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1981 27th Lancers Finally!


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Because 1980 was such a banner year for 27th, we tend to forget the 1981 show which was great too, with both the early season ending of "Spitfire" and the later season reinstatement of "Danny Boy." While I did enjoy "Spitfire" and in my opinion it showed great musical skills, switching the ending to "Danny Boy" was a classic move. I remember at the 1981 CYO Nationals, the "Danny Boy" switch made the crowd go wild. However, there are other great moments to remember in 1981. "Crown Imperial" was a favorite 27th opener. "Niner-Two" was one of 27th's most powerful moments and the mellow "Greatest Love of All" was perfect. The "New Country" drum solo/color guard extravaganza was memorable and the times I saw it live, it went a little bit better than the DCI DVD performance at DCI Midwest.

Edited by Tim K
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It's just incredibly grand to see and hear this show again. I know that I named BSGK as my favorite corps in my profile, and that was true BITD I was marching. In actual fact, from before the day they hit the street for the first time,in October of 1967 at the Columbus Day parade in Revere, wearing uniforms borrowed from the Boston Crusaders, it was the 27th Lancers that had me, body and soul. To this day.

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It's just incredibly grand to see and hear this show again. I know that I named BSGK as my favorite corps in my profile, and that was true BITD I was marching. In actual fact, from before the day they hit the street for the first time,in October of 1967 at the Columbus Day parade in Revere, wearing uniforms borrowed from the Boston Crusaders, it was the 27th Lancers that had me, body and soul. To this day.

Be still thy heart......say it ain't so !!!!

I am reasonably certain our friends from "over the bridge" south of Revere did not lend 27th uniforms for that 1967 Columbus Day parade in Revere. I'll check with some of my fav 2-7 dinosaurs to confirm.

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Be still thy heart......say it ain't so !!!!

I am reasonably certain our friends from "over the bridge" south of Revere did not lend 27th uniforms for that 1967 Columbus Day parade in Revere. I'll check with some of my fav 2-7 dinosaurs to confirm.

Gotta love it if true. I had read that at one point the uniforms were from the Most Precious Blood Crusaders and thus passed on from your friends in Boston to help 27th get started.

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Gotta love it if true. I had read that at one point the uniforms were from the Most Precious Blood Crusaders and thus passed on from your friends in Boston to help 27th get started.

It is true. Not to hijack the post, but this is how it went down, according to my damaged old memory cells.. When the Most Precious Blood Crusaders became the Hyde Park Crusaders they continued to to wear the old MPB unis for 1956. These things were on their last legs. They ordered new unis for 1957, the familiar red, black, and white we all grew to love. But, the uniform company couldn't deliver them in time for the start of the season, so Joe Dowling got Senator John Kennedy's office to get them the graduating class dress unis from West Point.

Old timers will remember that they appeared in April of 1957 at the Princemen's Drumfest standstill contest wearing tuxedos. They did wear the West Point unis several times until their new ones were ready to go. Then the West Point stuff went into storage. In the fall of 1967 the Lancers were just getting organized from the mess at Immaculate Conception. The Columbus Day Parade in Revere was approaching, and they had no uniforms to wear.

Somehow George B, and the director of the Crusaders, (it might still have been Joe Dowling) got together, and the Saders got the old West Point suits out of mothballs so the 27th Lancers could wear them in that October parade. Pretty amazing, huh?

Edited by reallyoldfrt
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But wait - there's a contradiction to this legend. According to one Herbert "Duffy" Silk and Anne Fields - two originals - their memory is that the West Point unis were borrowed from Lt Norman Prince and they were returned.

Really old fart - we may need to have beverages to confirm this.....I'll meet you at "the wall" by Kelly's. I'll get the clams - you bring the frostys !!!!

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But wait - there's a contradiction to this legend. According to one Herbert "Duffy" Silk and Anne Fields - two originals - their memory is that the West Point unis were borrowed from Lt Norman Prince and they were returned.

Really old fart - we may need to have beverages to confirm this.....I'll meet you at "the wall" by Kelly's. I'll get the clams - you bring the frostys !!!!

I would never for a moment doubt the memories of Duffy and Anne. They are a bit younger than I, and they both were wearing those unis in that parade. They both have my deepest respect and affection, and they conjure up many more memories of adventures in Lancerland. Ask Duffy if he remembers 68 in Randol....ah never mind.

I can only say that my version is the one I remember. We agree that they were borrowed, and returned. From whom? UUHHH... I'm very sure that the same suits were worn by both 27 and Hyde Park Crusaders, however.

Beverages sound good. Date, time, and favorite label?

Edited by reallyoldfrt
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  • 2 weeks later...

The 1981 27th Lancers are such an underrated drum corps. They were so dominant during the first half of the season that summer. I think the only shows they lost were our show and DCI East Prelims the next day. They were awesome marchers with impeccable techique. In 82, Mark Sylvester never let us forget how good they were. My favorite part of the show was the giant arc from zero to zero during the hit in "Greatest Love of All". :worthy:

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