attreides Posted May 29, 2007 Share Posted May 29, 2007 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
attreides Posted May 29, 2007 Share Posted May 29, 2007 When you see the Bridgemen souvenir stand this summer, please drop by and purchase some WAY cool Bridgemen souvies to support the corps! The stand was artfully constructed by Rob Hunter, with illustration by Kevin Serfass. Photo courtesy of John Nadrowski's Bridgemen Tribute Site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overthehillDM Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 Only 3 weeks from this Saturday!!! HYPE!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overthehillDM Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 Buy your tickets in advance, and SAVE $$$$$$!!! Only 3 weeks from Saturday!!! HYPE!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomMoore Posted June 1, 2007 Share Posted June 1, 2007 Looking forward to it!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
attreides Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 Spotlight on the Performers Did You Know.... Bob "Vito" Gironda, renowned NY Skyliner, was a Bridgemen member for 7 years? Robert Gironda (right) with Gus Wilke (left), both veterans of the Bridgemen and the NY Skyliners Alumni, back in 2002. Robert Mario (Vito) Gironda joined St. Andrew's Bridgemen for the 1969-1970 season, coming over from St Mary's Parish (14th St. and Ave. C) in Bayonne. Back then, kids from other parishes had to ask for special permission to join a different parish's activity! He played in the first "Mr. Clown" quintet with legendary fellow bari Eddie Irwin. Bob went by such nicknames as Vito, (self-imposed), Al E. Gator, Big-a Boy, Buddy Greco, Vesuvius (given to him by Gus Wilke, who couldn't remember his correct surname), Bobby-ola, and Crark Cable (Ed Holmes' attempt at Clark Gable). He solidified the corps during the tenuous 1974-1975 seasons, while working his way up the ranks from lower to lead baritone, eventually becoming section leader, until his last year with the Bridgemen in 1977. Along the way, he helped to connect the 2 eras of the corps, from the shakos to the coats. After aging out of junior corps, Bob joined the NY Skyliners in 1979. He has been a member and driving force behind the NY Skyliners Alumni corps since 1996 and was a drum major from 2002-2005. He is currently acting in the capacity of Secretary & Treasurer, and performs as a lead baritone. Drum Major Robert Gironda with The NY Skyliners Alumni in 2004. Catch all the talent that will thrill audiences at Tournament of Stars on Saturday, June 23rd! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
attreides Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 (edited) Spotlight on the Announcer Did You Know.... Pat Forker, announcer for the Tournament of Stars show, is also the Bridgemen corps historian? Pat Forker in costume for the 1977 Bridgemen's "Salute to Mayor Koch & the Big Apple." Photo courtesy of Drum Corps World, the leading drum corps publication. Pat Forker is a product of Bayonne, NJ. In 1967, He joined the St. Andrew's CYO Kidets, feeder corps to the Bridgemen. He came up to "the big show" with the 1969 Bridgemen's horn line, where he played baritone through the 1973 season. He marched one show in 1974 and then returned to the ranks of the hornline with the contra bass section through the end of the 1978 season. Pat is a personable soul with countless friends to his credit. He's perhaps best known for playing the part of a traffic cop with a stop sign during "Traffic Jam" before "New York, New York" in 1977-1978. After aging out, Pat would come around the hornline and perform an ageless tradition. He would deliver a rousing speech before a show to rev us up as we hummed "America the Beautiful" to poke fun of his patriotic words! He has been the corps historian for decades because he's well-loved. And has a long memory like an elephant! He can tell stories of our glory days like no one else. He was one of the original Board of Directors who helped The Bridgemen Organization start anew in 2002. Look for Pat in the press box at Tournament of Stars as he announces the show and welcomes each corps onto the field. Catch all the talent that will thrill audiences at Tournament of Stars on Saturday, June 23rd! Edited June 4, 2007 by attreides Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
attreides Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 Spotlight on the Performers Did You Know.... Jim Russo was supposed to become the drum major for the Skyliners while "Butch" Anderson was supposed to become the drum major for the Caballeros? Source: http://www.cabs.org/history.asp Jim Russo was expected to become assistant drum major to Walt Winkleman in the Skyliners. And Richard "Butch" Anderson, a veteran of the Syracuse Brigadiers, was coming to the Caballeros in 1970 to take on the reins of lead drum major. Russo stopped by a Cabs rehearsal and found himself speaking to Jim Costello. Unexpectedly, legendary Jim Costello offered the position of drum major to Russo! With the slot filled, "Butch" went to the Skyliners instead. It's as though fate stepped in to place these charismatic personalities where they belonged, and where they could make the greatest impact. Russo and Anderson became fast friends and led their corps through extraordinary years. Tragically, "Butch" passed away in 1993, leaving a devoted following. At the age of only 7 years old, Jim Russo began playing soprano bugle with Our Lady of Lourdes Cadets in Paterson, New Jersey. Later, he came a French horn player with the Dumont Police Cadets and the Fair Lawn Police Cadets. In his final junior corps years, he was the drum major of St. Lucy's Cadets in Newark, where he claimed his first state and national junior titles. In the 1950s and early 1960s, the Hawthorne Caballeros had been a powerhouse corps, winning several national VFW and American Legion championships. Jim Russo came to the Caballeros in 1970, the year that the stars lined up for the Cabs and they finished their season with their first DCA championship win. The succeeding decades have been good to them as a rejuvenated Caballeros competing corps won several DCA championships and won the hearts of thousands with their energetic latin shows. They have placed in the top three at DCA championships twenty-four times! Jim Russo has been awarded over one-hundred and thirty top drum major trophies while with the Caballeros. In 1993, he was inducted into the prestigious Drum Corps Hall of Fame. Jim goes down in Caballeros history as their longest-lasting drum major. His name has become synonymous with the Caballeros all-age corps and now, the Caballeros Alumni corps. Look for Jim on the podium when the Cabs Alumni take the field of Veteran's Stadium at 08:00pm to present classic Caballeros songs. Drum Major Jim Russo leading the 2005 Hawthorne Caballeros Alumni corps. Photos courtesy of Jackie Fritsche. See her Flickr site for more great corps photos. Catch all the talent that will thrill audiences at Tournament of Stars on Saturday, June 23rd! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overthehillDM Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 Great research, Jimmer! In the immortal words of the late, great Johhny Carson... "I did not know that!" Pretty interesting... What a different drum corps world we would have, had the legendary Butch Anderson (who is greatly missed by many) joined the Cabs, and the ever-popular & talented Jimmy Russo had joined Sky!!! Kinda like something out of the "Twilight Zone", huh??? :P By the way, folks... The "TOURNAMENT OF STARS" is just TWO weeks from this Saturday! ^OO^ Come on down to Bayonne, to catch an extremely diverse, and talented group of our drum corps brethren, performing at Vet's Stadium, alongside Newark Bay! THERE WILL BE TEN OUTSTANDING DRUM CORPS PERFORMING ON SATURDAY, JUNE 23RD!!! Come down to experience the FIRST outdoor show of the 2007 drum corps season, at the home of the BRIDGEMEN!!! You'll witness a terrific lineup of drum & bugle corps, AND get to see a lot of old friends, as well! It's going to be one extraordinarily entertaining evening, and we would love for you to join us in Bayonne!!!!!! HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!!! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROSSMENCORPS30 Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 Can't wait to make NEW memories on the 23rd.....Last year was my first year in the corps & it was a dream come true to march down that hill.....it can't get here soon enough!!! Looking forward to seeing old & new faces at the "Tournament"..........just can't wait! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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