Shout out to the 1977 Garfield Cadets

[BRASSO]

My experiences with the corps may only date back to 1980, but my recollections agree with SuperSaderFan...in fact, the corps actually had rules against things like smoking, eating, and swearing in uniform, which I thought was pretty cool. I was from rural Maine, not the inner city, and when I joined I was immediately embraced by the members and made to feel like family. I made great friends with guys from Dorchester, Milton, Medford, Norwood, and Southie. Yes, the organization was nowhere near what it is today, but those kids had heart (as do today's members), and that is why I still support the corps now, 34 years later.

I'm quite familiar with the Boston Crusaders, both Junior and Seniors, having spent considerable time there in both the late 60's, and then marching again in the early 90's ( also we spent time marching together in the 26th Yankee Div. Drum & Bugle Corps in the mid 70's ). The 60's Boston Crusaders were unlike the 70's Boston Crusaders, just like the current 2000's are unlike the previous decades Boston Crusaders. Both former BAC alums above are describing their own personal experiences that for them was a personal remembrance of how it was at their moment in time. Keep in mind that The Cadets of today are different than the 50's Holy Name Cadets, as well as the Garfield Cadets of ( for example ) 1977. That said, there is a common core of survivability against all odds that keeps these remaining Corps whose heritage goes back over half a century alive. Scores and placements are exceeedingly important to these groups, but it has never been allowed to define them. This was true as much in 1960, as it was in 1980, 1990, 2013. There have been lots of Corps over the years that placed scores and placements as all encompassing. Such Corps would rise to the top or near the top for a few years but when their placements went down in succeeding years, things quickly fell apart, and they'd become extinct. Boston in fact did have period of time ( 70's )when its young marching members pretty much ran the Corps almost entirely themselves just to keep it going.( ask former BAC Director George Bevilaqua about that period just before he came in ). They have also had a period of time ( 60's ) when then BAC Corps Director Joe Dowling ran a tight ship, and you only sneezed when he gave you permission to sneeze. If you had alcohol on your breath at practice with brass instructor Ed Denon in the 60's ( and later with the Sr's in the early 90's ), you would be close to receiving bodily harm from big Ed.... so it all depended on the times with BAC. Boston has a rich history of both the good, the bad, and the ugly. But the one constant throughout it all,... at all times ( from the 40's to now )... was the unshakeable belief that next week, next month, next year, will be better for the Boston Crusaders than today. And if it turns out that it wasn't.. well.. we'll bust our ###, as theres always tomorrow for us or for those that follow.

Edited January 15, 2014 by BRASSO

[rayfallon]

I'm quite familiar with the Boston Crusaders, both Junior and Seniors, having spent considerable time there in both the late 60's, and then marching again in the early 90's ( also we spent time marching together in the 26th Yankee Div. Drum & Bugle Corps in the mid 70's ). The 60's Boston Crusaders were unlike the 70's Boston Crusaders, just like the current 2000's are unlike the previous decades Boston Crusaders. Both former BAC alums above are describing their own personal experiences that for them was a personal remembrance of how it was at their moment in time. Keep in mind that The Cadets of today are different than the 50's Holy Name Cadets, as well as the Garfield Cadets of ( for example ) 1977. That said, there is a common core of survivability against all odds that keeps these remaining Corps whose heritage goes back over half a century alive. Scores and placements are exceeedingly important to these groups, but it has never been allowed to define them. This was true as much in 1960, as it was in 1980, 1990, 2013. There have been lots of Corps over the years that placed scores and placements as all encompassing. Such Corps would rise to the top or near the top for a few years but when their placements went down in succeeding years, things quickly fell apart, and they'd become extinct. Boston in fact did have period of time ( 70's )when its young marching members pretty much ran the Corps almost entirely themselves just to keep it going.( ask former BAC Director George Bevilaqua about that period just before he came in ). They have also had a period of time ( 60's ) when then BAC Corps Director Joe Dowling ran a tight ship, and you only sneezed when he gave you permission to sneeze. If you had alcohol on your breath at practice with brass instructor Ed Denon in the 60's ( and later with the Sr's in the early 90's ), you would be close to receiving bodily harm from big Ed.... so it all depended on the times with BAC. Boston has a rich history of both the good, the bad, and the ugly. But the one constant throughout it all,... at all times ( from the 40's to now )... was the unshakeable belief that next week, next month, next year, will be better for the Boston Crusaders than today. And if it turns out that it wasn't.. well.. we'll bust our ###, as theres always tomorrow for us or for those that follow.

Oh man you just reminded me of an Ed moment - I was doing the brass for the DCI CRU in 1994 and was asked to come over with some kids to a Senior Cru rehearsal at the old post (since razed) in Lower Mills. I'm sitting in playing baritone and pretty relaxed and someone in the line spoke louder than the baseline that Ed tolerated and he virtually exploded. I was transported back to my old John Sasso days of boot camp rehearsals. I sat there like a good boy and played my baritone for the rest of the night - no chatting.

Ed was an amazing man, inspired so many kids to do so much with music - and I have the feeling that where he is now his voice is occasionally mistaken for that of God - cause if the Almighty has a Boston accent I'm guessing he sounds a lot like Ed.

[fastbreak]

I have really enjoyed the stories being told here about Garfield and the bits about the Crusaders. I am going to add on to the pile with stories involving both corps. In 1977, we the Marquis from Fond du lac, WI, housed in Denver with both Boston and Garfield in dorms at Denver University during DCI and Legion Nationals. It was the best week or so of the year being around two corps that oozed attitude and pride.

We shared the practice fields and areas for practice. When we had the chance we listened to their rehearsals and the way they practiced. I remember the full ensemble by Boston in the courtyard one evening. “Celebration Suite” played quickly was the best.

We had local visitors one night that came into the dorm and was going floor to floor doing who knows what, but the word spread quickly with the locals being confronted by 40 or so guys from all 3 corps. The locals made a good decision and left quietly.

I can’t leave until I mention American Legion Prelims in Denver. They were held in Golden, right down the river from the Coors Brewery at the Colorado School of Mines. You would think that engineers would build a soccer/football field that actually drained after it rained. Mud about around the ankles if not higher. One member lost a shoe in the mud during that prelim show. Going back to the parking lot there was a corps, can’t remember who, going the opposite direction to march their show with white or cream wool pants. The look on some of their faces when the saw the mud on us was unforgettable. We just smiled and said good luck.

37-year-old memories, but still fun to think about.

[BRASSO]

Ed was an amazing man, inspired so many kids to do so much with music - and I have the feeling that where he is now his voice is occasionally mistaken for that of God - cause if the Almighty has a Boston accent I'm guessing he sounds a lot like Ed.

Yes,.. indeed.

[Bsader]

SuperSaderFan it appears that neural Darwinism has diminished the overall volume of your hippocampus. It was a well crafted response and I'm sure all the good seeds will get in lock step in a well orchestrated echoed response. Thanks for the clarification of what never happened.

Edited January 23, 2014 by Bsader

[Bsader]

To Clarify. When I spoke of '78 Boston's fondness for alcohol and illicit drugs I would like it to be known that this was never a practice before a rehearsal and certainly never before a show. Anyone engaging in this behavior would have been punished as we were taught Crusader's were punished during the '60's. They would have been sucker punched. Did I really write practice before a rehearsal? This statement should not be seen as being in conflict with my above response to SuperSaderFan.

Edited January 23, 2014 by Bsader