bobchilds Posted May 19, 2006 Share Posted May 19, 2006 I was just looking up "The Thing" on corpsreps.com and also noticed the "Appleknockers" from Geneva, NY. Anyone know anything about the history of their name, or have any photos? (Perhaps the guard uniforms would be best left to my imagination.) b**bs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X DM Posted May 20, 2006 Share Posted May 20, 2006 (edited) I was just looking up "The Thing" on corpsreps.com and also noticed the "Appleknockers" from Geneva, NY. Anyone know anything about the history of their name, or have any photos?(Perhaps the guard uniforms would be best left to my imagination.) b**bs They were a highly competitive senior competing Drum and Bugle Corps in the 50's and 60's. from upstate New York. My guess. the name was probably derived from apple orchards and the manner in which the apples were plucked from trees by long poles in those days. That's just a guess though. The Corps actually had sharp cadet style uniforms, White and ( green ? ), but mostly white or cream colored for sure. I can just vaguely remember them, as I was pretty young when they were around. But they had sharp uniforms and were a fine Corps for awhile there.They also had several talented musicians within the Corps ranks, and the Appleknockers performed in Concert fashion in sit down musical performances in doors in the off season in their area. Others can fill in other info, and possibly provide pictures. But in their day, they were a terrific competing Senior Drum and Bugle Corps. Nobody laughed at this Corps back then, believe me. Edited May 20, 2006 by X DM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malibu Posted May 20, 2006 Share Posted May 20, 2006 (edited) I was just looking up "The Thing" on corpsreps.com and also noticed the "Appleknockers" from Geneva, NY. Anyone know anything about the history of their name, or have any photos?(Perhaps the guard uniforms would be best left to my imagination.) b**bs You need to go to this forum and check out all the pictures in there. It is treasure trove of pictures none like any other website! It will take you DAYS to go through them all! DCP Historic Forum, Old Drum Corps Photos Edited May 20, 2006 by Malibu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GGarrett Posted May 20, 2006 Share Posted May 20, 2006 There was a drum & bell/baton corps here in the suburbs of Chicago called the Apple Corps. This was like 1974 or 75. We always joked that the Beatles would sue them... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomPeashey Posted May 20, 2006 Share Posted May 20, 2006 Geneva Appleknockers in the 70's (along with Fulton Gauchos who had also been a senior corps) also made mildly successful attempts at junior corps also. They were both actually pretty good for a time. Someone mentioned the cream cadet style uni which was topped with a shako (chrome?) and dark green plum... the jacket had 3 perpendicular narrow dark green stripes down the right side of the front... The senior corps was all white (cream) but I believe the junior corps use dark pants... The best year for the senior corps was 1959... I believe they were in the top 4 at the Legion Nationals in Minneapolis with Cabs, Brigs and Sky. For many years, they performed their winter concert series of stage performances playing big band sets and entertaining audiences in the winter throughout the northeast. Many of the entertainment value type things that Geneva started were the basis of much of what Vince Bruni later did with Empire Statesman. Dr. Jack Bullock (Ithaca College - Florida Resident) was an original soloist/arranger there and visual was done by the legendary crazy man Hardy Carrassas... Several key Appleknocker people went on to Rochester Crusaders after the senior corps folded... The most famous alumni of the old Appleknockers was Kenny Peterson... recent soloist for Empire Statesman, Mighty St. Joe's Alumni and the famous "winnie" of Ghost Riders mini corps version of William Tell overture I don't remember how many years the Junior corps was around, but I'm afraid it wasn't many... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarimbasaurusRex Posted May 20, 2006 Share Posted May 20, 2006 Wasn't Gus Barbaro also with Appleknockers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coats1952 Posted May 20, 2006 Share Posted May 20, 2006 I was just looking up "The Thing" on corpsreps.com and also noticed the "Appleknockers" from Geneva, NY. Anyone know anything about the history of their name, or have any photos?(Perhaps the guard uniforms would be best left to my imagination.) b**bs Junior corps in late 60's early 70's.I think they made U S Open finals in 71 or 72. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomPeashey Posted May 20, 2006 Share Posted May 20, 2006 Gus may very well have taught the junior corps. He was in Rochester a lot back then... consulted with Rochester often... great instructor... wonderful personality... if he marched with the old senior Appleknockers, I missed that, but you never know in drum corps... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran Haring Posted May 21, 2006 Share Posted May 21, 2006 One junior corps name I found interesting back in the day was the Osage Precisionnaires. I think... not completely sure about this....that this corps finished as high as 13th one year at DCI prelims. Fran Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markdewine Posted May 22, 2006 Share Posted May 22, 2006 My memory isn't what it used to be, but......I was sitting around with a bunch of 'old-timers' way back when I was still young, and they were talking about how corps used to be known by their Legion or VFW Post # (i.e. Hawthorne's Post 199) So, once in NY city, a bunch of guys were on the same topic, and when Geneva's Post # was mentioned...there was a "Who's those guys?" Apparently, Lefty Mayer said, "Oh, that's up in appleknocker country." And somehow, the name stuck. Great corps...cool name. B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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