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Corps Barely Heard Of


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The Mariners were one of the early (if the 1960s can be termed early) total GE corps on the field.

Spectacle City Mariners from Greendale, WI was where longtime Phantom Regiment guard instructor and drill designer John Brazale got his start in the activity as a drum major.

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  • 2 months later...

I think that the most overlooked corps in the 1960s was the St. Paul Scouts. They competed mostly in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Northern Illinois. They were, as I recall, self taught and self funded. They were always huge, with a decent show and good execution. They beat Madison Scouts and Kilties almost all year in 1966, and were the best scout corps in 1969, just missing out on finals in Philadelphia. Since they didn't travel much, no one knew of them and when they went into big shows, they usually got hammered, cuz no one knew them. But they were always competitive and fun to watch. The corps graduated a lot of instructors and judges. I always enjoyed watching them.

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What about the Corps were I started marching...the Bluewater Buccaneers from Sarnia, ON? They had a decent Corps back in the early 80's, but always were a feeder Corps for the top 12. There was a kid that started marching on cymbals when he was 9 years old in 1974 and he ended up aging out with Blue Devils as snare section leader in 1986. He's still the only snare player to score 100% at DCI individuals!

I had my powder blue Kilties jacket on at the Alma highland games and met him. I think he was with Toronto Metro Police or Peel Regional pipe band. I was in Stockyards at the time. Small world huh?! One of the Campbell boys wasn't he?

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I had my powder blue Kilties jacket on at the Alma highland games and met him. I think he was with Toronto Metro Police or Peel Regional pipe band. I was in Stockyards at the time. Small world huh?! One of the Campbell boys wasn't he?

Steve Campbell, as was mentioned in an earlier thread.

Edited by BigDale
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I had my powder blue Kilties jacket on at the Alma highland games and met him. I think he was with Toronto Metro Police or Peel Regional pipe band. I was in Stockyards at the time. Small world huh?! One of the Campbell boys wasn't he?

Yes, he is the second oldest of the four Campbell boys. Their father was the drum instructor for the Lionettes in Sarnia, ON, CA and he formed the Bluewater Buccaneers after the Lionettes went mixed. I saw Steve's older brother Chris and their mother at a Buccaneer's reunion last summer. It sure is a small world.

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I think that the most overlooked corps in the 1960s was the St. Paul Scouts. They competed mostly in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Northern Illinois. They were, as I recall, self taught and self funded. They were always huge, with a decent show and good execution. They beat Madison Scouts and Kilties almost all year in 1966, and were the best scout corps in 1969, just missing out on finals in Philadelphia. Since they didn't travel much, no one knew of them and when they went into big shows, they usually got hammered, cuz no one knew them. But they were always competitive and fun to watch. The corps graduated a lot of instructors and judges. I always enjoyed watching them.

They were good enough to make VFW Nats finals in 1971, coming in 11th according to corpsreps.com

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They were good enough to make VFW Nats finals in 1971, coming in 11th according to corpsreps.com

Mike, thanks. My point is that they were never well known but should have been. They were a very good corps.

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Mike, thanks. My point is that they were never well known but should have been. They were a very good corps.

You are right on that! I only saw them once or twice, being from the East, but I have a rather dim memory of them being pretty darn good. I think they were at a couple of shows we attended in the Chicago area in 1971. We did a long weekend trip to Illinois from Garfield.

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You are right on that! I only saw them once or twice, being from the East, but I have a rather dim memory of them being pretty darn good. I think they were at a couple of shows we attended in the Chicago area in 1971. We did a long weekend trip to Illinois from Garfield.

St. Paul's made the trip to Lynn, MA for the World Open and placed 7th in 1967 and 5th in 1969 at finals ...

:-)

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  • 1 year later...

I was too young to remember the 32nd Hussar from Madison, WI as I started my drum corps experience with the Madison Jr Scouts in 1979. I now work with Dennis Kaff who marched with the 32nd Hussar. We have lots to talk about. I like this historical part of the drum corps. The uniforms were awesome. I have a CD of their music as well.

Edited by nate weber
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