Alcatraz Prison in San Francisco Bay closes down and transfers its last prisoners.
At it's peak period of use in the 1950's, "The Rock, or ""America's Devil Island" housed over 200 inmates at the maximum-security facility. Alcatraz remains an icon of American prisons for its harsh conditions and record for allegedly being inescapable.
The twelve-acre rocky island, one and a half miles from San Francisco, featured some of the most advanced security of the time. Some of the first metal detectors were used at Alcatraz. Strict rules were enforced against the unfortunate inmates who had to do time at Alcatraz. Nearly complete silence was mandated at all times.
The twelve-acre rocky island, one and a half miles from San Francisco, featured some of the most advanced security of the time. Some of the first metal detectors were used at Alcatraz. Strict rules were enforced against the unfortunate inmates who had to do time at Alcatraz. Nearly complete silence was mandated at all times.
Check this out from Inmate Rules & Regulations, page 3, Rule #34...
HAIRCUTS AND SHAVES: Haircuts will be of regulation type. You are not permitted to wear your hair in an unusual manner or have any special haircut except as authorized by the Associate Warden.
You will be placed on call for a haircut approximately every three weeks. You will be told when you are scheduled for it.
You may be allowed to go to the Recreation Yard after your haircut if you are in good standing. You will shave in your cell. Razor blades are exchanged each Saturday by the Evening Watch Officer. Two new blades are issued in exchange for your two old blades. Failure to account for both of your blades at any time will result in a disciplinary report. Loss of a razor blade must be reported to the Cellhouse Officer immediately. Do not wait until issue night to report the loss. You must be clean shaven at all times. No special beards, mustaches or goatees are allowed. Pricks.
You will be placed on call for a haircut approximately every three weeks. You will be told when you are scheduled for it.
You may be allowed to go to the Recreation Yard after your haircut if you are in good standing. You will shave in your cell. Razor blades are exchanged each Saturday by the Evening Watch Officer. Two new blades are issued in exchange for your two old blades. Failure to account for both of your blades at any time will result in a disciplinary report. Loss of a razor blade must be reported to the Cellhouse Officer immediately. Do not wait until issue night to report the loss. You must be clean shaven at all times. No special beards, mustaches or goatees are allowed. Pricks.
The bikers that were unfortunate enough to land in Alcatraz had to be clean shaven "at all times". Christ, that's punishment in itself.
At the time of the closing there were six "outlaw" motorcycle club's (seven if you count one Mexican club member a long ways from home) with members who were in Alcatraz. There have been nine movies and umpteen documentaries based on the prison. The cinematic releases include "Birdman of Alcatraz" (1962), "Motorcycle Mayhem" (1965), "Prisoner #69" (1967), "Escape from Alcatraz" (1979), "Murder in the First" (1995), "The Rock" (1996), "Catch Me If You Can" (2002), "X-Men: The Last Stand" (2006), "The Book of Eli" (2010), and one television series "Alcatraz" (2012). One "Alcatraz Motorcycle Club" (Est. 2009)", that I know of there has been 17 custom bikes named "Alcatraz", a line of custom bike parts and numerous after-market shops called "Alcatraz Choppers","Alcatraz Custom Bikes", etc. One Bay-area stripper named "Alcatraz Ronni" who was known for her 'jailhouse shimmy'.
If you were freed in March 1963 and had the means you could have bought a 1963 Harley-Davidson FLH Panhead or a XLH Sportster from Dudley Perkins or a Triumph Bonneville from Munroe Motors. BSA had the A10 Rocket Gold Star, AJS the Model 31 650 Swift, a Norton Atlas, BMW R50/2 or in the mood for something a little smaller, (afterall, it had been a few years since you rode), perhaps a C/72 Honda Dream.
Alcatraz was first explored by Juan Manuel de Ayala in 1775, who called it Isla de los Alcatraces (Pelicans) because of all the birds that lived there.
