Another thing to consider -- When DCI put out the "Legacy" series of DVDs a few years ago they finally put in print, and the commentators on the 1980 DVD stated that there was a tie in high percussion at finals in 1980 -- Spirit of Atlanta and Bridgemen shared the high percussion score. Here's exactly what happened that night -- Spirit had high execution (one-tenth higher than Bridgemen), 27th Lancers had high Perc. Analysis score, Bridgemen were second in perc. analysis (one-tenth higher than Spirit). Thus, Spirit and Bridgemen were tied at the top. The decision was made that night to break the tie with the percussion general effect score (which was part of the G.E. caption) and the trophy was awarded to the Bridgemen. It is not my intention to try to take anything away from the Bridgemen by posting this explanation -- they were fantastic! But, it is interesting to note, and probably the only time in DCI history, that the drum trophy went to a corps that did not have the high score in either of the percussion sub-captions. A disclaimer is appropriate here: I was a member of the 1980 Spirit of Atlanta line. I noticed earlier in the thread that it was posted about what happened when Tom Float's 1977 Oakland Crusaders line won prelims but didn't get to compete in finals. We felt as though Float got overlooked again in 1980, when the tie was not announced at finals. After that year, DCI started announcing caption ties.