Pgh Guy2 Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 (edited) I started in drumcorps in 1957 with a small firemans corps outside the Pittsburgh area in the community of North Bessemer.... Graduated to the Vern Acklin Cavaliers in 1960...Pittsburgh Rockets in 1977 and the Steel City Ambassadors in 1980...I still play baritone with Steel City today... I have also played with NY Skyliners, Baltimore Yankee Rebels, Reading Bucs, Atlanta CorpVets, Erie Thunderbirds, Mon Valley Express, Allegheny Monarchs and wintered with the Rochester Crusaders...I celebrated my 50th year anniversary in drumcorps with the Erie T-Birds who were celebrating their 50 year as a drumcorps.... It's a passion you don't want to lose and everyone involved in the activity are winners... Pgh Guy Bari 2 Extraordinaire John G Edited March 8, 2012 by Pgh Guy2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Priester Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 "Staten Island Memories": THANKS for a GREAT history lesson. I remember drum corps shows on the "Island" from back in the 1960's and in particular the olde T-Birds individuals contest. Some INCREDIBLE moments at that one, and not all of them having to do with the contest. I remembr Richie Waga from the olde PAL Cadets and Andy Lisko marched with both "City" corps (Cadets and Buccaneers) "Back in the Day" Joe Genero taught us for three years and was followed by none other than Hy Drietzer in the "Arranger" job. Thanks again. Elphaba WWW Ah, yes, the old "Metropolitan Championships" held at Cichon Post. For 3 years it was quite the event, which usually ran from 6PM on Saturday until 6AM on Sunday morning! Attracted competitors from all over the area and the mid-west too. Do you think that the legal drinking age in NY was 18 at the time had anything to do with its success??? BTW, watch for the resurrection of the Metropolitan Championships at some future date. Not the 12 hour duration, but the name. Ray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elphaba01 Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 Ah, yes, the old "Metropolitan Championships" held at Cichon Post. For 3 years it was quite the event, which usually ran from 6PM on Saturday until 6AM on Sunday morning! Attracted competitors from all over the area and the mid-west too. Do you think that the legal drinking age in NY was 18 at the time had anything to do with its success??? BTW, watch for the resurrection of the Metropolitan Championships at some future date. Not the 12 hour duration, but the name. Ray "Eighteen was Really Keen": You didn't have to have a "Beer Call" at NY "Inndie" shows "Back in the Day", but YES!!!!!: The 18 year old "Requirement" DID draw more than a few entrants from out of the area. One of the zanier alchohol fueled entrants to the T-Birds show was a "Drum Quartet" composed of four horn players with not a rudiement between them. Needless to say disqualification soon followed their "Performance"... Ah, to be "Eighteen Again" and at the T-Birds Legion Post...... Elphaba WWW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LegalEagle50 Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 1991. Which explains why I never felt I fit in with alumni. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajlisko Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 "Eighteen was Really Keen": You didn't have to have a "Beer Call" at NY "Inndie" shows "Back in the Day", but YES!!!!!: The 18 year old "Requirement" DID draw more than a few entrants from out of the area. One of the zanier alchohol fueled entrants to the T-Birds show was a "Drum Quartet" composed of four horn players with not a rudiement between them. Needless to say disqualification soon followed their "Performance"... Ah, to be "Eighteen Again" and at the T-Birds Legion Post...... Elphaba WWW Wow Elphie ... that's some memory ... I believe it was some St. Pat's horn players and other "Jersey Boys" that donned some sports coats and drums in 1964 and sauntered onto the stage (a bit tipsy as I recall) ... when they started "drumming" they were swiftly escorted off the stage to a resounding applause ... I remember Danny Raymond judging the final show there with the Hurcs and Bpt. PAL sweeping all the drum categories ... scores were announced about 4:00am that year ... I think the 6:00am finish was in 65 ... OH MY!!! :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
royal-air canada Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 (edited) My drum and bugle corps career started out in 1961 with the Delta Thunderbirds Junior Drum and Bugle Corps from Stockton, California.. The rest of my drum corps career is listed in my signature. Currently I am the bugler called on to play "Tap" for the Santa Maria, California Valley Veterans Honor Guard at local military funerals. We perform at about 125 military funerals a year average. My father had played in the Joseph P. Westnedge (SP) Post of the American Legions senior drum and bugle corps from Kalamazoo, Michigan back in the mid 1950's. (Does anyone remember them?) Edited March 8, 2012 by royal-air canada Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lp1955 Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 My Dad marched in OLG of Hoboken in the mid 50's with the likes of Gus Wilkie. I followed in his footsteps when a drum and Bugle corps started up in 64 by the name of Smith & Weber in Hoboken. After that I moved on to the Amvent Lancers in West New york. In 1969 I moved on to the St. Andrews Bridgemen and aged out after the 76 season. In the 90's I marched a few years with Skyliners Alumni than retired for good. Tried to come back with the Bridgemen in 2005 but fund out that I enjoy watching more than performing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 I go back to 1979, but I was fortunate enough to have an interest in history and individuals willnig to tell and teach me it. I would guess there are other young people like I was back then who are asking questions and hopefully have people who can help anwser those questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewpubco Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 I really appreciate what the young people are doing in Drum Corps but I'm afraid that history is being forgotten. With all the alumni people out there, how fare back do you go? I started drum corps in 1958 with the Haddon Heights (NJ) Vagabonds. Marched with the corps through 1964, then left to join the Marines. After 45 years absence, I joined the Blessed Sacrament Golden Knights Alumni, and I am having the time of my life. Sometimes folks suggest going to alumni corps is trying to recapture lost youth ...frankly it's better today than ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCIHasBeen Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 I go back to the early '70s...Really think the activity started getting interesting from a musical standpoint around '72...Hawthorne Cabs on the Sr. Level had a ground-breaking show, and then there was everything going on in DCI. '74 Vanguard changed the game, as did '76 Devils ... The '80s and '90s were magic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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