Paul Milano Posted May 26, 2004 Share Posted May 26, 2004 I remember having a great time with the new Chicago Connection Sr. Corps in prelims of 1977 - and bringing down the house with our spirited performance. I also seem to recall that we didn't know if there were going to be 10 or 12 corps in Finals, and feeling like our 11th place finish had caused DCA to decide to limit it to 10 that year (though I doubt, in retrospect, if that was true). Either way, it was a lot of fun. Hey Paul - I always wondered how the Connection pulled off the 'comeback' of the year. Having been given a 5 point spead in scores the week before DCA in Racine, how is it that you guys were able to beat us in Allentown? Most of us still wonder how that happened... Best part of the show was when Corky Whitlock told our sop line to take out the 2 valve horns we had used all season for Finals, since it wasn't being judged. I thought that was great, a lot of those guys were ###### that we got to use them.. When I saw the Prelim Horn Ex sheets, the comment that was written on one of them will linger in MBI history forever. After our 2nd tune, 'Walk on the Wild Side', one of the judges wrote the following comment..." Heavy horns - tight as a duck's A**. Go for it!" It was signed with one word...PEPE I rest my case. Major dilemma, having the 5th place hornline, and the last place drumline...Only took 20+ years to change that. We beat a lot of hornlines in that show..now, if only we could march better...Who knows? Pat Can't say that I have a definitive answer for why Connection surpassed MBI late in the season (1977). I do know that we had a lot of people continuing to join us throughout the year, since we were a first year corps and lots of folks had been wating and watching to see if we were "good" before they decided to join. And, we had a lot of really strong brass players who had come out of retirement and were only getting their chops back towards the end of the year. Mainly, however, I suspect that our "gangster" theme was enough of a novelty that the tremendous crowd response probably influenced the judges a bit, maybe giving us a little more credibility than we deserved. Either way, I do recall thinking we were better the than a couple corps that made Finals - but everyone who is one place out of any finals feels that way, right? :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmignemi02 Posted May 26, 2004 Share Posted May 26, 2004 OK you'se guys! I don't have any pre 77 stories except for a couple of horror stories from the 72 Legion nationals in Chitown, but since I noticed Fran was looking in, here's one to jog HIS memories. MBI went out to Allentown in 77 for its 1st real shot at DCA. On Sunday morning, we moved en masse to an area about 1/2 mile down the street from ASD (J. Birney Crum) Stadium to get one last run through before Prelims. As we were marching back to the lot where the busses were, we started hearing a lot of yelling. As we came around the busses, we saw Hawthorne in one spot, the Sunrisers in another, and in the middle agitating everybody were the Skyliners. to make a long story short, amongst a cloud of dust, the 3 corps got into it, hands , sticks, flag pikes and rifles were flying everywhere, not to mention the f- bombs. We all sat on our busses in shock. I felt bad for Sun. They were the only one of the 3 corps who had women, since Sky and Hawthorne were still all male. I can't imagine how some of the injured went on for both prelims and Finals that day, but I did see people with black eyes and swollen lips going out for Finals. That was one of the best shows I remember seeing, as Hawthorne made a big run at Finals, only to fall .05 short.. Sunrisers had a great show too, but what a way to remember my first DCA show. Pat That ain't quite the way I heard it. 3 guys from Sky (Butch Anderson, Wes Myers and one other) were jumped by members of Sun swinging horns and fists and connecting! Cos saw what was going on and turned the Cabs loose to assist 3 very out-numbered Skyliners. That's the version that was told to me, by Cabs and Sky alike. Again, I wasn't there, but that's what I was told. I have no idea what or who instigated the ensuing melee. Ray Ahhhhhhh 1977 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted May 26, 2004 Share Posted May 26, 2004 Either way, I do recall thinking we were better the than a couple corps that made Finals - but everyone who is one place out of any finals feels that way, right? :) Nice save Paul on the second half of your sentence. :P (I was a member of the #10 corps in 1977.) PS - Youse guyz did have a fun show. Too bad I only saw it from the side of the field. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hurcwave Posted May 26, 2004 Share Posted May 26, 2004 I believe it was the 88 Scranton show, at the old stadium, all competing Corps are going under the stands from the parking lot area and heading for the endzone for retreat lineup...Bush is on the field doing warm up. They are the last Corps of the evening to compete. You see Sky members milling about near the 20 yard line pointing out on the field at Bush . Next thing, a Sky member walks on the field and coldcocks one of the Bush guys. POW!! right during the Corps introductions. Mickey runs across the field, yelling at the guy from Sky who calmly walks off the field , everyone else on the sidelines just sort of goes back about their business heading for retreat lineup, gun goes of, Bush does their show! From what I was told , I guess the guy from Bush was caught with this guys girl...balhablah b;lah...Well. it wasn't the wierdest thing I have ever seen a DCA, but was strange. Was good foder for the parking lot after the show though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean1 Posted May 26, 2004 Share Posted May 26, 2004 Vic, the guy in Bush threw something at the guy, water or something. He went out on the field. I couldnt beleive it either cause he was the quietest guy i know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted May 27, 2004 Share Posted May 27, 2004 ahhhhhhhhhh the old days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmignemi02 Posted May 27, 2004 Share Posted May 27, 2004 I believe it was the 88 Scranton show, at the old stadium, all competing Corps are going under the stands from the parking lot area and heading for the endzone for retreat lineup...Bush is on the field doing warm up. They are the last Corps of the evening to compete. You see Sky members milling about near the 20 yard line pointing out on the field at Bush .Next thing, a Sky member walks on the field and coldcocks one of the Bush guys. POW!! right during the Corps introductions. Mickey runs across the field, yelling at the guy from Sky who calmly walks off the field , everyone else on the sidelines just sort of goes back about their business heading for retreat lineup, gun goes of, Bush does their show! From what I was told , I guess the guy from Bush was caught with this guys girl...balhablah b;lah...Well. it wasn't the wierdest thing I have ever seen a DCA, but was strange. Was good foder for the parking lot after the show though! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaminbenb Posted May 27, 2004 Share Posted May 27, 2004 (edited) 1978 at the Hershey show.. I was amarchin with the Chocolatiers who hosted it back then, I was assigned to Rochester as a "handler" to get them from place to place, show them where the fast food places were etc... We arrive at Hershey high school about 10 minutes before the busses get there...The busses pull up, and it seems like they are taking some time to get off.. next thing you know I hear the hornline playing the beginning of their show (just remembered..it was the "Tonight" fanfare! )as the walk off the bus! (and is you remember 78 Rochester they had ONE HELLUVA hornline that year) I actually got to meet a few people that day that I knew throughout my entire drum corps career (Dallas, Bob & Bobby Gibson, Jim Prentiss) that was cool to say the least!!! WHen we were done with RC..we wandered over to where the Matadors were practicing, and the practiced with the sombrero's on! hahaha! Edited May 27, 2004 by Jaminbenb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean1 Posted May 27, 2004 Share Posted May 27, 2004 (edited) ahhhhhhhhhh the old days. gotta love them huh Edited May 27, 2004 by Skyliner1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunRunner Posted May 27, 2004 Share Posted May 27, 2004 OK you'se guys! I don't have any pre 77 stories except for a couple of horror stories from the 72 Legion nationals in Chitown, but since I noticed Fran was looking in, here's one to jog HIS memories. MBI went out to Allentown in 77 for its 1st real shot at DCA. On Sunday morning, we moved en masse to an area about 1/2 mile down the street from ASD (J. Birney Crum) Stadium to get one last run through before Prelims. As we were marching back to the lot where the busses were, we started hearing a lot of yelling. As we came around the busses, we saw Hawthorne in one spot, the Sunrisers in another, and in the middle agitating everybody were the Skyliners. to make a long story short, amongst a cloud of dust, the 3 corps got into it, hands , sticks, flag pikes and rifles were flying everywhere, not to mention the f- bombs. We all sat on our busses in shock. I felt bad for Sun. They were the only one of the 3 corps who had women, since Sky and Hawthorne were still all male. I can't imagine how some of the injured went on for both prelims and Finals that day, but I did see people with black eyes and swollen lips going out for Finals. That was one of the best shows I remember seeing, as Hawthorne made a big run at Finals, only to fall .05 short.. Sunrisers had a great show too, but what a way to remember my first DCA show. Pat That ain't quite the way I heard it. 3 guys from Sky (Butch Anderson, Wes Myers and one other) were jumped by members of Sun swinging horns and fists and connecting! Cos saw what was going on and turned the Cabs loose to assist 3 very out-numbered Skyliners. That's the version that was told to me, by Cabs and Sky alike. Again, I wasn't there, but that's what I was told. I have no idea what or who instigated the ensuing melee. Ray very correct ray Not even close to the truth - except for Cabs coming down off the hill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.