BariBone Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 The following is a tribute I wrote back in 2002 remembering the 1981 DCA finals... For the thousands that witnessed it, (DCW reported a record crowd of over 12,000) they will never forget it. For those that had the fortune of performing, they still look back to it as one of DCA's greatest nights. In the shadow of DCI's "glory years"..the early 80's, DCA experienced a memorable season in 1981 the likes of which will never be seen again. What is amazing about this DCA, was that there was no Empire,Brigs,Bush, Renegades,Minnesota, Inspires or Grennies at Franklin Field. Fran Haring was performing, not announcing. It was the era of the 13 minute show, and the shows were especially written to get them off their feet and beg for more. The actual show had more plots and sub-plots for the hard corps fan that any show could have. The venue..Franklin Field...was only 5 years removed from hosting DCI...the very site a Hawthorne corps made history on. It remains the only stadium to ever host DCI and DCA finals. The finals were heavily promoted all summer in the 2 major drum corps papers. By heavily promoted, I mean centerfold type ads, huge ads, with full pictures of every corps. Ed Shaunnasy, Tonight Show drummer actually plugged DCA on the Tonight Show since he was the featured guest drummer in exhibition with Archer Epler. You had the Reading Buccaneers going in losing 1 show all year. Odds on favorite, right? Nope..3rd in prelims. I've seen polls that put the '81 Bucs as the one of the best DCA hornlines ever. You had the Hurricanes, going in ....middle of the pack, On Aug 16th they were in 5th place. You figure they had no chance of leaping over 4 corps by prelims. Nope they won prelims. I don't think a year went by since 1981 where a middle of the pack corps would be told about the cinderella Hurcs as inspiration to not give up on the season, there is still a chance. You had 5 corps only 1.5 or so from first after prelims. When was the last time a corps took high horns and placed 5th? Cabs did that in prelims. And the finals would be the last time an all male senior corps would ever compete at DCA. But despite all the wackiness of surprise placements, that show featured living legends on the field in their finest hour. It was a drum major hall of fame show all by itself..George Parks, Jim Russo, Butch Anderson, Pepe Notaro..just to name a few. How about finales? The Matadors bringing the house down with Rocky (In PHILLY!). Evita and NY, NY were very new tunes back then, and the Cabs and Sky brought the house down with those classics. What more can be said of Sun's drum line circa early 80's. Considered to this day to be one of the finest senior drum lines ever. The Hurricanes electric performace that night earned them the DCA and to my knowledge..the thickest, boldest headline in the history of Drum Corps World...HERCS WIN DCA.When the Brigs played the opening strains of "Slaughter" a few years ago, ..I thought back to Sky's version in '81 that bounced around Franklin Field that night. DCI had record attendance in Montreal that year, but for my money...one of the great shows in drum corps history was the '81 DCA. There is a great website full of great shots of the '81 DCA. 1981 DCA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strutta Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 GREAT ####IN' POST!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 and Pepe spiked the mace in a bucket of sand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TennTux Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 (edited) The following is a tribute I wrote back in 2002 remembering the 1981 DCA finals... For the thousands that witnessed it, (DCW reported a record crowd of over 12,000) they will never forget it. For those that had the fortune of performing, they still look back to it as one of DCA's greatest nights. In the shadow of DCI's "glory years"..the early 80's, DCA experienced a memorable season in 1981 the likes of which will never be seen again. What is amazing about this DCA, was that there was no Empire,Brigs,Bush, Renegades,Minnesota, Inspires or Grennies at Franklin Field. Fran Haring was performing, not announcing. It was the era of the 13 minute show, and the shows were especially written to get them off their feet and beg for more. The actual show had more plots and sub-plots for the hard corps fan that any show could have. The venue..Franklin Field...was only 5 years removed from hosting DCI...the very site a Hawthorne corps made history on. It remains the only stadium to ever host DCI and DCA finals. The finals were heavily promoted all summer in the 2 major drum corps papers. By heavily promoted, I mean centerfold type ads, huge ads, with full pictures of every corps. Ed Shaunnasy, Tonight Show drummer actually plugged DCA on the Tonight Show since he was the featured guest drummer in exhibition with Archer Epler. You had the Reading Buccaneers going in losing 1 show all year. Odds on favorite, right? Nope..3rd in prelims. I've seen polls that put the '81 Bucs as the one of the best DCA hornlines ever. You had the Hurricanes, going in ....middle of the pack, On Aug 16th they were in 5th place. You figure they had no chance of leaping over 4 corps by prelims. Nope they won prelims. I don't think a year went by since 1981 where a middle of the pack corps would be told about the cinderella Hurcs as inspiration to not give up on the season, there is still a chance. You had 5 corps only 1.5 or so from first after prelims. When was the last time a corps took high horns and placed 5th? Cabs did that in prelims. And the finals would be the last time an all male senior corps would ever compete at DCA. But despite all the wackiness of surprise placements, that show featured living legends on the field in their finest hour. It was a drum major hall of fame show all by itself..George Parks, Jim Russo, Butch Anderson, Pepe Notaro..just to name a few. How about finales? The Matadors bringing the house down with Rocky (In PHILLY!). Evita and NY, NY were very new tunes back then, and the Cabs and Sky brought the house down with those classics. What more can be said of Sun's drum line circa early 80's. Considered to this day to be one of the finest senior drum lines ever. The Hurricanes electric performace that night earned them the DCA and to my knowledge..the thickest, boldest headline in the history of Drum Corps World...HERCS WIN DCA.When the Brigs played the opening strains of "Slaughter" a few years ago, ..I thought back to Sky's version in '81 that bounced around Franklin Field that night. DCI had record attendance in Montreal that year, but for my money...one of the great shows in drum corps history was the '81 DCA. There is a great website full of great shots of the '81 DCA. 1981 DCA 1981..... Fran Haring (from the Dream) 1981 Sunrisers "Great Wall of China" (w/Diane, Tony W. and Tony C.) 1981 Sunrisers Drum Line "SMOKIN" 1981 Sunrisers Drum Sheet 1981 Sunrisers "Wall of Percussion" 1981 Finals (1st, Hurcs- 2nd, Sun- 3rd, Bucs) (George & I were standing on the same level, YES, I'm that short...5'6") Tony B) Edited February 10, 2006 by TennTux Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TennTux Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 and Pepe spiked the mace in a bucket of sand To the delight of ALL! (George congratulated him on a job well done) LOL Tony B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaminbenb Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 I thought Sun got "jobbed" that night! (that opinion got me into a big argument when I joined Reading a few years later!) I remember stowing my gear and going up in the stands watching everyone after us, and freaking out at Suns drumline, and Readings hornline, not even considering that the Hurcs were going to win ! (we all had the "Harvey Olderman" conspiracy) If it were a "clap" show then I could see the Hurcs winning, their guard was one of the hottest things I ever saw, (total GE stuff) but musically? nah didn't see it! I had Sun over Reading by a tenth! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 (edited) 1981 Finals (1st, Hurcs- 2nd, Sun- 3rd, Bucs) (George & I were standing on the same level, YES, I'm that short...5'6") Tony B) 5' 6" sounds like a #### good height to me Tony..... :P (same here) So that's what I would look like standing next to George P..... DCA '81 was painful for me *sigh*. First DCA I missing since I discovered Drum Corps. Was working that night in the computer room b-wording to myself that I wasn't there. :( Edited February 10, 2006 by JimF-xWSMBari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goalieguy Posted February 10, 2006 Share Posted February 10, 2006 Fran Haring (from the Dream) Now that's a classic ! Another 'tilt the horn' angle ...grip it and rip it baby! :P :P :P We need more frenchies! Pat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TennTux Posted February 11, 2006 Share Posted February 11, 2006 (edited) I thought Sun got "jobbed" that night! (that opinion got me into a big argument when I joined Reading a few years later!)I remember stowing my gear and going up in the stands watching everyone after us, and freaking out at Suns drumline, and Readings hornline, not even considering that the Hurcs were going to win ! (we all had the "Harvey Olderman" conspiracy) If it were a "clap" show then I could see the Hurcs winning, their guard was one of the hottest things I ever saw, (total GE stuff) but musically? nah didn't see it! I had Sun over Reading by a tenth! Jaminbenb, Thought it WAS a long time ago, your not the only one that "saw" it that way..... But, facts are facts :sshh: 1981 Hurcs (corpsreps) 89.65 http://www.corpsreps.com/corpsreps.cfm?vie...orpstype=Senior 1981 Sunrisers (corpsreps) 89.10 http://www.corpsreps.com/corpsreps.cfm?vie...orpstype=Senior 1981 Buccaneers (corpsreps) 88.40 http://www.corpsreps.com/corpsreps.cfm?vie...orpstype=Senior 1981 All Sr. Corps (corpsreps) http://www.corpsreps.com/corpsreps.cfm?vie...orpstype=Senior Tony B) Edited February 11, 2006 by TennTux Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TennTux Posted February 11, 2006 Share Posted February 11, 2006 5' 6" sounds like a #### good height to me Tony..... :P (same here)So that's what I would look like standing next to George P..... Jim, "It" works for me... b**bs B) b**bs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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