jimmyp58 Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 (edited) 1972....after our show at Horlick Field, Racine, WI. Edited March 2, 2006 by jimmyp58 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobH Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 So Jim - you've figured out this pic posting thing? GREAT! And I still insist that you're a Drum Corps National Asset, man! Welcome to DCP - and keep posting pics! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmyp58 Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 Thanks Rob. That was my first year as Cap'n Crunch. I have an entire album full of pics that I am going to look for. I have pics of the Kilties, Madison Scouts, of course a lot of Mariners pics, and so forth. Great memories indeed. I will be sharing them here. As I reminisce and recall some important people in my life, I owe a lot of who I am to some folks I learned a lot from in D&B Corps. Joe Bruno, man he was one tough SOB to please as he mentored me as a young DM but he taught me about perfection and showmanship something I carry forward with me to this day. Mac McGrath, well as I said before, he taught me how to be a true leader. I have been blessed by the wisdom he imparted on me one hot summer's night at practice. It carried me through my stint in the military as an NCOIC and barracks sergeant, as a martial arts instructor, and in various management positions I have had in my career. I truly owe a lot to him --- even though I thanked him before he passed away he'll never really know how indebted I am to him. Anyway, I will be around sharing!!! Jim P.S. I forget his name....what was the Kilties DM's name after Scottie Poulsen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobH Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 Jim - those that came before us and imparted their wisdom - as long as we held to those tenets - is all that matters - those no longer with us KNOW that we carry on and honor them with our conduct in life. And it's THAT point - how we CONDUCT ourselves in life, with others, and hopefully being kind, considerate, patient, tolerant, and honest, that ultimately matters! Oh, and being real good at whatever we did - whether we drummed, blew horns, marched guard, spun rifles, and put on an eyewatering SHOW in drum corps - is all that really matters here at DCP! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Milano Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 Thanks Rob. That was my first year as Cap'n Crunch.I have an entire album full of pics that I am going to look for. I have pics of the Kilties, Madison Scouts, of course a lot of Mariners pics, and so forth. Great memories indeed. I will be sharing them here. As I reminisce and recall some important people in my life, I owe a lot of who I am to some folks I learned a lot from in D&B Corps. Joe Bruno, man he was one tough SOB to please as he mentored me as a young DM but he taught me about perfection and showmanship something I carry forward with me to this day. Mac McGrath, well as I said before, he taught me how to be a true leader. I have been blessed by the wisdom he imparted on me one hot summer's night at practice. It carried me through my stint in the military as an NCOIC and barracks sergeant, as a martial arts instructor, and in various management positions I have had in my career. I truly owe a lot to him --- even though I thanked him before he passed away he'll never really know how indebted I am to him. Anyway, I will be around sharing!!! Jim P.S. I forget his name....what was the Kilties DM's name after Scottie Poulsen? Hey Jim, Paul Milano here. I was in the St. Gregory the Great Crusaders in the early 60's. Joe Bruno was our drum major. John Brazale was our drill instructor. I've got pictures of Joe when he was with us in the Crusaders. I'll try to figure out this picture posting thing and get them up on here. P.S. I used to watch Mariners practice at Lyons Park near my house. Then I'd hop on my bike and ride over to St. Greg's parking lot to watch the Mercy H.S. all-girls corps practice. Then up the street a few blocks to watch St. Matthias. Then I'd make it to St. Greg's practice just in time. Neighborhood corps . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmyp58 Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 That would be great Paul.... Mercy all girls corps. They were very good. I started in Drum Corps when I was 6 years old. The Militaires practiced at Wilson Park which was 1/2 block from my house. I started drumming when I was four. I marched with the Militaires until I was 11. I joined the Mariners from there following Randy Jaworski the year prior. Actually, Joe Bruno is a distant cousin of mine (I think 3rd or 4th cousin). When a lot of people think about Cap'n Crunch, they think of John & Joe. John was the beginning and Joe carried on the tradition. It was a time when there was more of an even playing field regionally where St. Pat's, Mercury Thunderbolts, Mariners, St. Matthias, Racine Explorer Scouts, were all ultra competitive. Then the next rung up was the Kilties, Blue Stars, Madison Scouts though on any given night the others could knock them off. Then there was the Chicago gang --- Vanguard, Cavvies, Norwood Park Imperials, etc. After Joe's last year in 1970, there was a mass exodus from Mariners as many guys turned 21 --- probably more than 1/2 of the membership actually. And these folks were the heart and soul of the Mariners. Membership wise, 1971 was still a good year but with so many new folks, changes in director, changes in instructors, and lack of experience, the handwriting was on the wall for the Mariners --- and many others. Madison Scouts exploded onto the scene and Racine supported the Kilties immensely. I hadn't known John yet as he was finishing a stint in the military. I first met him at a camp of ours in Crystal Lake, IL in 1972 --- my first year as Cap'n Crunch. He had just gotten out of the service, I believe he was in the Honor Guard or something to that effect, and he joined our staff as an instructor. It was hard for John because the talent just wasn't there anymore but he gave his heart and soul to making us better. We had the talent, in the Color Guard, and that brought him great pride and satisfaction as they won their championship two years in a row. We met and became good buddies of Phantom Regiment at the VFW Nationals in Minneapolis in I believe 1973. It was there we first met the Commodores and there was a real rift between us (it wasn't just the uniforms, though that was a huge part). They had numbers, we didn't. They had talent --- lots of it, we were waning. But somehow, we made the finals beating out Phantom and they came on to root for us. A lot of friendships transpired from this --- especially John. He started helping them out then he left Mariners for good the following year. I believe when he passed away he was still teaching them. Ironically Paul, my wife and I were married at St. Gregory the Great. My in-laws were the charter members of that church. She grew up on 69th & Ohio. Small world..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Milano Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 That would be great Paul....Mercy all girls corps. They were very good. I started in Drum Corps when I was 6 years old. The Militaires practiced at Wilson Park which was 1/2 block from my house. I started drumming when I was four. I marched with the Militaires until I was 11. I joined the Mariners from there following Randy Jaworski the year prior. Actually, Joe Bruno is a distant cousin of mine (I think 3rd or 4th cousin). When a lot of people think about Cap'n Crunch, they think of John & Joe. John was the beginning and Joe carried on the tradition. It was a time when there was more of an even playing field regionally where St. Pat's, Mercury Thunderbolts, Mariners, St. Matthias, Racine Explorer Scouts, were all ultra competitive. Then the next rung up was the Kilties, Blue Stars, Madison Scouts though on any given night the others could knock them off. Then there was the Chicago gang --- Vanguard, Cavvies, Norwood Park Imperials, etc. After Joe's last year in 1970, there was a mass exodus from Mariners as many guys turned 21 --- probably more than 1/2 of the membership actually. And these folks were the heart and soul of the Mariners. Membership wise, 1971 was still a good year but with so many new folks, changes in director, changes in instructors, and lack of experience, the handwriting was on the wall for the Mariners --- and many others. Madison Scouts exploded onto the scene and Racine supported the Kilties immensely. I hadn't known John yet as he was finishing a stint in the military. I first met him at a camp of ours in Crystal Lake, IL in 1972 --- my first year as Cap'n Crunch. He had just gotten out of the service, I believe he was in the Honor Guard or something to that effect, and he joined our staff as an instructor. It was hard for John because the talent just wasn't there anymore but he gave his heart and soul to making us better. We had the talent, in the Color Guard, and that brought him great pride and satisfaction as they won their championship two years in a row. We met and became good buddies of Phantom Regiment at the VFW Nationals in Minneapolis in I believe 1973. It was there we first met the Commodores and there was a real rift between us (it wasn't just the uniforms, though that was a huge part). They had numbers, we didn't. They had talent --- lots of it, we were waning. But somehow, we made the finals beating out Phantom and they came on to root for us. A lot of friendships transpired from this --- especially John. He started helping them out then he left Mariners for good the following year. I believe when he passed away he was still teaching them. Ironically Paul, my wife and I were married at St. Gregory the Great. My in-laws were the charter members of that church. She grew up on 69th & Ohio. Small world..... My first drum instructor was a guy who marched Militaires for a while - Mike Lorenz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmyp58 Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 Mike was my drum instructor too. Good guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Milano Posted March 2, 2006 Share Posted March 2, 2006 Mike was my drum instructor too. Good guy. I just talked with Mike the other day. He's doing great as a professional percussionist in Milwaukee. He and I missed marching together in the Cavaliers drum line by one year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scerpella Posted March 2, 2006 Author Share Posted March 2, 2006 Who knew there were so many Italians at St Gregs!! Brazale Perrini Bruno Milano Piscitello! Now the question is what sort of Italians? Sicilians, Calabrians, Romans? (Not Blenski!) Hey Jim, it was only after taking some Italian I realized we had always pronounced your name wrong! Should have sounded like Pi####ello rathern than the hard C. Somehow I should have known that since Scerpella is also pronounced like "SH" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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