nick6063 Posted November 5, 2010 Share Posted November 5, 2010 (edited) My interest in Drum Corps started when I was very young. I attended my first junior corps show in 1955. "Cavalcade of Music" sponsered by Blesssed Sacrament Golden Knights at Newark School Stadium on Sunday, June 5, 1955. Corps in the show comprised of; St. Vincent's Cadets (88.65), Holy Name Cadets (87.10), Liberty Bell Cadets (86.00), St. Joseph's Cadets (85.70), Audubon All Girls (84.95}, West Reading Police Cadets (84.45) and St. Anne's Cadets (81. 20). Of course an exhibtion by The Golden Knights and The Squires was part of the program. I vividly rermenber this contest because it was my first M&M show. All the corps were very entertaining but the one corps I especially liked and sparked my commitment were the St. Joseph's Cadets. The music and horn line were fantastic and later on I found that Hy Dreitzer arranged the music and also was the instructor. By the way, I still have the program from that event. That is why I have the scores. So what corps sparked your interest? Edited November 5, 2010 by nick6063 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike_B Posted November 5, 2010 Share Posted November 5, 2010 (edited) My uncle JoJo (Gary Matczak's dad) and my brother got into the NE Shoreliners. My Dad & I used to travel around watching them. When I was in grade school, say early sixty's, I used to run home for lunch. My Dad would see me coming and put on the Skyliners record full blast. Been hooked ever since. Edited November 5, 2010 by Mike_B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomPeashey Posted November 5, 2010 Share Posted November 5, 2010 That's easy... it was EXPECTED of me... that I would be in drum corps at a very early age as was my big brother and then my little brother... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Matczak Posted November 5, 2010 Share Posted November 5, 2010 (edited) My uncle JoJo (Gary Matczak's dad) and my brother got into the NE Shoreliners. My Dad & I used to travel around watching them. When I was in grade school, say early sixty's, I used to run home for lunch. My Dad would see me coming and put on the Skyliners record full blast. Been hooked ever since. I actually sat on a blanket with my brothers and watched rehearsals (the rule was we couldn't leave the boundries of the blanket, or we would not be allowed to come to the next rehearsal),.................and are some of my earliest memories of life as a 2 or 3 year old,..................all downhill from there,....... Edited November 5, 2010 by Gary Matczak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cabstuba04 Posted November 5, 2010 Share Posted November 5, 2010 My Father...Tommy Ryan Hawthorne Caballeros 1949 -1966 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dom Posted November 5, 2010 Share Posted November 5, 2010 I grew up on 24th street in Union City across the street from Union City Roosevelt Stadium (not to be confused with Jersey City Roosevelt Stadium). Every July 4th there was a Jr. Drum Corps competition. I grew up wanting to be part of it. The Caballeros used to do the exhibition and I loved the whole thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocketman Posted November 5, 2010 Share Posted November 5, 2010 My dad, marching with the Pittsburgh Rockets (66-73), like Gary, we would go to just about every practice. It was awesome! I remember going to RCA Championships in 1971, seeing the Burlington Commanders and thinking, "There’s no way the Rockets will beat them!" What did I know? I was only 13 at the time. Finally after years of watching my dad & older brothers at practice, to have had the opportunity to march in '73 was a dream come true. Even if it was a down year, and technically, their last. If not for the failure of the Rockets, I would not have been exposed to "junior" corps, eventually march with Phantom Regiment, meet someone from Rockford that moved to California and got me a job there in '81, which eventually allowed me to march with the Kingsmen Alumni Corps ini 2007. So, you see, it's all good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camel lips Posted November 5, 2010 Share Posted November 5, 2010 Had to be going to my first DCI show in 75 and seeing the Madison Scouts. Its all been pretty much downhill from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commander71 Posted November 5, 2010 Share Posted November 5, 2010 My dad, marching with the Pittsburgh Rockets (66-73), like Gary, we would go to just about every practice. It was awesome! I remember going to RCA Championships in 1971, seeing the Burlington Commanders and thinking, "There’s no way the Rockets will beat them!" What did I know? I was only 13 at the time.Finally after years of watching my dad & older brothers at practice, to have had the opportunity to march in '73 was a dream come true. Even if it was a down year, and technically, their last. If not for the failure of the Rockets, I would not have been exposed to "junior" corps, eventually march with Phantom Regiment, meet someone from Rockford that moved to California and got me a job there in '81, which eventually allowed me to march with the Kingsmen Alumni Corps ini 2007. So, you see, it's all good. Ooooh I remember that show as a member of the Commanders! We too thought there was no way the Rockets were gonna beat us! Wake Up Call! The Rockets took us handily that night. Our DM and horn instructor Ted Key marched us through a residential neighborhood to where our busses were parked and we played all the way through the area after the show...It was funny to see the lights coming on in all the houses of this quiet Erie PA neighborhood. The Rockets (and Guelph Royalaires) were always the corps to beat for us. We did beat Rockets a little later at DCAs in 1971. But losing that night at RCA Championships was quite a wake-up for us. 1971 Rockets were a terrific corps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-Rott Posted November 5, 2010 Share Posted November 5, 2010 (edited) A very competitive high school marching band back in 1974 that used corps music for it's shows...and a band director who showed videos of those corps playing those tunes. My first live show was when I was with PAL in 1975....I marched before I ever watched corps live.. Our band's music: 1974: OFL - Muchachos 1973 YPG - Santa Clara 1973 Concert - Bridgemen 1973 Exit - Commodores - 1973 1975: OFT - Muchachos 1974 Symphonie Fantastique - Kingsmen 1974 Concert - Kingmen 1974 Exit - Kilties 1974 We went undefeated both years... Oh...and our unforms were the same as the Finleyville Royal Crusaders from 1975... It's almost like I didn't have a choice... Edited November 5, 2010 by G-Rott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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