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Inside the Arc – Who Needs a Hall of Fame?


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One could be forgiven for thinking the whole thing is getting out of hand.  There seems to be no limit to the proliferation: The Beekeepers Hall of Fame, Whack-a-Mole Hall of Fame, Hot Dog Eaters Hall of Fame…Trust me. These actually exist. But do we need them in drum corps? Really? We’ve got a “World” […]

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Interesting question - do I have to exclude those who are already "in" a HOF?

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No, but it's really a question about people connected to drum corps who contributed significantly "off the field".

They may or may not have had a high profile during their corps days, or were known by only a few, like the mom who sewed all the flags for 10 years, or the tenor drummer who became a Supreme Court judge.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On ‎7‎/‎7‎/‎2017 at 5:21 PM, ironlips said:

No, but it's really a question about people connected to drum corps who contributed significantly "off the field".

They may or may not have had a high profile during their corps days, or were known by only a few, like the mom who sewed all the flags for 10 years, or the tenor drummer who became a Supreme Court judge.

So then, in my HOF, would be someone who you are familiar with from bygone days ... Chris Ruge, Jr. was Director of the Bpt PAL Cadets from 65-68 ... a WWII Veteran, who faced death, dug his own grave, and then was liberated by Gen. George Patton the night before he and his comrades-in-arms were to be executed ... fascinating ... returned home ... contributed to the 1946 baby boom, and became involved with D&B corps in the form of the Bridgeport Troopers (Bunny Hop and all) and this start-up Jr. corps sponsored by the Bpt PAL and the Harry Condon AL Post #11 (a place which itself could be enshrined in a DC HOF!) ...

Chris started out the first several years as a Quartermaster, and like so many from that era, elevated up the ranks to the position of Director at the time the PAL was being recognized nationally ... his mantra with kids was simple ... 1) Treat kids like adults ... 2) When they start to act like adults, treat them like kids ... 3) Repeat #1 ... he always had the perfect sense of timing to reel in egos, let the horses out of the barn, let us learn from out mistakes ... and constantly prepare youth for the future ...

Personally, he gave me a shot as a teenager to write and instruct the drum line along side of this horn guy named Hy Drietzer ... I am forever in his debt for the confidence he displayed and instilled in me ...

Chris passed away far too early at the age of 56 ... I was with him a few nights before his death watching a heavyweight at the German Club ... his cigar smoking swagger fully intact ... treating me like a kid and adult all in the same breath ...

His PAL corps won numerous State titles, made finals at the WO in 63,64,65 ... VFW Finals in 65 and 67 ... an invite to the CYO nats in 67 and 68 ... as well as Championships for the Yankee and Northeast Circuit ... a wonderful run for inner-city corps from 57-68 ...

 

Hope this is what you had in mind ... and, you're right ... there many "Little People" (as Pepe used to call them) who deserve accolades for their contributions to the growth of Drum Corps youth ...

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