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St. Rita's Brassmen


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Whatever happened to them? 2nd place at World Open in 1972 beating out Muchachos...they would have been in top 12 at DCI that first year.

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Brassmen probably would have been finalists in both 72 and 73. Their director Carmen Cluna didn't like the "DCI experience". And the corps was held back due to their ties to the church. They couldn't travel out of the east, so they never made the trip to Whitewater for those first 2 DCI Championships.

They merged with the CT Shoreliners for a year, and that was it for St. Rita's.

Tons of GE!

Edited by Northern Thunder
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Brassmen probably would have been finalists in both 72 and 73. Their director Carmen Cluna didn't like the "DCI experience". And the corps was held back due to their ties to the church. They couldn't travel out of the east, so they never made the trip to Whitewater for those first 2 DCI Championships.

They merged with the CT Shoreliners for a year, and that was it for St. Rita's.

Tons of GE!

Used to think of them as the "Junior Skyliners"...similar colors...staff....style...and I mean that in a good way, not a bad one.

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If I am not mistaken they were in the CYO Nationals which was held at Alumni Stadium at Boston College. There was a chain link fence going around the football field. I believe St. Rita's first move was at the fifty, and unless they jumped the fence and started their show they were in trouble.

A good friend of mine went up to Carmen Cluna, and told him they were in trouble, and he would not listen.

I believe they did not compete that night, and I will always remember their buses blowing out black exhust, and the tail lights of the buses lit up, as they headed back to N.Y.

Correct me, but I don't think they ever hit the starting line again, I could be wrong.

CODI

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I knew I had this story in my files, CODI, and after a bit of digging I found it.

It was August 8, 1973 and the Brassmen had traveled to CYO Nationals. It was announced at the stadium that the Brassmen would not compete. That chain link fence bordered eight feet behind the back sideline. The Brassmen needed 32 feet behind the sideline for their opening formation. All corps that day were allowed to set up 24 feet closer to the front sideline, however, the front sideline rule was to be enforced at a one-point per person infraction, which would have cost the Brassmen 20-30 points in penalties. Despite spending more than $1,000 on buses to travel from NY Carmen Cluna told the contest adminstrators what he thought of them, and the Brassmen pulled out.

They only made one other contest after that....a few weeks later in Boonton, NJ. Then it was over for good.

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I knew I had this story in my files, CODI, and after a bit of digging I found it.

It was August 8, 1973 and the Brassmen had traveled to CYO Nationals. It was announced at the stadium that the Brassmen would not compete. That chain link fence bordered eight feet behind the back sideline. The Brassmen needed 32 feet behind the sideline for their opening formation. All corps that day were allowed to set up 24 feet closer to the front sideline, however, the front sideline rule was to be enforced at a one-point per person infraction, which would have cost the Brassmen 20-30 points in penalties. Despite spending more than $1,000 on buses to travel from NY Carmen Cluna told the contest adminstrators what he thought of them, and the Brassmen pulled out.

They only made one other contest after that....a few weeks later in Boonton, NJ. Then it was over for good.

That was the show sponsored by the Harmony senior corps, a parade senior corps that used band brass...inc trombones. They had a large glock section and wore all black cadet-style unis. The sow ran as part of a Labor Day weekend fair in the town.

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That was the show sponsored by the Harmony senior corps, a parade senior corps that used band brass...inc trombones. They had a large glock section and wore all black cadet-style unis. The sow ran as part of a Labor Day weekend fair in the town.

Blousemen's Junior D Feeder corps.

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Boonton was also drum corps recording pioneer Stet Richmond's hometown.

I still have one of his embroidered patches.

I have one of his Garden State Circuit albums with my corps, the Imperial Guardsmen from Livingston on one side...I think the other has the Paramus Mountettes.

Might have been 68 champs. I had 69 as well (think there were four corps on it), but I seem to have lost it.

Both years GSC champs were, I think, at Dover HS...a very short ride for Stet from Boonton.

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They couldn't travel out of the east, so they never made the trip to Whitewater for those first 2 DCI Championships.

Tons of GE!

Not far out of the east but I remember them beating us by a small margin at '71 US Open.

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