NanciD Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 (edited) John W. Gruber - Des Plaines Vanguard Share your memories. Edited June 14, 2010 by NanciD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Thunder Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 (edited) I didn't know John personally, but his story is quite well known to us drum corps history buffs. It was a real tragedy. Des Plaines also lost two young ladies (Barbara Lutz and Jean Deal) who were hit by a car while walking home from corps practice that same year. Scotty Wild, who was a famed instructor with such corps as Cavaliers, Guardsmen, Des Plaines, Sky Ryders and Royal Crusaders, was the corps manager for Des Plaines in 1967, and he told me he was haunted by these tragedies. Scotty later went on to direct Minnesota Brass. Des Plaines also narrowly averted another tragedy when an airplane crashed into a hangar where the corps held rehearsals in 1968. Nobody from the corps was killed, but there were deaths on the plane. Edited June 14, 2010 by Northern Thunder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChgoVanguard Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 Hello, NanciD, thank you for thinking to start an "In Memorium " section and starting it with my brother, John's story. We marched with the Des Plaines/Chicago/Skokie (City based on what years you marched!) Vanguard beginning in 1964. John was a great tenor drummer in a great drumline with the Vanguard. Prior to the Vanguard John, my sister, Kathy and I started with the Berwyn Blue Knights in 1962, a very small hometown corps. before going on to the Vanguard. John was a great brother with a subtle sense of humor and quick wit. As a drummer, he was always drumming on something! On June 10, 1967, the Vanguard was participating in The Cavaliers show at Maine West High School. The Cavaliers Show was always one of the first shows where you would get to see what everyone had been working on all winter...what music, what solos, what GE, etc. Everyone was pumped to perform. This is the recollection of what happened as told by Sam Agnello, a great soprano soloist from the Vanguard. This was a post to the Des Plaines Vanguard Facebook page last week: "Dear Jane, We were practicing in a huge parking lot by Main West High School and then it started to rain, so most everyone ran to different cars to stay dry. After awhile the rain started to slow down and a few guys decided to go back out and throw a football around. Your brother John was one of those guys. A few moments later, I was sitting in my car when someone in the corps came up to me and said John was hit by lightning. I couldn't believe it. When I got out and went over by the grass, John was lying on the ground and Ron Hughes was doing CPR. The ambulance soon came and then John was rushed to Holy Family Hospital in Des Plaines. A couple days later, upon hearing of what happened to John, Vanguard Hall started receiving many cards and letters from people in the Chicago area and also from many different Drum and Bugles throughout the United States stating their condolences. There was also a heart warming article in the August 1967 Drum Corps Digest, that I am posting here. John was a great wonderful person! My prayers are with John, you and his family always, but especially on this 43rd anniversary. Sam" The family we know as drum corps. came to comfort us from near and far. It was such an unbelievable outpouring and it meant so much to all of us...our immediate family and our Vangaurd family. That support held us up during those very difficult days. From that time on, I think we all learned to embrace the people that mean so much to us and to let them know what they mean to us because life is so fragile. John was 19 when he died. Thank you Drum Corps. Planet for remembering him today. Each of us, having marched with drum corps., understands the extended family, and in some cases; the only family, we grew close to and couldn't wait to see from one time to the next. I encourage others to add people they have lost that were drum corps. friends, as a tribute to that person. Jane (Gruber) Sinclair Chicago/Skokie Vanguard 1964-66 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
royal-air canada Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 (edited) NanciD, thank you for thinking to start an "In Memorium " section and starting it with my brother, John's story. We marched with the Des Plaines/Chicago/Skokie (City based on what years you marched!) Vanguard beginning in 1964. John was a great tenor drummer in a great drumline with the Vanguard. Prior to the Vanguard John, my sister, Kathy and I started with the Berwyn Blue Knights in 1962, a very small hometown corps. before going on to the Vanguard. John was a great brother with a subtle sense of humor and quick wit. As a drummer, he was always drumming on something! On June 10, 1967, the Vanguard was participating in The Cavaliers show at Maine West High School. The Cavaliers Show was always one of the first shows where you would get to see what everyone had been working on all winter...what music, what solos, what GE, etc. Everyone was pumped to perform. This is the recollection of what happened as told by Sam Agnello, a great soprano soloist from the Vanguard. This was a post to the Des Plaines Vanguard Facebook page last week: "Dear Jane, We were practicing in a huge parking lot by Main West High School and then it started to rain, so most everyone ran to different cars to stay dry. After awhile the rain started to slow down and a few guys decided to go back out and throw a football around. Your brother John was one of those guys. A few moments later, I was sitting in my car when someone in the corps came up to me and said John was hit by lightning. I couldn't believe it. When I got out and went over by the grass, John was lying on the ground and Ron Hughes was doing CPR. The ambulance soon came and then John was rushed to Holy Family Hospital in Des Plaines. A couple days later, upon hearing of what happened to John, Vanguard Hall started receiving many cards and letters from people in the Chicago area and also from many different Drum and Bugles throughout the United States stating their condolences. There was also a heart warming article in the August 1967 Drum Corps Digest, that I am posting here. John was a great wonderful person! My prayers are with John, you and his family always, but especially on this 43rd anniversary. Sam" The family we know as drum corps. came to comfort us from near and far. It was such an unbelievable outpouring and it meant so much to all of us...our immediate family and our Vangaurd family. That support held us up during those very difficult days. From that time on, I think we all learned to embrace the people that mean so much to us and to let them know what they mean to us because life is so fragile. John was 19 when he died. Thank you Drum Corps. Planet for remembering him today. Each of us, having marched with drum corps., understands the extended family, and in some cases; the only family, we grew close to and couldn't wait to see from one time to the next. I encourage others to add people they have lost that were drum corps. friends, as a tribute to that person. Jane (Gruber) Sinclair Chicago/Skokie Vanguard 1964-66 Edited June 14, 2010 by royal-air canada Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChgoVanguard Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 I didn't know John personally, but his story is quite well known to us drum corps history buffs. It was a real tragedy.Des Plaines also lost two young ladies Barbara Lutz and Jean Deal) who were hit by a car while walking home from corps practice that same year. Scotty Wild, who was a famed instructor with such corps as Cavaliers, Guardsmen, Des Plaines, Sky Ryders and Royal Crusaders, was the corps manager for Des Plaines in 1967, and he told me he was haunted by these tragedies. Scotty later went on to direct Minnesota Brass. Des Plaines also narrowly averted another tragedy when an airplane crashed into a hangar where the corps held rehearsals in 1968. Nobody from the corps was killed, but there were deaths on the plane. Brian, Thank you for your post. The Vanguard had a lot of tragedy in such a short period. I am sure some of that is why they are all so close today. They are a special group of people. Would you mind if I added your remarks to the Vanguard Facebook page - The Vanguard Drum & Bugle Corps - Skokie, Chicago and Des Plaines, IL? ChgoVanguard Jane (Gruber) Sinclair 1964-66 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
royal-air canada Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 I was marching with the Chicago Royal-Airs that year. Putting competition aside off the field the Vanguard and the Royal-Airs were like sister corps. I remember what a great shock it was when we learned of the tragedy. R.I.P. John. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
royal-air canada Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 It is with great sadness that I have just learned this morning that my good friend from my days of marching with Canadian corps Mr. Ted Brazier has made his transition. R.I.P. my old friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Thunder Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 Brian, Would you mind if I added your remarks to the Vanguard Facebook page - The Vanguard Drum & Bugle Corps - Skokie, Chicago and Des Plaines, IL? ChgoVanguard Jane (Gruber) Sinclair 1964-66 Jane, Yes, by all means! The Vanguard was always a favorite of mine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanciD Posted June 14, 2010 Author Share Posted June 14, 2010 Here ya go Jane... You can label them... (You can click on the pics to enlarge them) Pic # 1. Pic # 2. Pic # 3. Hope this helps... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChgoVanguard Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 (edited) Here ya go Jane...You can label them... (You can click on the pics to enlarge them) Pic # 1. Pic # 2. Pic # 3. Hope this helps... Photo #1 is a typical look before we boarded the Vanguard buses for a competition. In this photo are: The Guys: John Gruber Jim O'Donnell Jay Knebel The Girls: Kathy Gruber Jane Gruber Violet Kois Photo #2 This is the Vanguard drumline, I believe in 1965 or 1966. My brother, John Gruber, is the tenor drummer closest to the camera. Photo#3 Larry Shuck John Gruber and Tom Miller Thanks for posting these, Nanci. Jane Gruber Sinclair Edited June 14, 2010 by ChgoVanguard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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