elphaba01

"Free to Move About the Planet": Hawthorne Caballeros went to pre-Castro Cuba in the 1950's. Maine's Andrews Sabers also did a bit of globe-trotting with a stint in Europe, early 1960's. Elphaba WWW

"Big Green Band": Yes, St Vinnie's was the "Big Green Band, and also the Big Green Wave". By 1961 the corps was slipping from their exhalted National Champion editions of the 1950's and suffering scores and placements far behind rivals Blessed Sacrament and the Garfield Cadets. The corps was disbanded in the Fall of 1961 with a large chunk of their membership (Along with director/drill instructor Mickey Petrone) to the Newark Woodsiders. Their upset of the Garfield Cadets at Bergenfield NJ in September of that year was pretty much their "Parting Shot" 1. 88.30 Blessed Sacrament 1. 88.30 St Catherine's Queensmen 3. 85.20 St Vincents Cadets 4. 85.10 Garfield Cadets 5. 81.90 Bracken Cavaliers Elphaba WWW

"Corps Brawls": I've posted this before, but it can stand a retelling: 1961 VFW Nationals, Finals, Miami Florida. St Mary's Majestic Knights (MA) and St Vincent's Cadets(NJ) got into a brawl ON THE FIELD at Finals Retreat. The corps had had some bad blood earlier in the season and a fight erupted on the field at VFW Finals retreat. The Finals results were being announced while all this was going on, the announcer, VFW Bands Chairman Tony Schlecta being oblivious to the battle going on right in front of him. Fleetwood records was in the habit of recording the announcement of scores at Finals and the 1961 rundown is absent due to the sounds of the battle being picked up by Dick Blake's microphones. Elphaba WWW

"First Show"; Royal Lancers 1963 World Open Preliminaries, Roosevelt Stadium, Jersey City NJ. First field contest. Memorable for the fact that the corps, Connecticut Royal Lancers were originally bumped from Finals, placing 11th. Our director made us stay together when we got back to Bridgeport to PRACTICE. It was a good thing he did, as a mistake was found in either ours or St Rocco's Cadets score which landed us in Finals. We re-boarded the busses, got back to Jersey just in time to take the field in Finals. We landed in 10th place. Making the Finals of a National Championship, in our very first contest was pretty good. St Anns: 1961 Stratford Connecticut Yankees show. This may or may not have been our first contest, but it's the first one I remember. We managed to outpoint one of our crosstown rivals, the old Bridgeport PAL Cadets, by almost two points.. I believe we took fourth place, behind the Garfield Cadets, St Kevins Emerald Knights and the Braintree Warriors. To us this was HUGE, particularly so, as the very next day PAL Cadets slipped past THEIR crosstown arch rivals, St Raphaels Buccaneers by a couple tenths at the Yankee Circuit Championships. By 1963 Bridgeport would have four competing junior drum corps, as well as another one just across the river in Milford the old Police Cadets. Elphaba WWW

"Original Brassmen": Thanks so much for this info. Yes, I DO remember the failed merger. Never knew what the final outcome was. Thanks again. Elphaba WWW

FH Solo in Semper Paratus": Did he ever enter "Individuals"? I don't remember ever seeing him compete at any of the shows we went to. If he did I know he would have been a serious contender. Elphaba WWW

"Have it Your Way": I 'believe' it was called.................. .....................Arnolds? Elphaba WWW

"Getzen Deluxe French Horn Player": I actually KNOW who this guy is. The corps he marched with is the olde Bridgeport PAL Cadets, of which he was a LONG time member. He aged out in 1968 and went straight to the Connecticut Hurricanes where he marched or MANY years. Elphaba WWW

"Mergers" While not exactly a "Merger" the 1966 New York Kingsmen had absorbed a HUGE chunk of the membership from the disbanded Selden Cadets (Including their horn arranger Bobby Bunce, who wrote an entirely new program for them) changed their uniforms, and came out completely revamped (And quite excellently) for the 1966 season. Elphaba WWW

"The Great War": WAY BACK in 1964 St Lucy's Cadets did a color presentation that was a medley of British World War One tunes "(Long Way to Tipperarry", etc) that ended with a stop fanfare of "God Save the King". In 1962 through 1962 St Kevins Emerald Knights played a number for their "Off the Line" called "Voice of the Guns", a British military march that was used in the epic "Lawrence of Arabia" Elphaba WWW

Well Done Andy. Muchas Gracias. Elphaba WWW

"Pete Emmons": "Back in the Day" I (Sadly)) never really got to see much of Pete Emmons. We only saw the Troopers a few times (World Open) in 1964, 65, & 66 and that was about it. What became of him after he left Santa Clara Vanguard? Elphaba WWW

"The Musketeer on the Right": At the very great risk of being "Liquidated" I'll "Out" the Skyliner soprano legend on the right of Nancy as being the late, one and only Tommy "Bucky" Swan. Everyone have a great Labor Day weekend. Elphaba WWW

"Three Musketeers": The two males were Skyliners. One of them was a soloist for the old USAF "DC" drum corps, BOTH of them are legendary Skyliner soprano soloists. I have no idea "Who" the "Middle (Female) Musketeer" is...... Elphaba WWW

"Halfway There": I believe this individual marched with Blessed Sacrament Alumni. (Long commute) WAY "Back in the Day" he was in St Kevins SOPRANO bugle quartet, among the MANY who showed up at the Staten Island "Individuals" . He is a Charter Member of the Buglers Hall of Fame. Elphaba WWW

"Double Dippers Part Deux": The late Jim Costello fits the "DD" category also. He was M&M/Drill writer/instructor for BOTH the Garfield Cadets and the Hawthorne Caballeros "Back in the Day" when they won the American Legion Nationals Senior & Junior titles in 1960, 61 & 1962. Blessed Sacrament broke the Legion streak for Garfield in 1963, but Hawthorne & Garfield were again both Legion Champions in 1964. The late Don Angelica was horn instructor for Caballeros and write/arranger/instructor for Garfield Cadets 1960-1963, so he fits the "DD" category as well. Thanks for the nice words. Elphaba WWW

"Double Dippers": Jim Jones, Troopers 1966. The corps (Via the point penalty to Chicago Cavaliers) won the VFW Nationals for drum corps, and his Trooper color guard won the guard championship. Jim Jones was the drill/M&M writer instructor for both, as well as corps director. Elphaba WWW

"Lets Hear it From Me": "What happens in the Emerald City, STAYS in the "Emerald City".".... Of the two co-ed "City" corps I was privledged to march with (St Anns & the Royal Lancers 1958-1966) the CRL was the more successfull. We managed to beat all of our cross-city rivals, (At least onece) and accepted an invite to the CYO Nationals in 1966. St Anns had a good run, mainly as a "Circuit" corps with some incredible Sturtze trained drummers that did well in "Individuals". Some great RL memories include the "Mid Show" exhibition at the 1963 Dream Contest (Our FIRST "Big Time" field performance bookended by St Kevins & the Skyliners), and making the Finals of the 1963 World Open, our very first time in competition, (The corps was originally "out" but a mistake was found on the sheets that put us in 10 place). Our best season was 1965 with the "Drietzer Sound", After that year our older members started to slip away to the Hurricanes or the USAF Academy corps. I consider myself MOST FORTUNATE to have been taught by two of THE VERY BEST writer.arrangers in the activity, the late Joe Genero and Hy Drietzer. Actually:, as a GIRL I had little chance to continue in "Senior" drum corps after the RL shuttterd their doors. My nursing career in the military was right around the corner, and I said "Goodbye" to the activity. My days in St Anns and the Royal Lancers were among the very best in my life. The very brief Park City Pride membership renewed some long lost friendships. Elphaba WWW

"Planes, Trains,, Automobiles": Ahhhhhhhhhh,,,, Yes...... The old Staten Island "Individuals". The antics, the performances ("Buzzy" Bergdoll's solo on FH and St Kevin's Horn Quartet immediately comes to mind), the BEER!!!!! Those Legion bartenders really needed THICK glasses to "ID" anyone. Do any of you old East Coast vets remember the "Drum Quartet" made up of four horn players that got "DQ'D" for their "Rudimental Exibition"? Or the pick up "Mini Corps" from Garfield Cadets, St Raphael's, , St Patrick's and "??????" that played Garfield's old "Intermission Riff" number? The memories....... Elphaba WWW

"Iconic": 1961: Hawthorne Caballeros "Carmen". Joe Genero at his finest. 1963: New York Skyliners: Their entire show. Hy Drietzer's "Masterpiece" 1969: Baltimore Yankee Rebels: "Requiem for an Era" A watershed for drum corps. Honorable Mentions: 1964: Racine Kilties: "Scotland the Brave" and a VFW upset. 1965: Chicago Royal Airs: "Ballyhoo March" and a steamroller of Truman Crawford hornline that took them to a Nationals hat trick (CYO, VFW and Legion). Elphaba

"Robert Rogers": Robert Rogers is a main charter in AMC's "Turn" series. He's portrayed as a mercenary fighting for the Crown (When he's not intoxicated) after being turned down by George Washington when he offered his services to the Continental Army. Elphaba WWW

"On the Starting Line": Great to see them return. Does anyone know "Why" NONE of the "Usual" Alumni corps (Caballeros, Park City Pride, Skyliners) are not in attendance? Also: Does anyone know if that GREAT "Any seat $5.00" is still in effect? Elphaba WWW

"Grenadiers": Nope. Don't remember any of the old Grenadiers. I remember the old CORPS from their appearances at Greater New York shows hosted by St Raphael's and St Ann's in Bridgeport, but not any particular member. Best number I remember fro them is "Peter Gunn"........:)) Elphaba WWW

"Harvey": Did this Skyliner have anything to do with the old "RAG" publication? Elphaba WWW

"Philly Junior Corps": If this is who I "Think" it is he marched with Haddon Heights Vagabonds also. If this is "Who" I think it is he was Director of the Yankee Rebels prior to their disbandment. If this is "Who" I think it is he retired from the US Army as a "Full Bull" Colonel (O-6). If this is "Who" I think it is there is a picture of him on the USAF Bolling AFB Drum Corps site from when he attended one of their reunions. But I could have it all wrong......((: Elphaba WWW