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General Butler Vagabonds


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Reese - Fort Edward... works for me - Eddie where are you?

YUP, Fort Edward. There was a time during that era where also know as the Troy Defenders, I think. Don't ask me how that worked, maybe somebody else knows.

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YUP, Fort Edward. There was a time during that era where also know as the Troy Defenders, I think. Don't ask me how that worked, maybe somebody else knows.

Anyone know what the "Vagabonds" looked like in 1984? Saw a pic of Troy Defenders while back and realized they had Westshoremens old unis (least looked like it).

LOL, I was in 1984 Prelims and heard the scores for the corps that missed Finals. Can't remember what name "that corps" was called.

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  • 3 weeks later...
No - it was the Fort Edward, NY, Vagabonds that competed in DCA in '84 and '85. General Butler Vagabonds competed as a junior corps in those same years.

Yes, the above post is correct. I saw that at corps reps a few years back and did a double take. I marched 83 & 84 and was on staff in 85. The General Butler Vagabonds did not compete in DCA during the 83-85 period. We were strictly a DCI corps. In the scores, there was confusion with the Fort Edward Vagabonds-I think since we were the relatively better known "Vagabonds" people assumed that it was us at these DCA shows. Plus, I believe that our director (Big A-Andy Yaracs) was having trouble with DCI via scheduling the American International Open. So I wouldn't be surprised that there were rumors of us leaving DCI or making a DCA appearance. In fact, the last time the American International Open was held it was a DCA event.

As far as I know, GBV fielded (DCI) from 72 thru 81 with 75 being the highest placed year with a 23rd placement. In 1982, the corps did not field, and rebuilt. We fielded mainly (DCI) class A 83-85. In 86, the corps musical director left, and many of the vets went to BAC, also, Bridgemen, Star, Phanton and Bluecoats. The Steel City Ambassadors also got several of our veterans. In the years 1986-1996 GBV did parades only. Between 1996-2000 the corps fielded in DCI division III led by new director, Dave Campbell. The board of directors decided to not field a DCI corps in 2001. The membership then dispersed as had happened in 1986. The corps has not fielded since and continues (as Jeff mentions) as a small parade unit in Western PA. Another post about Nightstorm was true in that it consisted of GBV vets and others and was sponsored by the GBV financial organization.

Edited by pearlsnaredrummer77
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there is an easy explanation. In those years, I was busy judging DCA. Those records were compiled by the late great H. Worth Ake. Unfortunately, there were a number of errors... I can see how easy it would have been to "assume" it was GBV. It's fixed...

.xls of the historical championship scores available on the new web site http://www.dcacorp.org click on scores

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there is an easy explanation. In those years, I was busy judging DCA. Those records were compiled by the late great H. Worth Ake. Unfortunately, there were a number of errors... I can see how easy it would have been to "assume" it was GBV. It's fixed...

.xls of the historical championship scores available on the new web site http://www.dcacorp.org click on scores

Yeah, it would be an easy error to make. Alot of different Vagabonds. Plus, at corpsreps, there is a senior and junior corps listed. Sometimes local folks referred to the DCI junior corps as 'senior' and the Vagabond Cadets (mainly 12 and under) as 'junior.' That only adds to the confusion.

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Yeah, it would be an easy error to make. Alot of different Vagabonds. Plus, at corpsreps, there is a senior and junior corps listed. Sometimes local folks referred to the DCI junior corps as 'senior' and the Vagabond Cadets (mainly 12 and under) as 'junior.' That only adds to the confusion.

..............when thinking about this during my original post, I do seem to remember GBV busses at DCA,............is it possible Steel City used their transportation for Finals in those days?

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Yes, the above post is correct. I saw that at corps reps a few years back and did a double take. I marched 83 & 84 and was on staff in 85. The General Butler Vagabonds did not compete in DCA during the 83-85 period. We were strictly a DCI corps. In the scores, there was confusion with the Fort Edward Vagabonds-I think since we were the relatively better known "Vagabonds" people assumed that it was us at these DCA shows. Plus, I believe that our director (Big A-Andy Yaracs) was having trouble with DCI via scheduling the American International Open. So I wouldn't be surprised that there were rumors of us leaving DCI or making a DCA appearance. In fact, the last time the American International Open was held it was a DCA event.

As far as I know, GBV fielded (DCI) from 72 thru 81 with 75 being the highest placed year with a 23rd placement. In 1982, the corps did not field, and rebuilt. We fielded mainly (DCI) class A 83-85. In 86, the corps musical director left, and many of the vets went to BAC, also, Bridgemen, Star, Phanton and Bluecoats. The Steel City Ambassadors also got several of our veterans. In the years 1986-1996 GBV did parades only. Between 1996-2000 the corps fielded in DCI division III led by new director, Dave Campbell. The board of directors decided to not field a DCI corps in 2001. The membership then dispersed as had happened in 1986. The corps has not fielded since and continues (as Jeff mentions) as a small parade unit in Western PA. Another post about Nightstorm was true in that it consisted of GBV vets and others and was sponsored by the GBV financial organization.

Thanks for the info, much appreciated.

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..............when thinking about this during my original post, I do seem to remember GBV busses at DCA,............is it possible Steel City used their transportation for Finals in those days?

If they ever did, it was prior to 1985. I really can't see Andy Yaracs loaning Steel City anything. He always has wanted his own Sr. Corps in Butler. I have been told that in Steel's first few years, there was quite alot of folks making the trip to Pittsburgh from Butler. They would meet up and carpool. By the time I joined in '85, we were down to just a handful, never more than a carload. By the way, there would have been alot more traveling from Butler in those early days, but several moved to the Pittsburgh area, including Curt Hawkins.

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..............when thinking about this during my original post, I do seem to remember GBV busses at DCA,............is it possible Steel City used their transportation for Finals in those days?

I doubt it for some of the reasons Rabbit mentioned. The busses were (when we weren't on tour) used as sort of a Butler transportation system-particularly to bring folks to bingo. So I can't see Big A loaning the busses to Steel.

Another reason why it couldn't have been us at DCA was that Big A had made agreements with local band directors that none of us would miss a day of band camp. That's one of the reasons we didn't go to DCI in 1984 & 85. So I seriously doubt that we would have gone to DCA as a corps even to watch.

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