Remember The Spectacle City Mariners?

[jimmyp58]

Wow, that picture certainly brings back a lot of memories. I am Jim Piscitello in the Mariner's picture. A year after this picture was taken (and I grew), I became the next Cap'n Crunch. Here's a chronology of the Cap'n Crunches:

1. John Brazale (the original). May he rest in peace. Joe Bruno was his sidekick for a few years.

2. Joe Bruno. My mentor. Joe was solo in 1968 and in 1969 Tom Wolfe (aka Foxy) joined his side. Joe was a real showman!

3. 1970, Joe Bruno was solo as Cap'n Crunch but Mark Eidsen and I joined his sides in the same uniform you see in the picture.

4. Tom Wolfe came back in 1971 as I (nor Mark) hadn't grown yet. We remained his sidekicks for this season.

5. Jim Piscitello. Cap'n Crunch (solo) for 1972. 1973 brought about Bob Agnello as a sidekick Cap'n Crunch 1/2 way through the season (see below). 1974 I was solo again until August when I was abruptly ushered out due to a plan to dismantle the Mariners by then Director Dennis Hagner.

6. Steve Martell marched as the solo Cap'n Crunch for the remaining two shows. The corps was a skeleton of itself and folded.

This was a wonderful time of my life (for obvious reasons). I have many more pictures like this along with fantastic memories. While garnering a host of Best Drum Major awards, I'd have to say winning many shows was more of a highlight than anything along with the friends I made. Oh, and I did get to meet Miss America in Frankenmuth, Michigan in 1972! Unfortunately I don't see anyone anymore. I did meet some people later on in my adult life that marched in other D&B Corps that remembered me. The telltale sign it was me is the scars I still have in my hand from catching the sword in the wrong place --- if you know what I mean.

Besides Joe Bruno mentoring me I have to acknowledge the one man I still revere to this day, Mike McGrath (Mac). May he rest in peace. He taught me far more than being a good drum major --- he taught me how to be a leader. I will never forget the wisdom he imparted on me. I had the privilege of meeting up with Mac about 13 years ago when he was battling cancer. I thanked him for the words of wisdom he imparted on me. I am so grateful I had the opportunity to do this before he passed on.

I saw Joe Bruno at my mom's funeral in 1981. I haven't seen him since. I saw Gene Russell, one of our drummers, a few years ago. I was visiting a customer and he was their phone/computer consultant. It was great seeing him.

That 1974 season was a bi&^h! I don't recall how he became Director but it was a plan to dismantle the Mariners that brought him there. The prior year saw St. Matthias fold (he was there too and saw it's demise) and everyone came over to the Mariners. I guess we called it a 'merger' back then. That is how Bob Agnello came about as my sidekick. The merger happened part way through that season. Bob joined me around July of that year; prior to that in 1973 I was solo. I believe that year also saw the merging of The Imperials of St. Patrick and Cedarburg's Mercury Thunderbolts to become the Pioneers. The Kilties disbanded I believe in 1975. After I was ousted in 1974 I tried to hook up with them as a drummer but Mr. Hagner put me on the blacklist and that was the end of my D&B career. Certainly not the way I planned on ending it. 1974 was the end of the Mariners. To this day I am still bitter at what he did. Sad to say that I guess after all these years. To be fair and honest, we had an initiation ritual that pre-dated my coming to the Mariners. We gave one such chap the "honor seat" (he was a former St. Matthias fellow). His parents complained about the physical remnants of that rite (we used to ask historical questions about the Mariners and if you didn't answer the question correctly, you got a series of t&ttie twisters from the veterans). I was there, along with a host of other more tenured veterans, and Dennis singled me out because I was the Drum Major. Why didn't he suspend or kick out any of the others? Who knows. He and one of the chaperones made a huge fuss about this (the chaperone, whom I had known from when I was a 6 year old boy when marching in the Militaires with his son) turned on me by denying this ever happened before --- probably out of fear of being sued or prosecuted --- this was a lie to end all lies. That hurt a lot! Heck, all of the others were over 18 (I was only 16) and for all the hub-bub about this, they should have been charged with assault --- o.k., a little carried away.

I think the plan was to pare Wisconsin Corps. down to two more powerful Corps to compete on a national level. All that was left after Mr. Hagner and his crew (does the name Al Guerrero ring a bell) did their deed was the Madison Scouts and Pioneers. Mariners, Kilties, St. Matthias, Blue Stars (remember them), Racine Scouts, Americanos --- all gone.

Anyway, it was great to see someone remembered the Mariners. The Spectacle City Mariners. They started in South Milwaukee under the direction of Dr. Harry Patin (may he rest in peace). The origin of the Mariners was a place for South Milwaukee's juvenile delinquents to hang out and get structure. Harry was a practicing dentist in South Milwaukee and was a pillar of the community. He served on the School Board and had a deep commitment to kids. I believe the city (or police) approached him about starting an organization for these 'troubled' kids and the Mariners were born. They stayed in South Milwaukee until the 1969 season when they moved to Greendale. Greendale was a growing community and where Harry and his family lived. Greendale never really embraced the Mariners as South Milwaukee did but it was 'home' until we were broken up.

Again, it was great to see someone remembered 'us'. If anyone remembers me and wishes to correspond, please e-mail me at:

jpiscitello@ameritech.net

Thanks!

Jim

Edited February 28, 2006 by jimmyp58

[Bob Brady]

No see Dans's pics!! :(

I used to enjoy watching that corps alot!

We used to cross paths with them several times a year and they were always a crowd favorite.

[jimmyp58]

The flares, headchoppers, and sabre flips always caused a gasp and ooh from the crowd.

[morganhill]

Hey, at first glance I thought I was looking at a photo of the Stockton Commodores. The Commodores were a fine corps and even managed a bit of DCI fame and success, although short lived. When I think of all the fine corps we have lost in California.........

[MaxwellNotes]

Great photo of a great corps. I miss that corps a lot. Wisconsin certainly has had some great corps to come out of it. And Dennis Hagner is an ###!!!!!

Edited February 28, 2006 by MaxwellNotes

[Scerpella]

Hey, at first glance I thought I was looking at a photo of the Stockton Commodores. The Commodores were a fine corps and even managed a bit of DCI fame and success, although short lived. When I think of all the fine corps we have lost in California.........

We ran across the dread Commodores in 72 in Minneapolis for VFW. None of us knew they existed so when this corps dressed just like you comes out and plays similar music, its a very weird thing. by 73 though Commodores were DCI finalists and way out of our league.

[Scerpella]

When I first joined the Mariners in 1971 at 14, many of the members took to calling me Scotty Paulsen after the legendary Kiltie Drum Major just down the hwy in Racine. I never understood why until after joining Kilties 32 years later I got to see a picture of him at approximately the same age.

BTW I knew Jim Piscitello quite well back then and thought he made a great Capn Crunch. I was very surprised years later when I found he was attending UW Madison and living on the same dorm floor as my brother. There are a number of Mariners associated with the Kilties now, myself, Mike and Sharon Faeh, Dave Pawlak, Bo Viliunas.

And we may need a new DM next year Jim, you ought to come check us out.

Edited February 28, 2006 by dans24103

[jimmyp58]

Wow, what a small world. Hey Dan, I certainly remember you! And yes, I remember that dreaded Commodores thingy. But while we were pi&*ed at them we became great friends with Phantom Regiment (I still for the life of me cannot believe we beat them out to march in the finals.

Anyway, if there are any 'old' Phantom guys out there and you don't believe me, SUTA!!!!

Hey Dan, I just may take you up on that offer. Keep me posted and say "hi" to the gang!

[Jim Anello]

1973 brought about Bob Agnello as a sidekick Cap'n Crunch 1/2 way through the season (see below).

Jimmy, I passed on this note to by brother, Bob A-n-e-l-l-o. Don't worry - lots of people have mispelled our name. Somebody even tried to make me Irish once - O'Nello.

I'll be interested in his take on the conspiracy theory about the demise of the Mariners. I never heard anything along those lines - just a lot of money problems. Can't remember any of the details, tho.

One thing I DO remember has to do with the origin of the uniform. As you ex-Mariners know, you originally started as a drill team. As Bob explained it to me, there was a conscious effort to copy the uniform of the California Dons, just with a nautical instead of a Latin theme.

If that's the case, there's a California connection here.

[jimmyp58]

Oops....so sorry. Yes, it is ANELLO (no 'g'). I coached a young boy a few years ago with the Agnello spelling. Say "hi" to Bob for me.

I know a lot of folks will think that my conspiracy theory is way out there. Money problems, most corps back then had them. I know that many of the Mariners instructors were paying their own way to competitions but after the influx of the St. Matthias folks, your brother being one of them, they went out and paid cash for another bus. Money couldn't have been all that bad.

Anyhow, it was a shame the Mariners, St. Matthias, Blue Stars, Racine Explorer Scouts, etc. broke up because it was fun to march against them. Sure, we weren't the Madison Scouts but then again, who else was?!

You are dead-on about the drill team origin. Not certain about the styling of the uniforms but I do know that the emblem on my hat was sanctioned by the Department of the Navy.

Even though the Mariners as a whole struggled to compete the last few years their winter Color Guard was kick-a&^.

Edited March 1, 2006 by jimmyp58