What Memories Do You Have of....

[KeithHall]

It doesn't have to be just one corps, but what were your memories of certain corps?

For me seeing Blue Rock and Anaheim Kingsmen at US Open in 1972 was a wonderful moment. Actually I think the whole event was awesome...seeing Racine Scouts, Imperials, Royal Crusaders, etc

[alankarls]

It doesn't have to be just one corps, but what were your memories of certain corps?

For me seeing Blue Rock and Anaheim Kingsmen at US Open in 1972 was a wonderful moment. Actually I think the whole event was awesome...seeing Racine Scouts, Imperials, Royal Crusaders, etc

For me, it was the 1965 Royal Airs. My recollection of them that year was being one of the many marching members who stood on the sidelines and endlines to watch them perform. In my mind's eye, whenever they performed that year, the field was ringed by members of competing corps trying to catch a glimpse. I distinctly recall them coming onto retreat at CYO Nationals, playing Ballyhoo: they entered the field through a brick archway, and their leads were under the arch when they started playing, which amplified and resonated them to brilliance. At VFW Nationals at McCormack Place, I was one of 10,000 or more who pushed and shoved to try to catch any view of them performing. In their time, there was no better corps. No one who saw them will ever forget them.

[elphaba01]

"Memories":

Going all the way back to 1961, St Caherines' contest at Randall's Island NYC. (Andy should know this place REALLY well).

Watching the Blessed Sacrament Golden Knights, Garfield Cadets, and St Kevins Emerald Knights go "head to head". This was the first time I had actually seen these three contenders go at it. Blessed Sac won BTW, a tenth or two ahead of Garfield, who were a tenth or two ahead of St Kevins (St Kevins had beaten Blessed Sac a week earlier at Garfields contest). If I remember correctly, all three broke "90" that night, something extremly RARE "Back in the Day"

The evening was concluded with an OUTSTANDING exibition by the St Catherine's of Sienna Queensmen, complete with Billy Hightower on bass baritone solo.

Seems like yesterday......

Elphaba

WWW

[gsksun4]

For me, it was the 1965 Royal Airs. My recollection of them that year was being one of the many marching members who stood on the sidelines and endlines to watch them perform. In my mind's eye, whenever they performed that year, the field was ringed by members of competing corps trying to catch a glimpse. I distinctly recall them coming onto retreat at CYO Nationals, playing Ballyhoo: they entered the field through a brick archway, and their leads were under the arch when they started playing, which amplified and resonated them to brilliance. At VFW Nationals at McCormack Place, I was one of 10,000 or more who pushed and shoved to try to catch any view of them performing. In their time, there was no better corps. No one who saw them will ever forget them.

This sums it up for me. By chance, I was in Chicago in May of 65 and caught a band/DC show somewhere out in the burbs of the big city. There was plenty of time for warm ups while the bands went at it and Kilts, Cavies and Royal-Airs waited their turn for the field. Cavies and RA's did several warm ups in a gym. A real cool throw down with inner city rivals playing Bully, then RA's hitting back with Watermelon Man. The whistling and jeers back and forth were a hoot. Kilts I didn't catch till field time.

All three seemed remarkably prepared for this contest for that time of year, but then again, these are top shelf organizations. We moved out to the field and were lucky to have a gent/admin. from the RA's escort us out to the front side line as the Kilties played on. Great stuff I thought. Then the Cavaliers impressed as they always do. No question why they're called the Green Machine. Then, it happened. The guy from the RA's say's wait till you see this.

I could go on and on with what I witnessed that night, but believe all you ever heard about this corps called Big Blue. They were magnificent and will always be in my mind, the very best from that era.

Edited April 10, 2013 by gsksun4

[BRASSO]

I was at the CYO Nationals in 1965 ( at Boston College stadium, Chestnut Hill, Ma. ). I recall hearing of a Corps that had awesome practices all week and were so stoked to perform. In those days, Corps lined up on the Starting Line at attention and could not help but see the Corps in front of them on the field in competition and the crowd's reaction. This particular Corps ( not BAC ) had the unfortunate performance draw to be on the Starting Line when the Corps in front of them... the Chicago Royal Airs.... performed. I'm sure this Corps knew that the Royal Airs were good from their placements in '64, but noone in this Corps had any idea that they would be THIS good... and entertaining to boot.... in '65. The Chicago Royal Airs dazzled the predominently eastern audience, and they loved them. None of the others... all quite good.... had a chance. The Chicago Royal Airs really were that dominent, and the Corps that was immediately in back of them... that had had great practices all week, were so deflated on the starting line watching the performance of the Royal Airs and the reaction of the crowd to it, that they came out completely flat that night.

The '65 Chicago Royal Airs benefitted from a couple of nearby Corps to them that folded... but they expertly put that talent to good use in '65 as that was one talented, entertaining, and dominating Drum Corps they had there.

CYO Nationals 1965 :

1) Chicago Royal Airs 81.71

2) Boston Crusaders 78.53

3) Garfield Cadets 75.60

4) St. Kevin Emerald Knights 75.58

5) St. Mary Cardinals 75.01

6) Vasella Muskateers 72. 48

7) Racine Scouts 68.76

8 ) I.C. Reveries 67. 45

9) Pittsfield Cavaliers 63.71

10 ) OLPH Ridgemen 63.16

as a postscript... BAC did come back the following year in '66 and topped the Royal Airs to win the CYO Nationals

Edited April 10, 2013 by BRASSO

[IllianaLancerContra]

27 Lancers playing Danny Boy at Whitewater in 1982 after the thunderstorm passed.

[alankarls]

I was at the CYO Nationals in 1965 ( at Boston College stadium, Chestnut Hill, Ma. ). I recall hearing of a Corps that had awesome practices all week and were so stoked to perform. In those days, Corps lined up on the Starting Line at attention and could not help but see the Corps in front of them on the field in competition and the crowd's reaction. This particular Corps ( not BAC ) had the unfortunate performance draw to be on the Starting Line when the Corps in front of them... the Chicago Royal Airs.... performed. I'm sure this Corps knew that the Royal Airs were good from their placements in '64, but noone in this Corps had any idea that they would be THIS good... and entertaining to boot.... in '65. The Chicago Royal Airs dazzled the predominently eastern audience, and they loved them. None of the others... all quite good.... had a chance. The Chicago Royal Airs really were that dominent, and the Corps that was immediately in back of them... that had had great practices all week, were so deflated on the starting line watching the performance of the Royal Airs and the reaction of the crowd to it, that they came out completely flat that night.

The '65 Chicago Royal Airs benefitted from a couple of nearby Corps to them that folded... but they expertly put that talent to good use in '65 as that was one talented, entertaining, and dominating Drum Corps they had there.

CYO Nationals 1965 :

1) Chicago Royal Airs 81.71

2) Boston Crusaders 78.53

3) Garfield Cadets 75.60

4) St. Kevin Emerald Knights 75.58

5) St. Mary Cardinals 75.01

6) Vasella Muskateers 72. 48

7) Racine Scouts 68.76

8 ) I.C. Reveries 67. 45

9) Pittsfield Cavaliers 63.71

10 ) OLPH Ridgemen 63.16

as a postscript... BAC did come back the following year in '66 and topped the Royal Airs to win the CYO Nationals

Since we're talking CYO in 1965....The Racine Scouts went to that show with only 51 members. At the show, I.C. and Kevins both had more than 40 horns, and I believe I.C. had over 50. We, the Scouts, stood on the ready line behind Kevins. They filled the starting line side to side and had color guard and drums behind the line. Our 51 members didn't stretch from across the field. One of Kevin's horns turned around and yelled at us: "Hey, where's the rest of your corps?" Then, in retreat, Vasella stood on one side of us and was taunting the Royal Airs, who were a few corps away on the other side. They kept telling us they were going to fight the Royal Airs and wanted us to join them. Just what us boy scouts from Wisconsin wanted: to get in between a brawl between a corps from the south side of Chicago and one from the south side of Philly. We practically ran off the field to get out of there. Then the next day, we saw a brawl between St. Mary's and some other corps as we stood on the starting line. Welcome to the east coast.

[BRASSO]

Since we're talking CYO in 1965....The Racine Scouts went to that show with only 51 members. At the show, I.C. and Kevins both had more than 40 horns, and I believe I.C. had over 50. We, the Scouts, stood on the ready line behind Kevins. They filled the starting line side to side and had color guard and drums behind the line. Our 51 members didn't stretch from across the field. One of Kevin's horns turned around and yelled at us: "Hey, where's the rest of your corps?" Then, in retreat, Vasella stood on one side of us and was taunting the Royal Airs, who were a few corps away on the other side. They kept telling us they were going to fight the Royal Airs and wanted us to join them. Just what us boy scouts from Wisconsin wanted: to get in between a brawl between a corps from the south side of Chicago and one from the south side of Philly. We practically ran off the field to get out of there. Then the next day, we saw a brawl between St. Mary's and some other corps as we stood on the starting line. Welcome to the east coast.

St. Mary's Cardinals actually had the largest horn line ( 48 brass ) among those at the CYO Nationals there in '65. I don't think even the Royal Airs had 50 in the brass line that year. We're you in the Racine Scouts the following year in '66 ? That was the year, the I.C. Reveries had their infamous " Sit Down " strike on the Starting Line at the VFW Nationals at Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City, N.J., and your Corps was impacted by the events that transpired, and I thought if you were there, you could share from your perspective what you recall. I was there, but not privy to the behind the scenes activity right outside the stadium. Didn't St. Joe's of Batavia DM purposely allow the Reveries Corps to go ahead of his Corps, thus allowing the Reveries to get into the stadium before your Corps and make their intended " statement " on the Starting Line of what they perceived to be unfair application of the prelims penalty allocations ( and particularly the late decision waiver of penalty for one of the Corps with their Prelims performance... thus allowing them qualification into the Finals the next evening. )

Edited April 11, 2013 by BRASSO

[alankarls]

We're you in the Racine Scouts the following year in '66 ? That was the year, the I.C. Reveries had their infamous " Sit Down " strike on the Starting Line at the VFW Nationals at Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City, N.J., and your Corps was impacted by the events that transpired, and I thought if you were there, you could share from your perspective what you recall.

I was there. The one and only time I performed in Roosevelt Stadium. I've told the story before. For DCW, I did a long article about the two most unusual drum corps championships of all time, discussing 1965 and 1966. And I wrote about it in a different stream recently. I'm sure others have different views. This is what our staff told during the long hot hours we sat in the parking lot waiting to find out if we were in finals. We were given continual updates of the negotiations.

Madison was given a 2.0 penalty for undertime and finished 14th. Madison had some members cross the end line early in their show which caused execution judging to stop . (The gun went off, judges stopped ticking.) In common understanding, they were undertime: some of their members left the field before the minimum time requirement. Madison protested the penalty and cited an obscure VFW rule that gave a different understanding of minimum time requirements. VFW refused to budge for hours. Everyone knew that Madison had done it purposely to take advantage of the rules and get a higher score than they otherwise would have. Finally, with only hours to finals, VFW decided to revoke the penalty and allow Madison to perform to avoid a PR disaster (lawsuit against a veteran's group by a boy scout group). Since the VFW had already announced the Racine Scouts as the 12th place finalist, the VFW allowed Racine to compete.

I wasn't privy to the thinking of the I.C. Reveries, who placed 13th, but have read that they were incensed. They felt that if Madison was in the show, Racine shouldn't be. If Racine was in the show, then Madison shouldn't be. But since both 12th and 14th places made finals, 13th place should also make finals.

I don't know anything about how I.C. got into the stadium. I've heard the story that you cited. I just know that what Madison and I.C. did killed us that night. We were good. We beat Kilties and Madison by big spreads all year except for a couple of shows. Two days before prelims, we were within a point of Des Plaines Vanguard at a show in New York. We performed first at finals and lit up the crowd, then no other corps performed for almost two hours. After I.C., everyone, including the judges, pretty much forgot that we had been there. Both the Kilties and Madison beat us, and Vanguard beat us by ten.

[BRASSO]

Interesting read... on a surreal but likewise interesting event. Thanks for sharing !

Edited April 11, 2013 by BRASSO