SkyDog Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 The Blue Angels weren't based in Concord. There's a closed-down Naval Weapons Station in Concord, but it hasn't had any serviceable runways since the 1940s. (You can actually see what's left of them just off of East Olivera Road.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssorrell Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 (edited) Steve...any idea how manhy Spirit members cross over from the JSU band program? I'd think that's a VERY strong point in teh Spirit program.And isn't Ken B. a Spirit alum himself?? Re the 84 schools....I hope BD wasn;t one of the ones that trashed a place. i don;t remember anything like that, even with the disspointment of losing... Since I haven't been involved with the corps for a few years now, I have no idea how many kids from the JSU band are members of Spirit. Back when our relationship started in 2000, and for a couple years after, I don't think we ever had more than 20 though. Heck, we had that many when I was in the corps! JSU's band is a hotbed for drum corps membership all over the country. Yep, Spirit calls the campus home, but many members still migrate to other corps all over the place. I remember when I was at JSU in 1983, Spirit had just finished in 7th place, but we didn't have any more of a draw of members from JSU than any other corps (of course the corps wasn't a part of JSU at that time, but we did have a close relationship with the school nonetheless). There were no less than 18 drum corps represented in the band. Madison and Spirit were the most popular, but even though both corps were in the middle of top 12 solidly, members traveled great distances to march in Garfield, SCV, BD...you name it. So, yeah...you'd think that we'd have more kids from JSU's band marching in Spirit. Once Spirit figures out a way to get out of this grip on 10th - 13th place, mabe we'll see more kids give them a try. but who knows...like I said above, even when we were 6th-7th place, JSU kids still had the need to go elsewhere. And that's fine! I'm sure the staff of Spirit and JSU bands wants everyone to go where they will be happy. As far as Ken B...yes he was a contra at Suncoast in 86. Edited July 20, 2006 by ssorrell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geneva Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 I know that one. The Geneva APPLEKNOCKERS name came from the plentiful apple orchards that are prevalent in this upstate NY area. Apples were plucked from trees with long poles. And the Duquesne DUKES were named after a tv sitcom at the time... The Dukes of Hazzard ...( haha....hey, just kiddin' ya ) Some further information which I can provide... The name appleknockers had been around at least since WWI when the 27th army division from upstate NY adopted this nickname. Winnek Post started to become known as the ""Appleknockers" in the late 40's and early 50's. Lore has it that when a corps member tried to discuss judging methods one of the judges spoke up, “Go on, you appleknockers don't know that". They started to adopt this appropriate regional nickname which was already being applied to them by some of the big city (Garbarina [skyliners]) corps who were making a spoof at their rural, fruit belt origins. Hence, this colorful name was here to stay. The implication was that they were unsophisticated country bumpkins. Quite ironic for anyone who ever witnessed the innovations of their performances! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X DM Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 (edited) Some further information which I can provide...The name appleknockers had been around at least since WWI when the 27th army division from upstate NY adopted this nickname. Winnek Post started to become known as the ""Appleknockers" in the late 40's and early 50's. Lore has it that when a corps member tried to discuss judging methods one of the judges spoke up, “Go on, you appleknockers don't know that". They started to adopt this appropriate regional nickname which was already being applied to them by some of the big city (Garbarina [skyliners]) corps who were making a spoof at their rural, fruit belt origins. Hence, this colorful name was here to stay. The implication was that they were unsophisticated country bumpkins. Quite ironic for anyone who ever witnessed the innovations of their performances! One of the oddest names for a Corps I ever heard of were the Carver Gay Blades, from Carver, N.J. ( no, I'm not making this up ) They were a competing Senior Corps in DCA back in 60's. Decent competing Corps there for awhile too...... Not sure I really want to know the origins of this Corps name, but anyone who knows is certainly welcome to chime in. Edited July 20, 2006 by X DM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CallipygianKing Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 The only name origins that I know of are the DCA corps from MN: Minnesota Brass: This is a shortening, then re-lengthening of the name "Amalgamated Brassworks, Inc.", adopted in the 70's after a string of naming themselves after their sponsors. It was shortened to "Brass, Inc.", then "Minnesota" was tacked on when they got sick of people asking where they were from. Govenaires: The got this name because their hometown, St. Peter, was also the hometown of 5 of Minnesota's governers. Chops, Inc.: Started as "Chopstix Percussion" in 1991, a marching drumline that did parades only. A separate parade unit, "Top Chops Brassline", was formed in 1994 as a sister organization. The two merged together under one parent organization in 1996, "Chops, Inc." When it was decided that the two units would perform together on the field in 1999, the name "Chops, Inc." was adopted for the field corps. There was no colorguard until 2001, and they do parades as "Hot Chops Colorguard". All three units still do parades separately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morganhill Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 Isn't there a midwest corps actually named after a garbage can manufacturer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
84BDsop Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 Isn't there a midwest corps actually named after a garbage can manufacturer? I THINK that's Pioneer....but I;m not sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kusankusho Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 One of the oddest names for a Corps I ever heard of were the Carver Gay Blades, from Carver, N.J. ( no, I'm not making this up ) They were a competing Senior Corps in DCA back in 60's. Decent competing Corps there for awhile too...... Not sure I really want to know the origins of this Corps name, but anyone who knows is certainly welcome to chime in. That was probably before gay meant - you know - gay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom&Phitch Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 That was probably before gay meant - you know - gay. so the other gay means happy... so they were carver happy blades? what... did they walk around and like to cut ppl or something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kusankusho Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 so the other gay means happy... so they were carver happy blades? what... did they walk around and like to cut ppl or something? ...and then laugh about it. Probably. It's very "three muskateers"..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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