 1957) |
2014 | Incumbent | United States |