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Revisiting Roosevelt


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It was fun seeing 1968 dream... it's a fond memory as it's the only dream contest I went to as a spectator... We (Brigadiers) were in Lewisburg the night before at Bucknell and it was the first time my wife to be had gone on a drum corps trip with me... On a whim the next morning at the hotel in Lewisburg, I said - you know, the dream is today... let's go! Off we went and I walked up to the ticket window 5 minutes before the show expecting to be in the end zone... and asked for the best seats they had left... the woman in the box apologized and said these will have to do... We followed our tickets through to the seats and came out on the 50 yard line... I couldn't believe it... I saw someone from Mickey Petrone's crew later that I knew and told them what happened and it was explained to me:

"The weather is miserable so often for this show that the good seats are considered to be under the roof... any seats not under the roof are considered not good... the roof does NOT cover the 50 yard line."

Obviously, from these films you can all see that weather was no problem this day and my fiancé and I got to witness a great dream contest 1968 from about 20 rows up on the 50 yard line - best seats in the house... that was 45 years ago this coming summer...

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While more of a BAC fan back then, I look at this now and realize how great Blessed Sacrament was at marching. A tenor drummer friend from Selden, Don Menell had this black jacket with the white leather sleeves, ala Golden Knights minus the BS on the front and would imitate them marching by gliding around, holding a flag pole.

They truly were spectacular to watch. I think it was Frank Kubinak that put that all together back then, no?

Yep, he's the guy. Came from a junior corps on Staten Island and was a charter member of Garbarina Post and the Skyliners!

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This is classic stuff! :thumbup:

Those folks who either never saw a Dream contest at Roosevelt Stadium, or marched in one there, don't know what they missed.

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"The Dream", Roosevelt Stadium. Yes, it was more than just a "Contest".

The Sights, the Sounds, the Smell, the Huge Crowds (well over 20,000 often). in Roosevelt Stadium, Jersey City, NJ.)

Edited by 2B or not 2B
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A young drum corps friend of mine saw this and asked about the red dust. On that afternoon in '68, the Dream was not wet.

The low mark time, first introduced by Bobby Hoffman about 8 years later, began the slow death of its more energetic (and exposed) ancestor, the high mark time. Generating that cloud was a rite of passage denied to later generations.

"It looks like fun", he remarked. "You bet your bucks", said I.

The response: "What's a buck?"

Edited by ironlips
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Up until this time I had seen 3 Dream contests and they were my most memorable drum corps experience. Watching St. Kevin’s concert in 63 was unbelievable. Watching but not being able to totally hear the 63 Skyliners exit because the crowd was rioting with excitement is etched in my mind.

But, while Tom said he had the best seat in the house on the 50, I had the best standing room in the house on that starting line looking up at that huge crowd. Waiting for that starting gun in 67 made my nerves pop, but by 68 it was pure fun and 13 minutes went by like the sound of that gun. You really didn't want it all to stop.

I once said the worst part about marching is not being able to watch, but I wouldn't trade those 2 Dreams for anything.

Well, maybe for winning one I would.

Edited by gsksun4
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Up until this time I had seen 3 Dream contests and they were my most memorable drum corps experience. Watching St. Kevin’s concert in 63 was unbelievable. Watching but not being able to totally hear the 63 Skyliners exit because the crowd was rioting with excitement is etched in my mind.

But, while Tom said he had the best seat in the house on the 50, I had the best standing room in the house on that starting line looking up at that huge crowd. Waiting for that starting gun in 67 made my nerves pop, but by 68 it was pure fun and 13 minutes went by like the sound of that gun. You really didn't want it all to stop.

I once said the worst part about marching is not being able to watch, but I wouldn't trade those 2 Dreams for anything.

Well, maybe for winning one I would.

Couldn't agree more with... in addition to attending this dream show in question... I got to perform a number of times at Roosevelt... some very notable performances if I do say so myself including 1972 DCA Championships with Crusaders and of course the 1965 tornado show with Grey Knight Post Crusaders... among others

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Up until this time I had seen 3 Dream contests and they were my most memorable drum corps experience. Watching St. Kevin’s concert in 63 was unbelievable. Watching but not being able to totally hear the 63 Skyliners exit because the crowd was rioting with excitement is etched in my mind.

But, while Tom said he had the best seat in the house on the 50, I had the best standing room in the house on that starting line looking up at that huge crowd. Waiting for that starting gun in 67 made my nerves pop, but by 68 it was pure fun and 13 minutes went by like the sound of that gun. You really didn't want it all to stop.

I once said the worst part about marching is not being able to watch, but I wouldn't trade those 2 Dreams for anything.

Well, maybe for winning one I would.

"On The Starting Line (At the "Dream")"

1963, in exibition at the "Dream". One of the "First Ever" times on the field in front of a DRUM CORPS CROWD, not to mention a packed house at Roosevelt Stadium, with such incredible corps as Blessed Sacrament, Garfield Cadets, St Kevins Emerald Knights, New York Skyliners, Hawthorne Caballeros, Archer Epler Musketeers, Yankee Rebels and Reading Buccaneers in attendance. I still get goosebumps remembering it......

1963 World Open Junior Finals at Roosevelt Stadium (The "First" WO). Barely sneaking into Finals. Left Jersey thinking we were "Out", then finding out the tab error squeaked us back in. Driving right back to Jersey for the FREEZING Finals show that night.

Elphaba

WWW

Edited by elphaba01
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Couldn't agree more with... in addition to attending this dream show in question... I got to perform a number of times at Roosevelt... some very notable performances if I do say so myself including 1972 DCA Championships with Crusaders and of course the 1965 tornado show with Grey Knight Post Crusaders... among others

i also did the 72 DCA show there. but i also did the 1971 dream. i watched the skyliners from the front about the 35 yrad line and they blew the skin right off my face. for me that was the best show sky ever did. we did a good show but after seeing them i knew we were sunk.

Edited by donincardona
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I still have some photos of that '63 show.......what a pleasure to participate and entertain the crowd......always appreciative ....then when I was staff with BR just watching the corps on the field from a high vantage......and in '78 putting on the 'Nostalgia' show with Archie's alumni signalling another innovation....still get choked up listening to a sideline tape with many of our former competitors making comment on the homage being paid to those great corps...one of my fondest memories

Guido

"On The Starting Line (At the "Dream")"

1963, in exibition at the "Dream". One of the "First Ever" times on the field in front of a DRUM CORPS CROWD, not to mention a packed house at Roosevelt Stadium, with such incredible corps as Blessed Sacrament, Garfield Cadets, St Kevins Emerald Knights, New York Skyliners, Hawthorne Caballeros, Archer Epler Musketeers, Yankee Rebels and Reading Buccaneers in attendance. I still get goosebumps remembering it......

1963 World Open Junior Finals at Roosevelt Stadium (The "First" WO). Barely sneaking into Finals. Left Jersey thinking we were "Out", then finding out the tab error squeaked us back in. Driving right back to Jersey for the FREEZING Finals show that night.

Elphaba

WWW

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