Bones

[Michael Boo]

Bones on the hydrolic lift. What a trip! Now THAT is how you make an entrance! Truly a great moment. Glad I was there to see it.

Being as I was interviewing members as they came off the field at the back gate and had advance word of the cherry picker, I made sure I had the best view. And I've got to tell you, even knowing it was going to happen, it was a spectacular moment. The corps didn't expect it and I'll never forget seeing some horn players start jumping up and down and throwing their arms in the air.

I interviewed flugelhorn member James Hill for DCI.org after Crossmen performed. Here's part of what he said.

“Bones showing up tonight was absolutely amazing. When he popped up from behind the wall, the corps was electrified. The crowd responded enthusiastically. Everyone was standing even before we played the first note. We had no idea he was going to show up. He has a way of appearing when we don’t expect him.

“Allentown used to have a back stands that were wood and not very high. Bones used to stand back there, but now there are no back stands, and he had to find another way to do his thing. The corps was hyped, but not to an extent that we couldn’t perform."

[Invader]

This is the first Bones that appeared in 1978;

During most of the 1980's into the early 1990's the same guy was Bones every year. He was a guy from Southern New York State who never marched with Crossmen or any other corps for that matter. He just saw the Crossmen at a show and fell in love with the corps. Every year he would use all of his vacation to drive on tour. He was always taking the sick ones to the hospital and doing other work. He loved being Bones but the members never knew it was him in that uniform. As mush as he loved being Bones the greatest Crossmen thrill for him was Thanksgiving Day 1982 when the corps was marching in the Philadelphia Parade. Crossmen Director, Robbie Robinson, put him in a uniform and let him march with the corps in the contra section. I don't think he wanted that parade to end and since many alumni marched that day he had the pleasure of marching with the kids he loved to be Bones for. He never wanted any of the kids to know it was him playing Bones so I will continue his wish but he has been retired for some time now so I feel I can post his initials which are H.M. Maybe some of the alumni from those years will figure it out. He loved the corps so much that his N.Y. license plate said CROSSMEN. He was a real fan.

[torn8o]

During most of the 1980's into the early 1990's the same guy was Bones every year. He was a guy from Southern New York State who never marched with Crossmen or any other corps for that matter. He just saw the Crossmen at a show and fell in love with the corps. Every year he would use all of his vacation to drive on tour. He was always taking the sick ones to the hospital and doing other work. He loved being Bones but the members never knew it was him in that uniform. As mush as he loved being Bones the greatest Crossmen thrill for him was Thanksgiving Day 1982 when the corps was marching in the Philadelphia Parade. Crossmen Director, Robbie Robinson, put him in a uniform and let him march with the corps in the contra section. I don't think he wanted that parade to end and since many alumni marched that day he had the pleasure of marching with the kids he loved to be Bones for. He never wanted any of the kids to know it was him playing Bones so I will continue his wish but he has been retired for some time now so I feel I can post his initials which are H.M. Maybe some of the alumni from those years will figure it out. He loved the corps so much that his N.Y. license plate said CROSSMEN. He was a real fan.

So, I take it that this partucular guy at some point stopped being Bones. Is there a reason why?

[torn8o]

Being as I was interviewing members as they came off the field at the back gate and had advance word of the cherry picker, I made sure I had the best view. And I've got to tell you, even knowing it was going to happen, it was a spectacular moment. The corps didn't expect it and I'll never forget seeing some horn players start jumping up and down and throwing their arms in the air.

I interviewed flugelhorn member James Hill for DCI.org after Crossmen performed. Here's part of what he said.

“Bones showing up tonight was absolutely amazing. When he popped up from behind the wall, the corps was electrified. The crowd responded enthusiastically. Everyone was standing even before we played the first note. We had no idea he was going to show up. He has a way of appearing when we don’t expect him.

“Allentown used to have a back stands that were wood and not very high. Bones used to stand back there, but now there are no back stands, and he had to find another way to do his thing. The corps was hyped, but not to an extent that we couldn’t perform."

So, for those of you who have marched with Crossmen - is it safe to say that some of your best shows are when he shows up?

[Invader]

So, I take it that this partucular guy at some point stopped being Bones. Is there a reason why?

Its been a number of years but I seem to recall a job relocation.

[Ageout90]

2 Funny Bones Stories:

1-Serious One

After marching and teaching the Crossmen between 89-92.

I ended up being on the brass staff of the Cadets. Of course there was the friendly jabbing about the Crossmen from time to time, as the two corps were quite competitive in 91 and 92.

There was an ongoing joke that they never saw me and bones in the same place at the same time and some brass techs at the Cadets insisted I was indeed bones.

Anyway....at the Ypsilanti regional...Cadets arrived early, so the brass staff and I went to use the men's rest room in the back of the huge Ypsi stadium.

Lo and behold...we picked the bathroom that bones happened to be changing in.

The brass staff and I could not stop laughing the whole time we were in there, and then upon leaving, I told them they now know who bones is so I will have to kill them.

Anywho...it was funny at the time. At least the myth of me being bones among the Cadet Brass staff was put to rest.

My other favorite bones moment was when he appeard at the Pre-view of champs show in 1991. Minutes later, the lights of the entire visitors side of Camp Randall Stadium went out for approx 30 seconds of our performance. (This only could happen to the Crossmen.)

And I still wonder if bones accidently tripped over a wire or something:-)

My Serious bones memory was in 1989 when the corps made it back into finals for the first time after a 5 year abscence from the big show.

As we exited through the tunnel "Bones" was stading right on top of the tunnel entrance saluting the corps as we had our traditional hand clasp in two files marching underneath him.

As the drum tap echoed in the stadium tunnel we started chanting bones on every 4th tap. Then we starting adding the words "are-back" each time.

It started as a whisper and then we were basically shouting it as we exited the tunnel into the parking lot. (THE KC Chiefs Tunnel is one of the longest I have ever been in.)

I will always remember the look on the Freelancers faces as we burst out of the tunnel chanting BONES ARE BACK with the drum tap as they were getting ready to go in.

(Ah...great memories)

[torn8o]

2 Funny Bones Stories:

1-Serious One

After marching and teaching the Crossmen between 89-92.

I ended up being on the brass staff of the Cadets. Of course there was the friendly jabbing about the Crossmen from time to time, as the two corps were quite competitive in 91 and 92.

Boy, have times ever changed? :P Now the two corps are part of the same organization.

As the drum tap echoed in the stadium tunnel we started chanting bones on every 4th tap. Then we starting adding the words "are-back" each time.

It started as a whisper and then we were basically shouting it as we exited the tunnel into the parking lot. (THE KC Chiefs Tunnel is one of the longest I have ever been in.)

I will always remember the look on the Freelancers faces as we burst out of the tunnel chanting BONES ARE BACK with the drum tap as they were getting ready to go in.

Um??? We were on third that night. You were on first. We would have been finishing up warm up and getting our swigs of water at the time you were going into the stadium. Are you SURE your memory is serving you correctly? I can see how we would react like that though. :) We had been chanting "Sac is Back" since 1987 when the corps came back from a fold. If anything though, I think our two corps had a lot of respect for each other come the 89 DCI championships since we had both been absent from finals for a while. :) I think we were both glad to see EACH OTHER in our rightfull place as DCI finalists. :)

[CrossmenAlumni]

Crap! I forgot to put the video up last night. Indoor rehearsal and "life" getting in the way. Tonight, I promise!!

To Invader: There was a group of us members who knew about that one guy who was Bones for many years. It became pretty obvious after a while, through process of elmination and body type and stuff like that. In the end, though, we never really talked about his identity much. It didn't really matter to us if it was him or not. As we liked to say, who's in the suit is not important. It's what he represents that matters. But it was kind of sad when he decided to "hang up the cape." He was an excellent Bones, and probably the one guy who had more influence on everyone who's done it ever since. He was the quintessential "Bones."

To Larry: EVERY YEAR I was on staff, the kids in the corps were convinced that I was Bones. I can say with all honesty, I have never stood back there and done the "Bones" thing, though I was asked to do so on a couple occasions. Besides, my favorite part about the whole thing is actually being on the field with the members to see their reaction to it. It's priceless. (The discussions we all have after the show around the buses are even better.) AND it also proves to them that it's not me!

After that cherry picker incident, we joked, "How the #### are we gonna top this???" The best reply was..."Bones jumps from an airplane and parachutes into the stadium!!!"

I'd pay to see that! :)

Edited March 17, 2006 by CrossmenAlumni

[torn8o]

After that cherry picker incident, we joked, "How the #### are we gonna top this???" The best reply was..."Bones jumps from an airplane and parachutes into the stadium!!!"

I'd pay to see that! :)

I'd pay to be the one to do it and I haven't ever even been a PART of the Crossman organization! :D Could you imagine the rush? Of course, there's always the possibility of screwing it up and landing on someone's head in the front stands :D...hey, that in and of itself could be a story!

[CrossmenAlumni]

I can hear the play by play...

"Oh no! There seems to be trouble with the chute! He's spinning out of control!! He's going to miss the target on the 50 yard line...he's heading for somebody on the sideline...OH NO!!!! Bones landed right on top of George Hopkins!!!!!!"

Then again, that would be impossible since George actually IS Bones. Sorry, George. I couldn't keep your secret forever. If people don't believe me, answer me this: have you ever seen George and Bones at the same time?? Hmmm...

:P