Invader

I have to agree with you about Crossmen. Fred and staff have done a great job improving the corps over last year and the brass is a big factor. They need to find a way to up the member age to the college level. Fred's learning curve in the activity has been a fun thing to watch and he will get Crossmen back into finals soon I'm sure. The organization should be very happy with what the have done this year.

I have many but a few really get me going. 1983 Russlan and Ludmilla was the most amazing chart that year. That corps should have been in finals. 1990 The NY Voices show was awesome. 1992 The very best period. Thanks Dennis De Lucia and Carl Ruocco, great job. 1997 Just balls to the wall. Don Ellis would have been proud.

1992 Crossmen

John DeQuatro(sp?) Vasella Musketeers & Ridley Park Rangers Ralph Winburg Norristown Invaders & Ridley Park Rangers Ralph was a VFW National Sop Champion but I forget the year

Back when Drum Corps East was still around it was very intense. 27th Lancers Boston Cadets Bridgemen Crossmen Spirit Suncoast Sound Those corps flat out didn't like each other.

No

I hope they do some stuff from 1991. One of the best Crossmen shows ever.

One alumni I would like to see on staff is Bob Yarnell. Bob knew how to clean a drill and that has been a big problem for the corps since moving to Texas.

I believe Kim Robinson the daughter of Crossmen founder and director Robbie Robinson marched 11 years with the Crossmen I believe.

Great picks all and I'm glad you mentioned 65 Vassella Musketeers from Philly. Great show, drum line, and the DeQuatro brothers in that soprano line. Jerry Powell was drum major, one of the best ever. Would love to see that show again.

Crossmen 1982 1989 1990 1992 1997 2001

I've been a fan since the merger and both my kids are alumni but I must say that 2001 was the last show I really enjoyed. I think Mark, Fred and the current admin. are doing things great off the field but the on field product needs to get back to being Crossmen programing. I would like the admin. and staff to spend some time together and look at tapes of Crossmen shows through the years and I know these guys are smart enough and talented enough to figure out what made Crossmen so exciting and entertaining for us fans over the years. Please!!!

I'm going with Crossmen 1992. If those kids and that staff had one more week they would have been in the top four.

As I recall when DCA was organized Reilly Raiders were not allowed in due to the animal factor. The good old days.

The relation ship was not perfect but you can't say he put the Crossmen on the back burner. I was a Crossmen board member at the time and I can tell you we were about ready to fold the corps just prior to the 94 tour. George gave us a lot of good advice that got us through that tour. A lot of people think he gave Crossmen money but that is not true the YEA board would never allow that. That relationship grew going forward and we started getting even more support from George and the YEA staff, but not money. It became very clear to our board from dealing with George, Dave Gibbs and DCI that we didn't understand and have the right skill sets to make Crossmen work. Loving the corps and the activity is not enough. George wanted to see Crossmen live on and he convinced the YEA board to make Crossmen a program offering of YEA. They provided the staff and members with many advantages we could not. The staff got paid on time and the members got safer buses, new uniforms (twice), new horns and drums every year, new kitchen, equipment, and souvie trailers. Guard uniforms made by professionals not the home made crap we were providing. Access to the YEA office and all its resources not to mention lowering operational costs by buying food and other items in bulk. The relationship also gave the Crossmen much better insurance coverage which many of us spent years losing sleep over. These are just a few of the things George Hopkins provided to the corps so your comment about him having the corps on the back burner is not valid. For the record I like George and even though I don't like the changes he keeps trying to make in the activity my respect for the man is complete. If anyone should be in the hall of fame it is George and it's about time.

I love this comment because it is right on. A friend who is a very respected percussion teacher said that the Crossmen line was playing to many notes and he got that from the judges. Sad

WOW! Drum corps is about 90 years old and I've been around it for 55 of those years. So many great moments I don't know how anyone could pick just 60 seconds. One of my many favorites is from Crossmen 1992 from the Rain Forest (Puma) segment. That entire Mark Thurston drum break with the brass intro at the end was an amazing drum corps moment. Shout out to David Below a member of that great snare line if he is reading this.

Best all girl corps ever and I wish my corps could have beat them just once.

Since I live in the Philly area I would like to see the following come back. Liberty Bell Cadets (with Becky Hanley as DM) Rising Sun Cadets Yearsley Black Hawks Norristown Invaders Tri Community Blue Lancers Osmond Cadets Audubon Bon Bon's Ridley Park Rangers Haddon Heights Vagabonds Vasella Musketeers ( with Jerry Powell as DM) Bells of Saint Mary's Media Fawns Bellairs Little Devels Blue Rock West Reading Police Cadets Some really great corps in this group.

I have 4 junors and 1 senior. Junors 1964 Blessed Sacrament Golden Knights 1965 Casper Troopers 1987 SCV 1992 Crossmen Senior 1963 Archer Epler Musketeers from Upper Darby, Pa. What a great show and the great Ray Eiler and Jim Cosettie(sp?) on soprano solo. One word, WOW!

I have tried to block that show from my memory, in fact, I had forgot about it until I saw your post. Yes, the corps made finals with that show and I often wonder why. I hated that show so much I never once went into the stadium to see the corps perform it. I was very content to stay in the souvie trailer and wait for 96 to roll around. I do think the kids and staff did a good job with a bad product in 95.

Well Taylor I don't think what I said was rude and I'm sorry that is your perception. As to your second coment about being involved. Both of my kids marched with Crossmen and from 1982 through 1997 my wife and I served as volunters, board members, fund raisers, cooks, souvie sellers, bus and truck driver among other things like putting up a lot of money to help save the corps from folding twice. In general I've been involved with drum corps since 1954 and 11 of those years as a marcher and many as teaching staff with local Philly corps. After 15 years with Crossmen I have a very good idea of what works for them and I believe they are heading in the wrong direction with this type of programing. I believe my point is valid.

You're kidding right? Crossmen tried to become Phantom in 1983 and they were spanked for it by the judges. Do you know anything about Crossmen 1985? What a mess that was. They need to stay true to what they are and I hope the Texas folk will learn that sooner rather than later.

I agree with you about Crossmen. It seems the new admin is trying to take the corps in a new direction that is far away from what the corps has always been. This is not a Crossmen show and I was really sad to see this happen. It's like 1983 all over again.

George Hopkins is one of the few men I know who can start a fight in an empty room. That being said, he really is deserving of this award. Great pick.