OTL?

[HornTeacher]

And those hapless corps members who ticked a lot, we called them "leakers," or the more savory "tick-f#ck."

Now talk about quaint...

[MikeD]

A corps had to be stopped for a certain minimum amount of time. Don't recall what the max time length was. Most corps completed this task during the concert. Some, like the BAC in 65 when we played Zing Went The Strings of My Heart, stopped for concert, then part way through, marched to a different location and finished the concert. I believe if you stopped for a short period after the color presentation, that was part of stopped time.

Any time you stopped your time-in-motion was affected.

Then there were the prelim rules where you were not permitted to stop at all in the 7-minute short show. You had to remember to keep marking time when you came to a spot where you were always stopping the rest of the year.

And of course, in VFW-land you had that 10-point Cadence caption, where the T&P (timing and penalty) judge checked a corps tempo at a few spots in the show (I am thinking three) , and if the corps was marching outside the prescribed tempo range (something like 126-132 or thereabouts), the corps got penalized.

[CrownBariDad]

Any time you stopped your time-in-motion was affected.

Then there were the prelim rules where you were not permitted to stop at all in the 7-minute short show. You had to remember to keep marking time when you came to a spot where you were always stopping the rest of the year.

And of course, in VFW-land you had that 10-point Cadence caption, where the T&P (timing and penalty) judge checked a corps tempo at a few spots in the show (I am thinking three) , and if the corps was marching outside the prescribed tempo range (something like 126-132 or thereabouts), the corps got penalized.

And here I thought all the rules for performing the USMC "Sunset Parade" ceremony were picky.

[Ghost]

And of course, in VFW-land you had that 10-point Cadence caption, where the T&P (timing and penalty) judge checked a corps tempo at a few spots in the show (I am thinking three) , and if the corps was marching outside the prescribed tempo range (something like 126-132 or thereabouts), the corps got penalized.

Think the goal was 128.

[Fran Haring]

Then there were the prelim rules where you were not permitted to stop at all in the 7-minute short show. You had to remember to keep marking time when you came to a spot where you were always stopping the rest of the year.

Those "shortened show" rules always struck me as bizarre.

What was the reason for those rules? Was it to accommodate the number of corps at a prelims contest, to make sure all of them got their performances in before midnight? LOL

I know some of those shows (VFW, American Legion, World Open, U.S. Open) often had a lot of corps at prelims.

[Fran Haring]

Florida drum corps are a different thread, ha, ha.

Actually, who and how crossed the finish line is partially still in vogue rule wise...at least in terms of clearing pit, penalties for over time, etc.

Ike Ianessa and Ralph Pace both of 27th Lancers at the time are the culprits for figuring how to still come onto/off the field using the stated boundaries but extending the corps across the back side lines, etc. cf. early versions of Crown Imperial, Revere version.

I think DCA's Sunrisers also did a "corner entry"... in 1968. I'm pretty sure Ralph Schur was their drill guy that year.

[Ghost]

What was the reason for those rules? Was it to accommodate the number of corps at a prelims contest, to make sure all of them got their performances in before midnight? LOL

Yes. Examples of total corps in prelims.

VFW

64-Cleveland 45

65-Chicago 54

66-NJ 49

70-Miami 35

76-NY City 40

That's a lot of corps going through inspections and a prelim performance.

[JimF-LowBari]

I think DCA's Sunrisers also did a "corner entry"... in 1968. I'm pretty sure Ralph Schur was their drill guy that year.

Think the 1972 DCA shows I have on vid has Sky coming from the corner too but been a while since I watched. Don't know why I keep saying it was a starting line start up ooooops..... Did have the finsh line and park n bark past the end zone.

Westshoremen 1974 had the corner entry but Color Guard was allowed on the field before the show started. Hey... progress.....

Edited January 27, 2015 by JimF-LowBari

[IllianaLancerContra]

Yes. Examples of total corps in prelims.

VFW

64-Cleveland 45

65-Chicago 54

66-NJ 49

70-Miami 35

76-NY City 40

That's a lot of corps going through inspections and a prelim performance.

Indeed.

And many, if not most, had already gone through state VFW & placed high enough to make a trip to National VFW worthwhile.

That is why it is sometimes referred to as the 'Glory Years' of Drum Corps. Lots more units then. LOTS.

[Pete Freedman]

OTL was the spelling, but in my experience (late 70s-early 80s) it was used in full, ex: "What's your off-the-line?" Note that we never lined up in the end zone. OTL just meant the opener.

To me it still seems appropriate because they are still standing in some kind of line, even if it's a curved line. The kids should be taught to use the terms off-the-line and opener interchangeably, for tradition's sake. It would help make them curious about the old days, which would make them curious about drum corps history.

I seem to recall the last tune being called the Exit. Today it's Closer.

Drum solo was a weird term, because they weren't solos. Maybe it came from rock albums that had long drum solos in them? Anyway, Drum Feature or Percussion Feature is more common (and accurate) today.