I was there when...........

[Elmo Blatch]

I was there outside a stadium in West Virginia in 1995 when two children were asking for - and receiving - autographs from a Madison Scout. DITTO. In Huntington that night, Madison should have beaten the Cadets. Also, I was there that night when the Cadets didn't do the encore and the audience chanted "Madison would do the encore."

I was there in 1990 when Santa Clara Vanguard played its last chord from the stadium tunnel. DITTO. The speculation at our practices that week (I marched Bluecoats that year) was "why is Santa Clara measuring the field at Rich Stadium? Are they going to protest that the field for Finals is not regulation size?" PBS managed to mess up that moment by panning over to the dm/hornline (thereby giving away the secret).

[ssorrell]

I was there outside a stadium in West Virginia in 1995 when two children were asking for - and receiving - autographs from a Madison Scout.

Heh...that's nothing unusual. For two years as a Top 12 DM, my pre-show ritual included going into the stadium while the corps warmed up to check out the entrance and exit gates. I'd visit the souvie stand, have a coke, then meet the corps at the gate to bring them in. In the meantime, I bet I'd sign a dozen autographs and have my picture taken every night.

I was there in 1985 when Spirit had to perform at a show at the Illinois State Fair. The field was marked off on the track used for horse shows and wasn't deep enough...there was a wall located at the back hash mark. I stood on the podium watching our guard crash into the wall as they were marching backwards in a blind set and they didn't know what was coming. It was scary, but also funny, because all of the corps had the same problem...the only thing was we were the only Top 12 corps there, so it didn't effect some of the smaller corps as much as it did us. My "podium" was a folding chair that we placed in the aisle of the grandstands. And, in my four years on the field, that show was the only show where we had to go through "inspection". And OMG...the retreat lasted for what seemed like two hours. Horrible!

I was there, again in '85, when it was mistakenly announced that SCV was the guard champion, making that moment one of the biggest blunders ever made during the announcement of scores and caption winners at DCI finals. And to think that DCI didn't want to announce the correction over the stadium PA system...

I was there when a dropped rifle or flag, or simply a toe over the front sideline could cost a corps a championship.

[skajerk]

I was there in 1985 when Spirit had to perform at a show at the Illinois State Fair. The field was marked off on the track used for horse shows and wasn't deep enough...there was a wall located at the back hash mark. I stood on the podium watching our guard crash into the wall as they were marching backwards in a blind set and they didn't know what was coming. It was scary, but also funny, because all of the corps had the same problem...the only thing was we were the only Top 12 corps there, so it didn't effect some of the smaller corps as much as it did us. My "podium" was a folding chair that we placed in the aisle of the grandstands. And, in my four years on the field, that show was the only show where we had to go through "inspection". And OMG...the retreat lasted for what seemed like two hours. Horrible!

On a somewhat related note...

I was there in 1985 when we performed at a show in Wyoming rodeo arena that only went out to the 20 yard lines while some of our sets went out to the 10 yard lines. It sure was fun arching those forms!

Man, what a great thread. All these memories are starting to flood back.

I was there from 1983-85 to watch Spirit and Suncoast duke it out. And what fun that was to watch!

I was there in '85 to see Freelancers dump that great cadet uni for that velcro disaster

I was there in '85 to see SCV unviel the tunnel. (I still say the endzone is the best place to see it from).

Edited December 6, 2008 by skajerk

[8sallday]

I was there in 2003 at Allentown when the God's dumped almost a foot of rain on the Glassmen halfway through their show, lightning struck, forcing them to postpone the show until the storm passed, and then watched them march back out in soaking wet uniforms 2 hours later to do the show all over again.

They were the only corps to get rained on, and needless to say, they were a fan-favorite that night.

[year1buick]

I was there for the "salute."

[TitanSop06]

I was there when Memphis Sound won their first world championship, as well as high brass, high percussion, best visual and GE. All during a season when we were not supposed to make it.

[Daave]

I would have given anything to have been in Centerville, OH in 2007...

From The Cavaliers' message boards... (July, 2007)

"As I sit here on the Forth of July remembering my day in the Dayton area this past Monday and our country remembers another birthday, one of the most wonderful traditions of the drum corps world comes to mind.

The other evening at the show in Centerville, OH, I was on the field getting ready to watch the encore that would be performed by the Cavaliers. The scores from DCI were about ready to be announced and the drum majors from all performing units were "front and center". The scores were announced and the the Cavaliers and Bluecoats hornlines were in arc to perform "America the Beautiful". The announcer invited the drum major of the Bluecoats to conduct while dismissing the other drum majors. One other drum major did not move. The Bluecoats Honor Guard came to the front for the song. The other drum major still did not budge. After the song was played and the announcer said over the PA, "And now all other drum majors are dismissed" and laughed. This drum major was unaffected and stood ground. Others did not get it, but then it hit me. Tradition. The Bluecoats Honor Guard finally started to leave the field, and the "other" drum major followed.

The "other" drum major was the young man from the Troopers following the honor and tradition of the respect of representing his corps and what his corps represents. If I remember correctly, the tradition is never walk in front of the colors when they are being presented, but to let them lead.

It's so nice to know that some things don't change, and probably never will!

It was my honor to witness this and would be proud to do so many more times!

Thank you Mark Crimm.

Bob Cannon

A Longtime Fan from the South"

http://www.drumcorpsplanet.com/forums/inde...01151&st=60

[IllianaLancerContra]

Heh...that's nothing unusual. For two years as a Top 12 DM, my pre-show ritual included going into the stadium while the corps warmed up to check out the entrance and exit gates. I'd visit the souvie stand, have a coke, then meet the corps at the gate to bring them in. In the meantime, I bet I'd sign a dozen autographs and have my picture taken every night.

I was there in 1985 when Spirit had to perform at a show at the Illinois State Fair. The field was marked off on the track used for horse shows and wasn't deep enough...there was a wall located at the back hash mark. I stood on the podium watching our guard crash into the wall as they were marching backwards in a blind set and they didn't know what was coming. It was scary, but also funny, because all of the corps had the same problem...the only thing was we were the only Top 12 corps there, so it didn't effect some of the smaller corps as much as it did us. My "podium" was a folding chair that we placed in the aisle of the grandstands. And, in my four years on the field, that show was the only show where we had to go through "inspection". And OMG...the retreat lasted for what seemed like two hours. Horrible!

I was there, again in '85, when it was mistakenly announced that SCV was the guard champion, making that moment one of the biggest blunders ever made during the announcement of scores and caption winners at DCI finals. And to think that DCI didn't want to announce the correction over the stadium PA system...

I was there when a dropped rifle or flag, or simply a toe over the front sideline could cost a corps a championship.

As a member of a smaller corps that also competed at those shows, I will say it was cool once to 'fill the field'. Most of our drill was confined to front 1/2 of [the normal football] field between the 25's, so it did not hurt us as much.

On a similar vein - I was there in Mommence IL where the field had no track, so the stands were about 10 feet from the front sideline. We were really able to get in the face of the audience there...

[84BDsop]

I was there at Pacific Precession in 1984 when we were entering the gate for retreat....doing the usual BD long-line...I think we stretched the interval to 6 or 8 steps.

The organizers were trying to hurry things along and tried to get one of the smaller corps (Valley Fever, I think) to go in before us...which would've made it necessarry to break our ranks.

The DM refused

The staffer ordered him to get moving.

The DM turned to his corps (which was standing loose), called them to attention....then IMMEDIATELY called them to parade rest....turns to the staffer and declares in a loud voice "I will NOT break ranks on the Blue Devils!"

God couldn't've moved him then....a great show of respect, not just for us, but for corps traditions.

[Slow Adam]

I would have given anything to have been in Centerville, OH in 2007...

and the the Cavaliers and Bluecoats hornlines were in arc to perform "America the Beautiful".

The field says JSU, and that's Spirit and BD in the arc