ajedrummer

I am looking forward to seeing these! I had forgotten about Anne, Parade Specialties and did not know that 32nd Hussar's were a off-shoot of the Madison Scouts. Even us old guys learn stuff here!! jim

The Thing was really fun... good and BIG! Was that before the 128 member rule? They sure seemed larger than that. Sorry for the mistake on the original photo post - but it sure did create some good fodder here on the board! jim

I was there - day after my 14th birthday..... our second show ever. jim

That looks like the Eau Claire Sundowners to me. St. Patrick Imperials were green, weren't they? In 73, when St. Patricks and the Thunderbolts merged into 'The Thing' and wore both corps' uniforms, I am pretty sure the Imperials uniforms were green jackets with kilts. jim

Wait a minute.... Are you telling me that there were actually shows AFTER DCI??!!! Just kidding - Our home show was always Labor Day weekend, and in 1976 we had a show in mid-September....everyone was running a little thin for that one! It was always interesting to see how the corps that did DCI (especially finalists) made out at VFW and Legion Nationals as they were usually the week after. May have been coincidence, but it often seemed that a corps that did not make finals ended up winning or placing over DCI finalists....especially in the first years of DCI.

This thread (and a couple of others here) have been a real education for me! Growing up in the Midwest, in my mind, Wisconsin (especially Racine), Illinois and the East Coast were always the 'hot-beds' of drum corps. I had no idea how many corps were from Ontario Canada - the whole Toronto metro, Hamilton, Kitchener, Guelph, etc. area was amazing 'back in the day'!!

With all of the hundreds photos I have seen, I never knew that Troopers ever wore cumberbunds and sashes! As for the Unisphere - Of course we all know that it is really a space ship waiting to take a big, ugly bug off the planet!

Thanks, I do have that one, but it gives me an idea of where they may be. I was thinking it was much earlier than that. These were from some prelim show, maybe US Open, but am not positive. jim

Whomever posted the photos of 1975 Wausau Story - do you recall when that was? Or if anyone else remembers, please let me know. I am looking for them and spent about two hours scanning through the pages, but I could not find them. Thanks!

And what a bear those things were to keep the snare mechanisms working right! The successor, the Challenger was still 'challenging' it sure was better than the Super Sensitive strainer.....now that I think about it, what a perfect name!!

Oh yeah!! We sweated inspections more than anything - mostly because we felt that we could not let our American Legion and VFW sponsoring posts down! The other killer was the shortened prelim show. What a drag when you knew going in that you had NO SHOT at making finals, but we had to spend a week or more cutting six minutes out of the show. jim

I was at a 'ski flying' (ski jumping, only bigger ramp) competition in the UP in about 73 or 74 and it was COLD! The Blue Knights came out to perform, blew air into the horns to warm them up....they all instantly froze solid and they marched off, not having played a note! Which corps was from Iron Mountain? I was thinking that was the Blue Knights. Jim

Martybucs: Have you heard about Boyertown parade? Is it on?

AND - You could bring in your cooler with food and beverages (of ALL varieties if you were clever!)

Yeah... tell me about it. 1977 DCI Midwest prelims, we went on before the 'block' (of the 10 or so top corps) since it was our first year in Open class. Three corps that we competed against regularly, and whom did not beat us either before or after that show went on after the 'block', and all three beat us that one time and kept us out of finals. As long as I am whining - Same show, 1976, we came in 11th..... the year they took 10 in finals. Looking at the number of corps though, I remember it being a goal for MANY corps to make top 25 - which back then gave you Associate Membership in DCI. jim

I remember the 1977 American Legion Nationals in Denver, the week right after DCI championships in Denver. The prelims were held in Golden (I think) and it was a MUD PIT!!! Thank goodness our new uniforms were machine washable! They gave us a little extra time to warm up while they put straw on the field to try to soak up some of the mud. Making finals was not a question at this show (I think we ended up 4th), so we concentrated on not losing our shoes in the mud and while resting, watching the hang gliders come off the nearby mountain and sail over the field. It was SO pretty! jim

There probably were not anywhere near as many people competing as it was new, but if my math is right, Rob Carson was 16 when he won this! jim

I don't think so, but if I come across any, I will post! Yes, I remember the Westshoremen people coming in - I seem to recall that because it was late in the year I remember Ricky Lee and Chumley playing in the pit in 84 and Chumley moved to toms in 85, I believe. I could not march those two years so I assisted teaching the drumline when my schedule allowed, mostly the pit. Bruce Hamilton on the end was one of my students where I taught drums and a terrific musician! Marched Garfield in 84 (with about six other kids from that high school), and is now a professor of music at a college Washington state. jim

Thanks for this! I always wondered why "Oaklands"! Having never seen De La Salle, my only exposure was after the merger and the turquoise tunics (which I liked a lot!". There are a lot of interesting stories out there of where corps names came from!! jim

13 from Wisconsin between A / All Girl and Open! 14 if you count the Vanguard from Des Plaines "Wisconsin"!! Heck - there was one period in the 70's when there were seven corps just from Racine!

Thanks for the Wausau Story photo! Yeah - back then, DCI prelims was about the only time you could watch a show from the front stands!! I was sitting with my Wausau Story friends & parents...most of whom went to Blue Stars, I would have, but they did not have any snareline openings. jim 76 Oakland Crusaders??

Sorry about that- had I known, I would have panned right!

Do not remember if I posted this one before: 1983 Reading Buccaneers @ NJ Meadowlands

Last set of 1979 DCI Prelims Northstar Northstar 27th Lancers Enjoy! jim

Even more 1979 DCI Prelims Guardsmen Blue Stars Crossmen Blue Devils