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Most obscure corps you ever saw/competed against


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Absolutely right, Puppet. 'Obscure' is a relative and potentially ambiguous term, depending on one's location. Besides short lifetimes for a few of them, limited finances and other circumstances kept many of these quality groups 'confined' to a relatively small region. To us in the NY and LI area, these corps were very well-known names, but to people in other parts of the country, they were pretty obscure. A small handful of local corps went to national contests when they could afford to, gaining some recognition outside of their region, but most had to be content with local success.

Thank you, John. Just one of the myriad reasons I try to put an historical (and yes, sometimes personal) perspective on the topics provided on this - now that I've found it - and on the DCI side as well. I'm passionate about the era in which I marched. In the 10 years my corps' marched, we went pretty high, pretty fast. Our Director's decision not to fall prey (his words) to DCI was one we didn't take lightly but we always hung together, but that's another topic I've been pondering: "What Makes My Corps My Corps." Been thinking about that one for a few days. Can't wait to see what I come up with.

Just remember, no matter what era and be it DCA or DCI, alum or Seniors (with perhaps narration, the dance routines and perhaps the people standing on elevated platforms) I really am a fan. I think my blood type is probably DC positive.

Puppet

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How about these for obscure; 76 Drum & Bugle Corps, 76 Drum Corps MiniCorps, Blue Bird Cadets Tribute Corps, Commodores MiniCorps, Queen City Royalairs MiniCorps, Shenandoah MiniCorps or Vanguard MiniCorps. Corpsreps doesn't even know from what state these corps come!

Robert

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Actually Kate, they were an all-girl corps from Port Clinton, Ohio - near Sandusky.

They used to run a really good show each year just prior to the U.S. Open in Marion, catching some of the eastern corps on their way to Marion. Nice little show right on the shores of Lake Erie. Only one problem... There were more mosquitos per square inch than at any other show I ever attended.

LMAO, as I have ridden thru that area as had an uncle and aunt living in Fremont, OH. Didn't realize I was going thru such a famous area as only saw the name "Port Clinton" on the side of a building.

Fremont, OH is very famous, home of President Rutherford B Hayes. Probably the only time ol' Rutherfraud got mentoined in the last ten years was the "hanging chad" election in 2000.

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Puppet said:

"Many of the above were not so obscure, they just weren't around for a long time. In the mid sixties for instance, The Babylon Islanders practically owned The Long Island Circuit."

Absolutely right, Puppet. 'Obscure' is a relative and potentially ambiguous term, depending on one's location. Besides short lifetimes for a few of them, limited finances and other circumstances kept many of these quality groups 'confined' to a relatively small region. To us in the NY and LI area, these corps were very well-known names, but to people in other parts of the country, they were pretty obscure. A small handful of local corps went to national contests when they could afford to, gaining some recognition outside of their region, but most had to be content with local success.

As the OP I'd say that Puppet and John pretty much nailed it even if I hadn't thought of it as deeply as they have. When my corps was rebuilding we were in the Red Carpet Association (RCA) which was the Senoir circuit for the "not ready for DCA corps" (ripoff of SNLs "not ready for prime time players"). As a result I got to see and enjoy some corps that very few people even heard of. Just a #### shame that these corps are barely remembered anymore.

Probaby my favorite show from these corps was 1976 Hershey Chocolateers. Much as the name sounds make up, the corps actually existed off and on for 50+ years. 1976 they played and marched very dirty (even their DM admitted it) and only beat one corps all year. But saw their show about 6-8 times that year and came to enjoy it.

Edited by JimF-3rdBari
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LMAO, as I have ridden thru that area as had an uncle and aunt living in Fremont, OH. Didn't realize I was going thru such a famous area as only saw the name "Port Clinton" on the side of a building.

Fremont, OH is very famous, home of President Rutherford B Hayes. Probably the only time ol' Rutherfraud got mentoined in the last ten years was the "hanging chad" election in 2000.

Mom lived in Freemont, Port Clinton and Oak Harbor for about 20 years or so.................back when Thunderbirds Alumni first started up in 91, we got a bunch of horns from the area up there that my step-dad scored...............they were mostly brass R/Vs so I suspect they were from the Demons, but there were a few chrome horns in the bunch that were likely from the girls in Port Clinton,...............

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Mom lived in Freemont, Port Clinton and Oak Harbor for about 20 years or so.................back when Thunderbirds Alumni first started up in 91, we got a bunch of horns from the area up there that my step-dad scored...............they were mostly brass R/Vs so I suspect they were from the Demons, but there were a few chrome horns in the bunch that were likely from the girls in Port Clinton,...............

LOL, then I guess you know Ohio is pretty flat Gary... :thumbup:

Uncle and Aunt moved from the mountains of Bloomsburg, PA to flat ###ed western Ohio after Hurricane Agnes wiped out where he worked in 1972. He never noticed the flatness until one windy winter morning they woke up and wondered why the bedroom was so dark. Then they went outside and saw the snow had drifted to the eves of the back of the house. :whistle: Kept hearing "You know Ohio's pretty flat" off and on for the next couple of years. :thumbup:

Come to think of it we read the Toledo (Blade?) Sunday at their house. And went thru Port Clinton on the way to Put In Bay(sp). Looking thru Nancis DC History blog and keep running into mentions of Vacationland Girls and Demons... jeez they don't seem so obscure anymore.

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Any of the All Star Drum Corps, especially the 92 All Stars in the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade... because I was in it.

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The Burdett Golden Zippers ... may have been another Fresno Ferns type Creation.

The Ferns may be labeled elusive, but they are hardly obscure. The legend has persisted for a full forty years now. Their exploits have been related to wide-eyed junior corps rookies in the back of tour busses and in darkened gymnasiums for many summers. Their programs have been dissected at many a senior corps post-contest soiree.

And with the rapid growth of the alumni corps activity, we might soon witness a resurgence of the Green and Gold with a touch of silver. Keep your eyes open and your ears up.

Edited by HornsUp
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At the 1994 DCA opener in Wilkes Barre PA a corps named the Mainliners competed. I watched their show from the top of the stands sitting next to the GE brass judge. The snare drummers had their music taped to their drum heads. Their music was an original piece called "Earth" by I believe their horn instructor After their performance, the judge asked me what positive comment I thought he could add to his sheet. After some thought, I said "they didn't fall a lot". We wondered if their name had something to do with trains or something they did. Anyways, I never saw them again.

Gary

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Upstate Ny Corps....central and Western NY never heard of many of the corps from Greater NY until we saw some of them at states, and I am sure that it was the same for them. Corps like the CMCC Warriors, Wynn Center Toppers, Carter Cadets et al...would show up at state contests and we would go "holy crap, who are they?" Those corps could blow the horns, played Drietzer or Bunce charts and were pretty scary. To this day I will never forget "To Sir with Love" played by Carter in circa 1966 or Shaft by CMCC in the early 70's. Had to have been Dreitzer charts...They also had these weird looking euphoniums that they carried on their shoulders. We knew about Selden, Lorretto, St Catherines, Patrons and Kingsmen but some of these other "obscure" corps could plain out BLOW!!! Those were the days my friend. State contests had prelims and finals. Senior division would have close to 10 corps to make 5 for finals, and the junior prelims would have many more than that...up to 30-40 corps to make 5 spots. Interstatesmen, Albion Grenadiers, Hamburg Kingsmen, Dunkirk Patriots besides the big corps like Sky, Sun, Cru...

I never knew that were corps from Long Island except the Sunrisers and St. Iggy's. I had heard of the Oceanside Legionaires and Lindenaires. But when I spent some on the Island teaching marching bands, it came to light that there MANY more than just those corps.

BTW Kenny, The Blousemen have been around ALMOST as long as the Fresno group. While you may be able to trace the Ferns to the 70's, The Blouse has been around since the early 80's at least. It still works on the young ones from Pioneer just fine.

Donny

Edited by donnymusic
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