In the brief video Johnny Barber talks about the origin of the Southern California team Wolfpack, in 1985, and their existence through 1988 when the team slowly dissolved.
Barber discusses the players involved, their home field, Quest in Malibu, their markers, the Frank Gun, and the Sat Cong Village Challenge Cup Tournament. He also talks about “Who Are Those Guys and that Gal” Mercenary Service, Sudden Death, Just Us and the Landsharks.
During this period the Wolfpack began as a strong team and then went on to dominate Southern California and win the Challenge cup in 1987 and 1988. As Barber mentions, the Wolfpack won the challenge cup the same years as the Lakers won the championships (87 and 88).
Here are some of the dates we mention:
- 1983 – Barber and Voss begin playing paintball
- 1983 – Barber and Voss meet Jim Storm who is already running Quest in Malibu.
- 1985 – Wolfpack begins to play.
- 1983/4/5 – Storm leaves Barber and Voss in charge to run the field (unsure of exact year).
- 1985 – Termite refabs a bus for Storm and Storm moves to Arizona (later starts another field).
- 1985 – Voss/Barber compete with David Bassman to get the lease for Quest after Storm is out. Bassman ends up with the lease.
- 1985 – Bassman changes the name of Quest to Conquest.
- 1985 (?) – Barber joins Wolfpack.
- 1985 – Bassman forms Sudden Death (unsure on year but Barber thinks it’s after Bassman has the lease).
- 1986 – Wolfpack receives long barreled Nelspots from Frank Postle.
- 1987 – Wolfpack wins the Sat Cong Village Challenge Cup (could be 86-87 but Barber thinks 87-88 to match Lakers).
- 1988 – Wolfpack wins the Challenge Cup for the second time again, year could be wrong, I think it’s 86-87.
- 1988 – Wolfpack fades out as no teams are strong enough to compete.
- 1988 – Barber plays with Sudden Death and then joins Who Are Those Guys and that Gal Mercenary Service.
More videos with Johnny Barber and Joe Voss will be going online eventually.
Giant thanks to Nathan Nailog at I&I Sports Supply Company for putting me in touch with Barber and Joe Voss.
More history with Johnny Barber here.
