Drum Corps Rumble?

[jms4681]

Interesting thread. I was there at the St. Lucy's fight in 1968. It's true it was a nasty fight and that the grudge from that night carried on long after it was over. In fact a few weeks later the Crusaders competed in New Jersey at the Garfield show. Right after the Crusaders finished their show they were ushered to the buses and left the stadium in full uniform and went to a local supermarket parking lot to change and then headed back to Boston not staying for the retreat. Apparently there had been threats made that were relayed to Joe Dowling and the rest of the Crusader staff. The decision was made to make the appearance but leave immediately after the show. We stopped somewhere in Ct. where Joe called a prearranged number (Garfield Director's daughter) at home to get the score. With the corps crowed around the phone booth Joe Dowling kept saying, what, what and then finally said "Ok, I got it, Boston first". Everyone went nuts.

Another famous Crusader fight was the "Battle at the Boys Club" in Pittsfield, Ma. in 1964. It was a March standstill and in a huge upset Boston defeated Blessed Sacrament and also St. Kevin's who finished 3rd. In the narrow street outside the Boys Club where standstill was held trouble developed and soon erupted into a full scale brawl between the 2 corps. I distinctly remember Crusader Contra player John Teevens getting thrown through a plate glass windown of one of the next door store fronts. While the fight was going on the 2 Managers were inside trying to work out details on having the Crusaders come to the Sac contest that summer. They walked out all smiles to a scene of bedlam. The fight eventually ended and both corps left the area. It's funny but unlike the St. Lucy's brawl the Pittsfield encounter somehow developed into a mutual respect event for the 2 corps. Boston and Sac became friendly respected rivals after that and it carried all the way until Sac disbanded. A side note was Boston's famous Drum Major Jim Stokinger (Stokie) and Sac's equally famous Fran Hayes became close friends and I believe Mr. Hayes was the Best Man at the late Stokie's wedding.

[kansasDC]

Marching with a corps from New York, we saw more than our fair share of trouble with "the locals".

The worst was during a parade we did in Huntington, Long Island. Before step off, a group of local punks were riding their bikes in and around our guard during warm up. One of our staff stopped one kid who brushed one of the girls, took him off the bike, and walked it away from the corps. The kid was screaming "I'm gonna get my big brother". Well, as we marched down the street, here comes his brother and friends. We always marched with the flags on the outside of the lines of horns, so the male contras and baritones grabbed the flag poles and got ready to spear these guys when they attacked. Fortunately for all, two of our parents who were also cops stepped between the corps and these guys first. One of the townies was stupid enough to try and reach for his blade. Last thing I saw was him laying on his back in the middle of the street with the one father's pistol pointed at his nose and the other handcuffing him. The rest of the punks scattered real quick.

[stellwegen]

According to my uncle, the Hyde Park Crusaders(now Boston) and the Blessed Sacrement Golden Knights were tougher than half of the gangs in the neighborhoods at that time. There is one story I'm not sure about, but it involved a parade when the Boston Bruins won the Stanley Cup. Apparently some drunks threw beer on the Crusaders, and several of the Crusaders ended upchasing them through the crowd swinging horns at their heads...

[ferb27]

Interesting thread.  I was there at the St. Lucy's fight in 1968.  It's true it was a nasty fight and that the grudge from that night carried on long after it was over.  In fact a few weeks later the Crusaders competed in New Jersey at the Garfield show.  Right after the Crusaders finished their show they were ushered to the buses and left the stadium in full uniform and went to a local supermarket parking lot to change and then headed back to Boston not staying for the retreat.  Apparently there had been threats made that were relayed to Joe Dowling and the rest of the Crusader staff.  The decision was made to make the appearance but leave immediately after the show.  We stopped somewhere in Ct. where Joe called a prearranged number (Garfield Director's daughter) at home to get the score.  With the corps crowed around the phone booth Joe Dowling kept saying, what, what and then finally said "Ok, I got it, Boston first".  Everyone went nuts.

Another famous Crusader fight was the "Battle at the Boys Club" in Pittsfield, Ma. in 1964.  It was a March standstill and in a huge upset  Boston defeated Blessed Sacrament and also St. Kevin's who finished 3rd.  In the narrow street outside the Boys Club where standstill was held trouble developed and soon erupted into a full scale brawl between the 2 corps.  I distinctly remember Crusader Contra player John Teevens getting thrown through a plate glass windown of one of the next door store fronts.  While the fight was going on the 2 Managers were inside trying to work out details on having the Crusaders come to the Sac contest that summer.  They walked out all smiles to a scene of bedlam. The fight eventually ended and both corps left the area.  It's funny but unlike the St. Lucy's brawl the Pittsfield encounter somehow developed into a mutual respect event for the 2 corps.  Boston and Sac became friendly respected rivals after that and it carried all the way until Sac disbanded.  A side note was Boston's famous Drum Major Jim Stokinger (Stokie) and Sac's equally famous Fran Hayes became close friends and I believe Mr. Hayes was the Best Man at the late Stokie's wedding.

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Wasn't there a famous fight between Boston and St. Kevin's in Nashua sometime around 61, 62???.

[gmanbay41]

Garfield and 27th had a nice relationship when I marched in Garfield, 70-72 (just missed you!). We would stay at each others homes when visiting the areas.

Once in 71, as we were leaving a stadium in the Boston area to go home with "our" Lancer, the 27th folks discovered that many of the radio antennas on their cars had been broken, and a carload of BAC members drove by hooting and hollering that they had done the deed...apparently in retaliation for something that had happened in a prior week, as part of the ongoing BAC/27th feud.

Another brawl story...

At the 1968 or 69 Garden State Circuit champs, St Martin's Troubadors from Newark NJ got into a brawl right on the field during retreat with another corps. I can't remember who...might have been either the Riversiders or St Andrew's Bridgemen. The St Martin's powers-that-be (no, not THE highest power, just a human  :)  ) were so upset they disbanded the corps right after that. I was on that field with another GSC corps...it was quite a fight.

Mike

Mike

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Mike,

In 1969 at the GSC championship, the Bridgemen had just won the show. At the buses the corps and their family members were around the corps moderator Fr.Donovan, who was speaking to the corps, when all of a sudden here comes St.Martin's. It seems they were marching around in parade formation until the Bridgemen got off the field. St.Martin's marched right at the Bridgemen and the fight was on. I was 5 and my mother grabbed me and we ran behind the baseball cage with the other family members of the corps and watched as fists, equipment and all were flying around. The cops were called and had to break it up . Many members of both corps went to the hospital.

A real classic moment in Drum Corps

[boston1977]

Who's going to talk about Boston in Miami in 1983?

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BAC in Miami 1983

Yes. I remember it well.

Actually I was working in Miami and while driving down the street

heard Conquest coming from a football field, found the corps and ended up

going to the show, with the corps. First, DCI had been warned about the area,

but insisted on going forward back in November of 1982. This may explain why no penalty was giving to Boston and the prelims had a “intermission” while Boston regrouped. In 1983 Boston had less then fifty members 18 brass ? and a dozen? in the Guard. The locals started giving the guard a hard time { the first mistake the locals made } when one of the brass players asked if they would Shut the f... up, the locals decideded to challenge him { mistake # two } One of the staff members seeing what was about to happen radios back for reinforcements, now the all volunteer staff and drum line would reunite with the brass however, the locals had been already taken down and taken off.

A few minutes later the locals return, with reinforcements and armed with weapons. The staff realizing they had already missed the step-off time, takes out a few more locals before regrouping, wisely in the parking lot behind the fence.

Boston Marched in the stadium and the crowd which by now, knew what was really going-on, gave the corps a standing ovation. Boston proceeded to recapture it’s DCI Status with “no blanks” and the locals never came back. I think someone from Boston’s staff let SCV and other Red and Black Corps, who could have been mistaken by the local idiots as Boston, not to leave the parking lot during finals. Maybe this is why DCI has never returned to Miami, actually I had a great time and went back with Boston’s to their Hotel on Miami Beach.

When my Boss at the time asked “how did the trip go” my reply “Just Great”

Edited May 14, 2005 by boston1977

[Malibu]

Incredible story! And to think, I walked to the stadium from my hotel. :o I didn't know at the time the neighborhood was so "rough" until I got a good look at some of the houses.....all boarded up with bars! Trust me, we watched every step we made making sure we weren't going to be attacked.

I do know know many cars that were parked in the parking had things stolen out and off of them. Crossmen's corps manager told me his tire cover that he had on his winnebago was stolen.......of course it did have a cool Crossmen logo on it!

Maybe it was a good thing we walked.

[sac67]

Early 1970's Boston Crusaders and 27th Lancers would enjoy a arm twisting or two. Heated rivalries that fueled their competitive juices on and off the field.

In 1973, I marched 27th. We were having practice in March. Next door was a motel and a traveling hockey team decided to give our flag/sabre line some verbal abuse and cat calls, whistling, etc. Our drill instructor, a gentleman not know for giving us breaks, called the corps in and told us quietly to take a break. Being a rookie - I was clueless until our drum major yelled "let's get them." It was mayhem - fist fights, etc. The hockey team learned quickly to never give us crap again. When it was over, we went back to rehearsal like nothing ever happened.

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How many people on a hockey team???? 15!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The toughest part of 27th was the guard!!!!!!!!!!

[drmr27]

"ignore user"

One of the best features of DCP

[Tansea]

"ignore user"

One of the best features of DCP

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Oh man, you're gonna let that go???!!!!! Man, I got your back, don't trip. ^0^