The history of the Westshoremen

[Jeff Ream]

Was Dan working with them at that point? Or was he out in Ohio by then? (Not sure of the timeline)

in 91 he was full time us. 3 of those Xmen kids were with us in 87-89 years...and 2 came back after aging out, then 3 others came ot us when they aged out of Xmen

[Jaminbenb]

in 91 he was full time us. 3 of those Xmen kids were with us in 87-89 years...and 2 came back after aging out, then 3 others came ot us when they aged out of Xmen

Ok...that was in my "I'm really f*****G retired mode" period...I walked away from the activity entirely not long after the 89-90 band seasons. In fact I think my only "teaching" activity AFTER that time was wandering over to an LD rehearsal (to see Brian) and Tommy T had me write a two bar drum break for something he changed! When Brian got there, he said he'd probably change it to something better....I heard he never did!

1989 I taught Cedar Cliff, and hung out with Dane Hildebrand constantly (he got all these comped DCI tickets for the semi-local shows and we used to pack up a cooler and go down after work!) That was my LAST year teaching full time!

I forget exactly ( it was 20 #### years ago GEEZ!) but someone, somewhere really pi$$ed me off ,and I decided I was retiring from teaching! (Although there was a short time frame where I wanted to march just ONE MORE YEAR, but it never really happened!)

Btw...get any Rush tickets?

Edited May 5, 2010 by Jaminbenb

[Jeff Ream]

yeah i got Philly tix for Rush.

and Dane is now the middle school director at Mechanicsburg...i think Templin wore him down after 10 years

[buzzgok]

Ok, shut down a computer for a few days to move and all this awesome stuff is posted. It was really great to catch up with who is where although I was hoping Chumley, (sorry, old habits die hard!!) would be able to update Boltzie's where abouts. Last time I saw him, he was hanging around the Hummelstown fire company. Have no clue how many years ago that was, but I do know it was after he was divorced.

The funniest thing about the firework story, is anyone who knows Chumley can just picture him doing that and all the reactions especially Rook's. Side story about Rook. In 1983, we were staying at the Ramada Inn for finals in Allentown. Jeff Wilt and I were walking in one direction and Rook was walking towards us smoking a cigarette. He made the comment, "I wonder what would happen if you blow cigarette smoke into a smoke detector?" He then took a long drag from his cigarette and blew all the smoke directly into the smoke detector. Jeff, Rook and I just looked at each other and then Rook said, "I guess nothing" since nothing happened. Jeff and I then kept heading towards the front of the hotel and Rook headed for where ever he was going. We got maybe twenty feet away from the detector when everything went to h*ll. I swear, every alarm in the hotel went off, they were all loud and obnoxious (kinda like us after a show) and here comes this tubby little manager, carrying a fire extinguisher as tall as he was, huffing and puffing trying to find out where the fire was. When he found out it was a false alarm, he started to ask Jeff and I questions. We told him that we saw a couple of black jackets with blue lettering heading out the door quickly just before the alarms went off. Of course we were going to blame the other corps that was staying in the other half of the hotel.

I also remember coming down 11-15 from New York in 1981 and we stopped at a rest area. I don't remember why we stopped there, but I do remember a few of the guys walking with something behind their back towards the bus. Come to find out it was a sign from the rest area. When we got to Harrisburg later on, the sign was nowhere to be found. Still have no idea how that sign disappeared.

[hairbear]

I am seriously enjoying these stories! keep it up! By the way Ben: Midland PA..... a depressing little town void of any young people, the main street businesses boarded up, a Skeleton of an old steel mill, some foul odor(s), but all those little brick homes with manicured lawns that the Mill's retirees live in, just "waiting on God".

I did shows there with OhioBrass, Steel City and Erie T-Birds... a three corps ICA contest... and the stands FULL of oldsters...

I just didn't remember seeing any kids, or LOTS of kids...

Yeah..... a sad "Armpit" alright!

[BigW]

Midland was very important for the corps- I think we won our first DCA contest ever there in '79. I think I'm correct on that- Right, guys?

[Jeff Ream]

I think you are right!!

[BigW]

Thanks, Jeff- yeah- '79 was a real up and down thing. DCA evidently felt that they needed a lot of different winners during the season to get the fans excited, and I would think show people that they had several good corps that were good to watch.

That's how we ended up at Midland paired up with Rochester, and they did try very hard to win there as well. It was before they really started serously getting personnel and making program chages wholesale, so we did win, and it ws a big deal for the corps' morale and for our confidence. We were happy coming in second to Reading all the time- believe me- that was also a big improvement for us- but the win was fun- getting to do the victory play-through, etc. it was good to feel like we could win some of the time!

And yeah- Midland was dying at the time. Dad actually worked for Crucible Steel as a young fellow for awhile, which was that big deserted steel plant a lot of us are talking about. It used to be a nice little mill town- much like Ambridge, Aliquippa, many of the small towns out there along the river. I'll have to ask him- I know he worked on parts of the Fort Pitt Bridge when it was built, and I'll have to see if that was at Crucible. HB will know exactly what I'm talking about there.

And once the Crusaders got the ball rolling that was how they managed to get us in part at Bucknell, which again- really had a lot of us frustrated. I promise to get back to how Truman really said the right stuff at the right time to us, especially a lot of us noobs who were still learning stuff every day, but its 120 AM. And to be honest, and not being a soft soaper- I do have a ton of respect for Truman in every way possible, so when I talk about this, I want to actually do a good job on it. He deserves at least that out of me, huh!?

[JimF-LowBari]

The funniest thing about the firework story, is anyone who knows Chumley can just picture him doing that and all the reactions especially Rook's.

I was reading it at work and had to jam my hand over my mouth to keep from laughing out loud. I could just PICTURE the whole thing in my mind. Funnier since we stopped at that place on the way back from NY a year or so ago.

Hershman must have learned to have his back to the window so he could do a Sgt Shultz ("I see Nut'ing). Speaking of that .... was the Phillipsburg, NJ McDonalds flag in 78 or 79? Have posted it a few times, If 78 will post again if requested. If 79 maybe BigW has a new perspective.

Midland... so many RCA shows in crap areas I couldn't remember which circuit that was.

Edited May 6, 2010 by JimF-LowBari

[hairbear]

I was reading it at work and had to jam my hand over my mouth to keep from laughing out loud. I could just PICTURE the whole thing in my mind. Funnier since we stopped at that place on the way back from NY a year or so ago.

Hershman must have learned to have his back to the window so he could do a Sgt Shultz ("I see Nut'ing). Speaking of that .... was the Phillipsburg, NJ McDonalds flag in 78 or 79? Have posted it a few times, If 78 will post again if requested. If 79 maybe BigW has a new perspective.

Midland... so many RCA shows in crap areas I couldn't remember which circuit that was.

Midland was ICA from 80 to 83.. Maybe they had some RCA shows too, prior to 1980.. I didn't know they had a DCA show there .... learning ALOT here!

Yep... I'll be crossing that Fort Pitt bridge tomorrow around noon! Heading to my good Buddy John Gruphofer's house in Monroeville! Going to do the "retired guys grill out thing" then going down town Pixburgh to hear Joey Pero play at "Little E's" jazz club! Gonna be quite a few Steel City people in attendance!