Scores in 1974

[ajlisko]

Not only was Garfield's M & M score too high....it was 30.25 which was HIGHER than a PERFECT score!!

... and the "mistake" was missed by all but those "in the know" due to the fact that recaps were not handed out to individual corps at the show ... they were mailed to them well after Finals had occurred ...

[JimF-LowBari]

OK, why were the Seniors dropped after 62 or so? IIRC there were a couple always at Nationals (unless too far away). Then the last one there were 4 and hat was it.

[ajlisko]

OK, why were the Seniors dropped after 62 or so? IIRC there were a couple always at Nationals (unless too far away). Then the last one there were 4 and hat was it.

Lack of Sr. corps attending ... 63 Nats were in Seattle and no Sr's signed up ...

[Northern Thunder]

OK, why were the Seniors dropped after 62 or so?

I've heard that there were some "shenanigans" pulled off in Minneapolis in '62. A certain corps let non-members pose as corps members for inspection, and Tony Schlechta wasn't very happy about it.

[reallyoldfrt]

There were, indeed, a lot of political BS pulled at both Veteran's Nationals. Both organizations were, and are, extremely political, both nationally and internally. Tony wound up as the pointman for the lions share of the "games" that were played. Most of the flak is richly deserved. Some is not. He had a fairly autonomous hand in running the drum corps show, but he did have to kowtow to the internal "Heavy Hitters" in the VFW hierarchy. On occasion, (1966, for example) he was attempting to please some higher ups and he botched the whole thing. He had to do it on other occasions, and got away with it. In 1966 his biggest problem was that the corps that would get screwed was George Bonfiglio's corps. Many people could have told him that it was not a good idea. If he had simply taken one of the many phone calls from GB I'm pretty sure something acceptable could have been worked out. But, Tony chose to stonewall, to pull a CYO act. (We are the Church. You cannot question us.) We all know what happened then.

Tony had another problem....alcohol, which often clouded his judgement.

But he was basically NOT a bad guy. He truly loved drum corps, and cherished his job as Head Honcho. He saw drum corps the way it had been originally intended to be, a relatively inexpensive local, social activity. He fought against all innovations, equipment wise, or show wise, because he realized that more and better stuff meant higher expenditures for the units, which would inevitably reduce the number of units that could afford to keep up. This would mean fewer units showing up at his competition, and less money that the VFW could make from the show. This, he felt, would endanger his lofty position, reduce his omnipotence, and, coincidentally, ruin the entire drum corps activity for everyone. He saw this as undesirable.

So he played the obstructionist. It didn't matter that he was right.

So, Did Tony destroy drum corps? No, he did not! Other people did!

JMO

Edited May 19, 2015 by reallyoldfrt

[JimF-LowBari]

Thanks Andy and Brian, I remembered that either AL or VFW was in Seattle during World Fair time and figured that killed Sr involvement for that year. But somewhere in NanciDs blog of mid 60s DCN articles is one saying the VFW voted down re-instating the Sr portion. But that's all that was said that I remember.

Edited May 19, 2015 by JimF-LowBari

[Northern Thunder]

He fought against all innovations, equipment wise, or show wise,

JMO

I still have a letter from Tony, written back in '72. I had asked him about me doing some advance publicity for the '72 VFW Nationals in Minneapolis.

He said. "Tell everybody we won't have any of those costumes or dancing in our contest!"

In the words of good ol' Tony:

"From Trooper, Wyoming............the Caspers!"

"From Revere, Mazzzzzatuzittts..........the Twenny Semmmmm Lancers!"

[reallyoldfrt]

I think I mentioned that there was an alcohol problem. Rumor had it that in 1968 he introduced the 27th Lancers as being from "Reverie" Massachusetts.

[ajlisko]

I think I mentioned that there was an alcohol problem. Rumor had it that in 1968 he introduced the 27th Lancers as being from "Reverie" Massachusetts.

Listen to the 61 Nats recordings from Miami ... by the time he got to announce Blessed Sacrament, I swear he was going to fall asleep ... and God only knows why he shouted "GO" when the starting pistol was fired ...

:-)

[redheadedsop]

There was indeed a focus on execution, because it counted for so much. I, for one, appreciate the focus on execution. Do I think we need to go back to the Tick system? Not really, but we need to take a better look at excellence, because we have moved away from that, and as "professional" looking groups, it's our duty to perform at the highest level of attainment. That means you don't perform a show that is above your ability to do so. You have a show that is perfectible by your students. That's what we've gone away from. And it shows.

There were mistakes done by groups like the Blue Devils (dress and cover) that wouldn't be tolerated in the days of the 70's. It just looked bad. And it was probably because they were given a show that was above their ability to execute perfectly. And, it might also be because the instructors weren't teaching the students that they should perform at that level.

Whichever is true, it's just sad that we don't have the kind of show that shows perfection anymore. Sad, indeed!