slate belt corpsman

Our drum corps fraternity has lost another great great member. I was informed very early this morning of the passing of Rodney 'Butch' Cascario. Butch was a true drum corps member of both the Wind Gap Blue Eagles and the Erie Thunderbirds Alumni. Butch marched with the Blue Eagles during the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's before his move to Erie where he became a member of the T-bird alumni. He held all positions with the Blue Eagles and was also a board member with Erie (please correct me if I'm wrong). Finally he was a member of PADCHOF. At this point I am unaware of any additional info. God be with you Butch........................ Your pal forever and ever - Carl

But what if it's not held at J. Birney Crum as everyone seems to be anticipating? What if it's held at say Lehigh University football field? The Philadelphia Eagles hold their camp at Lehigh and the fields, many of them with probably enough for every corps to have their own! And parking is more than enough for 10,000 cars and lodging keeps popping up all over the Lehigh Valley. And let's not forget that the new Sands Casino is just over the hill from Lehigh stadium and could possibly be used as the venue for Friday nights activities - they have a huge venue, large mall, and casino! And finally should it rain, there's Stabler arena a short throw from the stadium. These are just my thoughts on someone bidding for Allentown. Since I live in the Lehigh Valley and participated in the past at several shows at J. Birney Crum, this could be a big possibility for whomever might be submitting their bid.

We barely fit on forum stage - sure hope school in York is big enough!

Facebook telling me video unavailable??

Outstanding to say the least! Pure power - nothing held back. Those first time marchers with a big corps surely had a great time. I've marched with very good corps in the past and this one certainly ranks right up there with the best. The big boys could have another 'new kid' on the block if all goes well with this corps. Let's keep it up and make the drum corps family proud of Pennsylvania's 'Alumni United'. Thanks to all those who made this possible.

First marched with Roseto Pa. Boy Scout Troop 36 in 1960 then onto Bangor, Pa. Yellow Jackets in 1963 - first contest, July 1963 - Class 'B' Pennsylvania American Legion State Championships, Pittsburgh, Pa. Yellow Jackets placed 4th.

Nice seeing and getting to play along side your group at this parade in Roseto, Pa. last Saturday. The Emmaus Sentinels, Reilly Raiders and yourself provided quite a bit of excitement for the crowd and won much approval from everyone there. Many friendships were renewed amongst these corps members. Too bad there is bad taste with the so-called other corps that was there - it seems their drum major was a bit disturbed that they didn't receive the same fee that the other corps received since he feels they deserved better. Come on drum major of the other corps, wake up - with the very sluggish drumline your corps had plus the immaturity of your hornline, be happy that you even were there amongst the other 3 corps even though your corps just stood around when the other corps took turns in playing a tune for each other. It's a sad day when certain other corps are represented by such individuals who don't have a clue what real drum corps is all about and that they cannot appreciate the commaradarie that is shared amongst corps and join in the fun and not worry about what the others were doing. Too bad the activity has to have this type try to represent drum corps. Anyhow for those that can share in the fun of drum corps - keep on marching.

Real nice job Bruce and company. Best of everything on your trip and show - maybe the Sentinels will give you another mini corps to play with in addition to Cinn. next year.

Not knowing the drummers other than by face, I can't say much about anyone in particular other than what a fantastic job, as always, you guys/gals did yesterday. I am in the hornline (baritone) and was on stage behind you and surely wouldn't want to be in the front row - what a sound ..... and I also saw Mr. Villanova Wildcat correcting his calculus tests and also got a chuckle out of it. The Westshoremen are ready .........

Yet another great soloist to add to this growing list -------- Tim 'Shorty' Barthlomew I can remember (at Felician College in New Jersey) listening to Garfield and Tim belting out the solo in Maria - can't remember, probably over 25 years ago - what a smooth clean sound.

Member of both Blue Eagles and the when the name was changed to Renaissance which the director thought would make people forget the Blue Eagles. Anyhow, both corps worked extremely hard but the numbers game was against us as was the attitude of the corps' director who shot down several top notch instructors who wanted to help get the corps in the right direction but the corps director thought he was boss and things were to be done his way - it surely made the corps better didn't it? But we were all much younger in the 70's and early 80's when this corps existed and boy did we ever party hearty which helped soothe those low low scores. But on the positive side, I can remember the corps beating the Brass Factory on several occasions as well as the Yankee Rebels! And now today I just sit back and laugh and reminesce at those good old days.

Gary - Who else is involved in running this organization? Is it Murphy and the crew from Music Express? Can't wait to hear/see more about this new adventure ................ Slate Belt Corpsman (too many corps, years to mention)

I also thank you Mario - you also made my day a little brighter - no sun only rain here in Pennsy and reading your story put sunshine here! Oh if only we could turn back the clock knowing what we know now .......................

I know it doesn't belong here but I have to reply to you - 'that's enough Rose' as was often uttered by Snietman (spelling) on Car 54! Sorry now on with this blog.

Sometime during 1960 with the Roseto, (Pa.) Boy Scout Troop 36. And we had straight bugles and most of us competed in a Silver Bugle contest where we had to memorize many military bugle calls - the winner of course got a silver bugle and went to boy scout (camp Weygadt, Delaware Water Gap) camp free for one week as the camp bugler. I personally placed second and got nothing other than the right to have fun, compete against my fellow scouts and make a lifetime of true friends. We had a rather large corps probably around 75 or so! And today maybe only 2 or 3 or those guys are still involved with drum corps - thank God I'm one of them!

Did Butch bring Brad (Fester) and Tracy along to have them lick their chops? Go Big Green - show them what the Pennsy corps are all about.

And the guy on the left is none other than Norm Cimerol! Still playing at Bucs Alum and Emmaus Sentinels

The same used to be with Jim Prime, Sr., especially when he threw his hat - those that we're fortunate enough to be taught by Jim can vouch for that. God bless him - another legend.[ quote name=melligene' date='Aug 22 2008, 02:12 PM' post='2368348] For those of you who haven't experienced DA in front of your horn line.......Believe what he says.......there IS NO ESCAPE.......he hears EVERYTHING...I KNOW...and I also aprecciate his expertice...........an errant breath in a phrase will not only draw his attention...but also his WRATH.......and.....G####mn it if he isn't always right. Don't ya just hate that....? (made me what I am today)

I watched DCA finals many times - competed with the Wind Gap Blue Eagles back in the 70's and we were always way at the bottom. We worked as hard as or harder than the big guns but never did make it to the elite group, even though at times our hornline, even though only numbering in the low to mid 30's was only a few points from any of the monster lines, we were still out there having fun and really enjoying ourselves. Really who cares about all the politics - I don't care if your dead last or have the quality to be first - drum corps is all about commardarie and the lifetime of friends and memories not winning the game, it's nice to win but ..............I'm sure someone will complete this for me.

If my memory serves me correctly, I can remember Emmaus Sentinels and Milton Keystoners trying to merge and rehearsal at one place one month and the next month back and forth. And I know the Bangor Yellow Jackets and the Wind Gap Blue Eagles did the same. These corps of course, are oldies but goodies (not DCA corps but RCA and Interstate circuits) and these so-called tried mergers happened back in the 60's and 70's but never did materialize due to some of the conflicts mentioned in other posts.

You forgot to mention where it can be found! Go to new site - Emmaus Sentinels.org First video is from May and most recent, last Sunday is the 2nd one. Not too bad a sound for a corps missing about 12 -15 horns and with only about half the drumline there. What will it be with a full corps - time will tell.

As Sgt. Joe Friday used to say on Dragnet - "All fact, no brag" - it looks like the Sentinels are for real and will be a great addition to the alumni scene. We could use a few more bari's to help us few old timers out but we're having fun and that's what it's all about isn't it? Where are all of the old Lehigh Valley people that used to march with this corps or that corps???? Now's the time to hop on board and get with the fun.

Sure sounds like Thunder to me! Anyone who doesn't enjoy your style gotta look elsewhere - one of the best in the business.

As Morgan said 'amen' - I agree a thousand times over!

Providence, RI. circa late '70's. Dirtiest place on earth - the school that is, that we shared the shower facilities with the Skyliners. That's when Sky had a huge corps. Great bunch of guys. Never laughed so hard, even after a grueling day of rehearsals, cockroaches all over the place and cold cold water. Never saw so many men use talc powder! Then to top it off, the mayor of Providence was booed when introduced at the start of the show later that evening - something that has stuck with me thru the years.