drumlaw80 Posted September 17, 2010 Share Posted September 17, 2010 This is very sad. George Parks was one of the most enthusiastic, intense and inspiring people I have ever met. I learned a lot from him in the 1983 Buccaneers, and I consider myself fortunate to have been able to march with him and see him perform. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eploskunyak Posted September 17, 2010 Share Posted September 17, 2010 Our condolences to George's immediate family and his Buccaneer and UMASS friends. Many of our Park City Pride Alumni Corps members knew and competed against him. Truly a sad day and a great loss for marching arts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomPeashey Posted September 17, 2010 Share Posted September 17, 2010 DCA pays tribute to World Drum Corps Hall of Famer - George Parks www.dcacorps.org Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomMoore Posted September 17, 2010 Share Posted September 17, 2010 (edited) and in 2005, before the Bucs began the victory run, when he saluted his student, and the man who brought home a title on the box for the first time since George stepped down, Josh Decker. and Josh saluted back. This. That day was an emotional roller coaster for many of us in the corps. We knew we were on the verge of delivering a special performance at a special moment in the corps' history so rehearsal that day, especially ensemble, was particularly emotional. What made it moreso was that George was there for the first time in a long time and was up on the cherry-picker with the staff. It was easy to see that he was emotionally affected by what we were doing and how we were doing it, and it made the day all the more dramatic and meaningful. He gave us one of his famous pep talks at some point that day and while I don't remember a single word he said six years later, I do remember the power, emotion and pride in his voice and how we all felt as he was talking. Words can't really describe what that was like. After we performed I knew we delivered a fantastic performance and made an impact on the crowd, and I know from others sitting with alumni that George took in every moment of that 11-minute performance like a kid in a candy store. At times a crying kid in a candy store. Probably during Adagio for Strings. After scores were announced I didn't react emotionally to the performance or our win. I just stood there and grinned. Didn't talk much (for me that's something!) and didn't get emotional until this moment that Jeff mentioned. There was a sea of people on the field and a lot of fans in the lower deck of the stadium. By random luck I saw George in the crowd saluting and then saw that he was saluting Josh. And that's when I lost it. And then it seemed like a game of chicken, because neither seemed to want to be the first to drop the salute. I think Josh did because he had some conducting to do. It's one of my most vivid memories of my entire drum corps experience and I'm so glad it's connected to both George and Josh. Thanks, Jeff, for posting about it. Edited September 17, 2010 by TomMoore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomMoore Posted September 17, 2010 Share Posted September 17, 2010 DCA pays tribute to World Drum Corps Hall of Famer - George Parkswww.dcacorps.org Beautiful words, Tom. Thank you so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy T-Bird Posted September 17, 2010 Share Posted September 17, 2010 One of a kind. After George, they broke the mold. Condolences to the Parks family, the Buccaneers, UMASS and the entire community whom this great man touched. R.I.P. Mr. Parks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K2SMA Posted September 17, 2010 Share Posted September 17, 2010 Words are not coming easily. My fondest memories of George: As a guest on the telecast of DCA Championship Finals in Allentown in 1977... Jumping onto the judges table at end of the Bucs 1981 Finals performance in Philadelphia (much to the chagrin and alarm of Mickey Petrone standing nearby!)... George and his mom being locked out of their car at the Dunkin' Donuts following the Carlisle contest in 1983(?)... Yes, as said by a previous poster, that drum corps in the sky is getting WAY too talented. On behalf of the Music City Legend Family, we fondly remember George and wish peace to the Parks, UMass, and Buccaneer families in remembering all the inspiration and memories he gave them and us. Rest in Peace, George Parks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cabsleadbari79 Posted September 17, 2010 Share Posted September 17, 2010 It is a sad day indeed; there is nothing more that can be said about George than what has been said already. He was a true gentleman, a great performer and a fearer’s competitor; I remember his last performance with the Bucs like it was yesterday. 1987 DCA’s standstill performance because the finals had been rained out. The Corps was on the track, it is raining buckets the field is just one big mud hole and George put on a display of mace handing mixed with tumbling in the mud that I will remember for the rest of my life. As a competitor you always wanted to see him drop his mace, but he very rarely did, all you could do was watch in amazement how the crowd reacted and in turn how the corps responded to his direction. He was always a class act, even when our very one Jimmy Russo and Lou Storke retired from the competing corps George was at finals to wish them both well. My condolences to the Parks family, as well as the Umass & Reading family. RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FPonzo Posted September 17, 2010 Share Posted September 17, 2010 http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/201..._band_dire.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knightsbari Posted September 17, 2010 Share Posted September 17, 2010 For anyone interested in joining and sharing ... a group started on facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/UMass-Amhers...154042671284344 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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