1970 - Cabs Play Jets Halftime with Doc Severinsen?

[K2SMA]

1970 was the first year I was exposed to field competition. My high school band had a new director and my eyes were opened to the world of band, and, the following spring, drum corps contests.

During the fall of that year, after hearing our "DI" talk incessantly about the Hawthorne Caballeros, I have the vague recollection of seeing them on TV during halftime at Shea Stadium, performing with Doc Severinsen. Knowing that NBC had the contract to broadcast the AFL (later AFC) games and that Severinsen was the leader if the NBC Orchestra on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson at the time, it would make sense for the network to show a halftime featuring one of its own stars.

What I'd like to know is 1) if this really happened or had a strange dream, 2) if I have the year and performance correct, and 3) what music was played.

I know the Cabs have done halftime shows at many Giants games in the past, but these were much more recent. Hawthorne was the DCA Champion that year, so all the pieces seem to fit. It also seems that I remember thinking that, at the time, I really didn't know what I was seeing.

Who was there that remembers this, perhaps marched this particular performance, or could clarify? Many thanks...!

[zarblap]

Another foggy memory 1974 Rochester crusaders played halftime at a Steelers game against the Raiders, pre-season,and that was the night a sniper in the stadium shot 3 people,luckily no one was killed!!!!!

[MikeD]

I know the Cabs have done halftime shows at many Giants games in the past, but these were much more recent. Hawthorne was the DCA Champion that year, so all the pieces seem to fit. It also seems that I remember thinking that, at the time, I really didn't know what I was seeing.

Don't know about that one specifically...but after the 71 season when Garfield fired our drum guy George Tuthill...a lot of us went to the Cabs where he was the drum guy as well.

I ended up going back to Garfield, on bari, but in the fall of 71 I did get to march a Giant's 1/2-time with the Cabs, on double conga (really just carrying them around). Marched at Yankee Stadium...Giant's/Eagles...they sat us on folding chairs right at field level during the first 1/2. We marched their 71 show. It ended up snowing like crazy!!!

Earlier in the year in the Cadets...marched a Dolphin/49'er exhibition game in the Orange Bowl...on the way to 71 VFW Nats in Dallas.

It poured on us...there was a huge pic in the next day's Miami newpaper (forget which one...the biggest one) of our timpani line...water just flying off of the heads.

That show was broadcast in total on TV...my folks got to see me!

[cabalumsw]

1970 was the first year I was exposed to field competition. My high school band had a new director and my eyes were opened to the world of band, and, the following spring, drum corps contests.

During the fall of that year, after hearing our "DI" talk incessantly about the Hawthorne Caballeros, I have the vague recollection of seeing them on TV during halftime at Shea Stadium, performing with Doc Severinsen. Knowing that NBC had the contract to broadcast the AFL (later AFC) games and that Severinsen was the leader if the NBC Orchestra on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson at the time, it would make sense for the network to show a halftime featuring one of its own stars.

What I'd like to know is 1) if this really happened or had a strange dream, 2) if I have the year and performance correct, and 3) what music was played.

I know the Cabs have done halftime shows at many Giants games in the past, but these were much more recent. Hawthorne was the DCA Champion that year, so all the pieces seem to fit. It also seems that I remember thinking that, at the time, I really didn't know what I was seeing.

Who was there that remembers this, perhaps marched this particular performance, or could clarify? Many thanks...!

I never heard of that story but I can check with guys I know who marched that year. I joined the Hawthorne Caballeros in 1971.

When I was with St. Lucy's Cadets in the Fall of 1968, we were hired to play at a Nixon rally at Madison Square Garden. On the bandstand was Lionel Hampton and his band. The corps was waiting by the bandstand to perform. Manny Salort, our soloist, was down on the floor playing along with Hampton's band when a hand reached down to bring him up to the bandstand. The hand belonged to Lionel Hampton himself. Manny sat up there wailing away and we were all on the floor laughing and crying at the same time. What a character and a talent as well.

[MikeD]

When I was with St. Lucy's Cadets in the Fall of 1968, we were hired to play at a Nixon rally at Madison Square Garden. On the bandstand was Lionel Hampton and his band. The corps was waiting by the bandstand to perform. Manny Salort, our soloist, was down on the floor playing along with Hampton's band when a hand reached down to bring him up to the bandstand. The hand belonged to Lionel Hampton himself. Manny sat up there wailing away and we were all on the floor laughing and crying at the same time. What a character and a talent as well.

Manny was quite the player...loved his solo opening El Conquistador, the 69 opener.

He came down to BS when Lucy's folded after the 69 season. I was deciding whether to join BS or Garfield, so I spent a lot of time in Newark with friends who were joining BS.

Sadly he never made it through the winter with them, as I understand things. Imagine Manny and Bill Pusey, BS' amazing solist on "Free Again", in the same sop line!

[cabalumsw]

1970 was the first year I was exposed to field competition. My high school band had a new director and my eyes were opened to the world of band, and, the following spring, drum corps contests.

During the fall of that year, after hearing our "DI" talk incessantly about the Hawthorne Caballeros, I have the vague recollection of seeing them on TV during halftime at Shea Stadium, performing with Doc Severinsen. Knowing that NBC had the contract to broadcast the AFL (later AFC) games and that Severinsen was the leader if the NBC Orchestra on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson at the time, it would make sense for the network to show a halftime featuring one of its own stars.

What I'd like to know is 1) if this really happened or had a strange dream, 2) if I have the year and performance correct, and 3) what music was played.

I know the Cabs have done halftime shows at many Giants games in the past, but these were much more recent. Hawthorne was the DCA Champion that year, so all the pieces seem to fit. It also seems that I remember thinking that, at the time, I really didn't know what I was seeing.

Who was there that remembers this, perhaps marched this particular performance, or could clarify? Many thanks...!

I asked a good friend of mine who marched in Hawthorne for many years which included 1970. He says his brain is getting foggy but he vaguely remembers dong something with Doc Severinsen up in Mount Carmel, Pa. Back in the 70s, the Mount Carmel High School Band sponsored an event that featured major DCA corps in exhibition. It was usually held the last weekend in May and basically kicked off the DCA season.

[K2SMA]

...Back in the 70s, the Mount Carmel High School Band sponsored an event that featured major DCA corps in exhibition. It was usually held the last weekend in May and basically kicked off the DCA season.

Yes, I remember the shows in Mt. Carmel (and later Danville) on Memorial Day weekend each year. 1972 was my first trip up there.

But this was definitely in the fall of 1970, during my senior year in high school.

[elphaba01]

"Drum Corps @ Halftimes":

It "Used to be" quite a "Common" occourance. I well remember Hawthorne performing at the 1961 & 1962 Washington Redskins games (Televised and videotaped) and for the New York Giants and Clevland Browns in the 1970s and 1980s.

Archer Epler at an Eagles game (Televised)in 1961, Casper Troopers at the Sugar Bowl in 1967 & 1968 (Televised & taped), and Garfield at a Miami game, in the pouring rain in 1970. St Paul Scouts were also featured at a televised NFL halftime in the early 1970s, and the Casper Troopers, Hutchinson Sky Ryders and the Argonne Rebels appeared at Denver Broncos old 'Mile Hi Stadium' for pre & halftime games performances.

Those days, sadly, are long gone.

Elphaba

WWW

[MikeD]

"Drum Corps @ Halftimes":

It "Used to be" quite a "Common" occourance. I well remember Hawthorne performing at the 1961 & 1962 Washington Redskins games (Televised and videotaped) and for the New York Giants and Clevland Browns in the 1970s and 1980s.

I remember watching a Browns playoff game on TV in the late 60's...I was 14 or 15...it was snowing like crazy, and wondering WHY the Cabs were all the way out in Cleveland when they came on a 1/2-time...in near-blizzard conditions...unless that was just my parents old B&W TV acting up! :)

Archer Epler at an Eagles game (Televised)in 1961, Casper Troopers at the Sugar Bowl in 1967 & 1968 (Televised & taped), and Garfield at a Miami game, in the pouring rain in 1970. St Paul Scouts were also featured at a televised NFL halftime in the early 1970s, and the Casper Troopers, Hutchinson Sky Ryders and the Argonne Rebels appeared at Denver Broncos old 'Mile Hi Stadium' for pre & halftime games performances.

One slight correction (see a prior post of mine)....Garfield did the game in Miami (pre-season against the 49'ers) in 1971 on the way to Dallas for VFW Nats....easy to mix up as 1970 VFW's were in Miami. It WAS pouring rain.

Mike

[The Oz]

Reading did halftime shows for the Eagles (at Franklin field, my first experience with Astroturf), and the Redskins (Sonny Jurgensen had a beer belly). We also did pre-game performances (actually just marching around the outfield) for the Phillies at Connie Mack Stadium. After the game started, we’d sit in the stands and wear out a beer vendor. And a few of us ran out to a small bar behind the left field foul line. We were a big hit in satin shirts and sequins.

The strangest pro sports performance we did had to be at Garden State Park for the Jersey Derby in 1965. We played outside the park before the races, and marched down the track before the main race. Thoroughbred tracks are covered with a very loose dirt surface a couple of inches deep. Made marching a real chore. And the dirt got into your white bucks as you went. A few minutes into the parade, they started to lead the horses out to the track. It was then discovered that the horses didn’t like drum corps. Must have been the non-chromatic horns.

Edited October 2, 2006 by The Oz