gsksun4 Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 DMs were Artie Olsen 1947-49, Charlie Saar 1950-51, Bill Carrig 1953-54, Bill Rudden 1955-56, Jack Dobson 1957, Tom McDonough 1958, Hugh Mahon and Winkelman 1959, Walt Winkelman 1960-72, Richard "Butch" Anderson 1973-86, Ray "Konga" Richardson 1987- ? I would say that they all had a certain degree of charisma, but having marched under Wink and Butch and seen Konga many times, I would say that these three had charisma and then some!!! That's the info I have. Thanks for the info Ray. I seem to recall Bill Rudden as an instructor in my junior years somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironlips Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 I've said it many times before: no one ever came to hear us march! ... LOL ... so ... back to triangles ... Carman Cluna (one of Ralph's drill peers in Sky) was teaching his drill and told the guy in the middle of a 3-man squad to march forward 3.2 steps to create the trianlge he wanted ... Pepe was so impressed that he talked ablut this all the way home ... the fact that Carman had the guy march 3.2 steps and not just 3 steps ... to him Carman was a genius ... I pointed out that what Carman drew on his graph paper was an isosceles triangle ... Pepe was now even more convinced of Carman's genius, bragging that Carman "invented" the isosceles triangle ... And that's precisely my point (pun intended). Those guys behaved as if they had invented geometry, music, penicillin and the wheel. And given the degree of boldness they exuded, they might just as well have. That kind of confidence overflowed its container like some out-of-control Chemistry lab experiment, and infected everyone who ever witnessed the best Skyliner performances. It excited audiences, yes, but also emboldened other corps who, far from being intimidated, began to believe all things were possible in Drum Corps. After all, in New York, you could create a symphony in a tenement, or turn a traffic jam into a company front. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsksun4 Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 (edited) Let's just say it was very interesting watching and listening. Harry Hazlewood playing solos with a lip that was swollen to twice its normal size, Al Koch playing his valve/slide bari with a HUGE bandage on his right thumb, the one you use on the valve. I think the bandage was holding his thumb together, since some biker-type was trying to chew it off at the "get-together" the night before, while Al was severely 'reprimanding' two of the biker's associates while kneeling on their chests and pummeling them with his left. And yes, this is the very same Al who instructed St Rocco's and a few others and who eventually was named to the Federal bench. He presided over the Sharpton/Brawley trial for one. With all the visible cuts and bruises I saw, I thought it was amazing how well they still played and Dick Blake was able to produce one of his finest recordings. It's a shame he didn't have a video camera for Saturday night's festivities at Andre's. Messrs. BellaRosa and Quinn were also observed getting into the fray. Bobby B. fought in the Golden Gloves Tournaments for many years prior. And Mr Quinn noticed how much more effective a fist could be while holding a cue ball in it. As an aside to that little gem, about 30 years later, I was driving home from a few days in Cooperstown and decided to stop at Andre's for a burger and a scotch during what would have been rush hour on 17 south and the Turnpike. I sat at the bar and placed my order. The bartender served a very nice Johnny Red and water and I had just taken my first sip and I was tapped on the shoulder. I turned around and it was the manager and he informed me "Pardon me sir, but you can't be in here with that jacket on you". Yes, I had my corps jacket on. I asked if I could put it in the car and come back in and he said "That will be fine, you just can't have that jacket on here". So I placed said jacket in the car and returned to my scotch and burger, finished up and hit the road home. I was honored that even after 30 years, they still remember us at Andre's. BTW, the night of the disagreement, BOTH cops showed up and escorted a few of the biker types to the local hoosegow and the rest, out of town. Not being much of a pugilist myself, not that it was a requirement, I still have to say that I cherish all the years I've been associated with the New York Skyliners! What a great story Ray. Can anyone be specific about the feature and someone else dancing, one dressed like a women in that prelude? I thought that's what started the whole thing. Notice to all bikers: Never start a brawl with 60 angry Italians. Reminds me of "A Bronx Tale" where Chazz Palmintari tells em, "Now Youz Can't Leave"! Edited January 3, 2014 by gsksun4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajlisko Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 (edited) What a great story Ray. Can anyone be specific about the feature and someone else dancing, one dressed like a women in that prelude? I thought that's what started the whole thing. Notice to all bikers: Never start a brawl with 60 angry Italians. Reminds me of "A Bronx Tale" where Chazz Palmintari tells em, "Now Youz Can't Leave"! Winky was one of the guys dressed in "drag" that night at Andre's ... Ray can fill in the rest ... Cue Journey: I seen her in a smoky room The smell of wine and cheap perfume For a smile they can share the night It goes on and on and on and on :-) Edited January 3, 2014 by ajlisko Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayfallon Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 iaNotice to all bikers: Never start a brawl with 60 angry Italians. The thing with New York during any year I remember them was that the Italians were only a part of it. You would more likely be beaten by an even cross-section of New York city, including every neighborhood. They were an equal opportunity brawler. It's not like the rest of the corps sat back and watched "60 Italians" take on the rest of the activity - if you were into it with one of them, you got all of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Priester Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 The thing with New York during any year I remember them was that the Italians were only a part of it. You would more likely be beaten by an even cross-section of New York city, including every neighborhood. They were an equal opportunity brawler. It's not like the rest of the corps sat back and watched "60 Italians" take on the rest of the activity - if you were into it with one of them, you got all of them. Just ask the guy who tried to hit on Pat McCue's wife in Stratford one year. Someone yelled "New York, fight" and this guy took off with Pat hot on his tail and about 25 others joining in the chase. I don't remember if Pat caught him or not, but he was quite irked over the situation. Just want to point out, the corps very rarely looked to start anything, but didn't back down from any confrontations either. We got along very well with most corps, both on and off the field, perhaps with one notable exception in 1972. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Priester Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 What a great story Ray. Can anyone be specific about the feature and someone else dancing, one dressed like a women in that prelude? I thought that's what started the whole thing. Notice to all bikers: Never start a brawl with 60 angry Italians. Reminds me of "A Bronx Tale" where Chazz Palmintari tells em, "Now Youz Can't Leave"! One was Wink and the other was Bob McLaughlin. The bikers started to get extremely abusive and were warned to back off, which they didn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donincardona Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 Just ask the guy who tried to hit on Pat McCue's wife in Stratford one year. Someone yelled "New York, fight" and this guy took off with Pat hot on his tail and about 25 others joining in the chase. I don't remember if Pat caught him or not, but he was quite irked over the situation. Just want to point out, the corps very rarely looked to start anything, but didn't back down from any confrontations either. We got along very well with most corps, both on and off the field, perhaps with one notable exception in 1972. right! and that was a bad year. but i think everybody was fighting with everybody that year. the juices were flowing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironlips Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 True. It got so bad the Sunrisers were actually fighting with themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donincardona Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 True. It got so bad the Sunrisers were actually fighting with themselves. something was in the water that year. or the beer..........LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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