Besides all the fisticuffs, some of the less intense moments while with the Crusaders were:
-a rookie, in his birthday suit, laying in the back window of the bus.
-horns and drum line switching instruments during inspections.
-first Sunday horn line practice after finishing last in our first contest in NJ, we marked time until the bucket in the middle of the circle was filled with our sweat. That took awhile.
-saying all kinds of crap to the corps in front of us as they were getting ready on the starting line.
-during retreat the instructors usually walked amongst the corps telling us how we did. If the drum line felt they were screwed, some snare sticks would be tossed at the feet of the drum judges(s) as we marched by. If it was the horn line, several pairs of white gloves flew from the middle of the horn line.
-years later, the corps would respond with a one word reply when the alumni/fans in the stands yelled out "we don't give a .....!"
Not crazy, but very meaningful to the corps. In 64 the corps began to have some success with the new members from other corps. We went to WI for a couple of contests in early July. During retreat, the corps would never move at parade rest, no matter how we placed. Keeping quiet might have been a different story. We were the new kids on the block and were up against several of the mid-west heavies. As they announced the scores we were frozen in place. When the Cavies were announced second we still didn't move, but several members of the corps to our right (Royal Airs?) looked at us as if to say you just beat the VFW National Champions and you can't do anything?