Cainan Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 Reading another thread got me thinking about how they dodnt do full retreats anymore and what a shame that is. Back when I marched retreat was just as mucha part of the experience if you know what I mean. This got me thinking that a thread dedicated to "Tales of Retreat" might be kinda fun and also let todays marching members get a bit of a taste of what they were missing (assuming they ever come in here and hang out amongst us dinosuars!). I remember all the good times we (Freelancers) used to have with VK. I remember VK's contras were the main instigators. We used to come out all frickin hardcore and these clowns would be swinging an ET doll ona rope (by the neck of course) over our entire hornblock, or toss Reeses Pieces at us etc etc. They also used to take the #### out of our breath checks. All in good fun of course. I also remember us high mark timing on 128 bananas on the field at Arrowhead in 89 after ET kicked their banana arses all over the place at Finals (LOL). I remember the bruised ribs from "Line Brawling" with SCV and all the banter that came out of Devs block. I also remember that some of the biggest Line Brawls came from of all corps.... The Bandettes??!! Oh well, I digress, I just wanted to get the party started here. I think this one could be kinda fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
84BDsop Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 Freelancers going to parade rest....62 horns smashing into the buckle on the cross-belt....and every other corps on the field cringes en masse! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cainan Posted February 7, 2007 Author Share Posted February 7, 2007 Freelancers going to parade rest....62 horns smashing into the buckle on the cross-belt....and every other corps on the field cringes en masse! Ah... Good times. My horn was TRASHED! B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishbone Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 I remember what was probably the longest awards/ retreat I have ever been involved in. 1991 DCM finals. After all the the captions and final scores were announced , Pionner played their whole show while the announcer kept saying "Pioneer, You may now exit the field." I know that I and a few people around me were cussing them under our breaths. That was the same retreat as the infamous Cavalier/Madison Scout drum war as we were going onto the field. They kept banging into each other, I was next to a Cavie tenor so I took alot of the punishment that he was getting from the Scouts. Then all of the sudden, A Madison bass drum went rolling down the field with drummer behind giving chase. Also that year, we had a pet gold fish on tour who died in Alexandria Kentucky. He was buried on the field in front of our horn block. Our drum major stopped and saluted on his way up to the front. 1992 somewhere in Michigan. Alcohol was served at the show so our ageouts were allowed to have a drink after our performance and then sit inthe stands during retreat. Well a few of them may of had one too many and started yelling at us about the way we marched onto the field, our posture and just cat-calling. Drum line tossed candy back and forth with another corps--we got our butts chewed out for that one. Keep them coming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cainan Posted February 7, 2007 Author Share Posted February 7, 2007 Also that year, we had a pet gold fish on tour who died in Alexandria Kentucky. He was buried on the field in front of our horn block. Our drum major stopped and saluted on his way up to the front. :spit: THAT is classic. I just couldn't see kids of today hyping on a goldfish. I remember in California somewhere one of our baritone players was having some sort of wierd spasms during retreat. He kept violently shaking his head when we should have been at parade rest. As we wore black shakos with whit plumage it was VERY noticable. The Horn Sgt comes over to find out what the hell this guys problem is. He (the Horn Sgt) grabs another of our baris, Clint Matsen and of go Clint and Steve (spasm boy). Turns out that a moth the size of MOTHRA had fllown about an inch and a half into Steves skull via his EAR! But to Steves credit, he never made any noise even with Mothra tickling his brain. I am certain that had Clint not taken him to the medics, he would have just stood there and took it! HARDCORE!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 Senior side story from late 1970s at a show in the middle of nowhere PA or NY (not even sure where). Local show and during retreat the mayor was asked to "give a few words". Hizzoner gave a few thousand words and he was pretty well lubricated to boot. The pressbox had windows so dirty you couldn't see thru and we couldn't tell where the mayor was at. Picture guys in the back rows of the corps standing on their toes trying to spot the mayor. Corps next us was Erie Thunderbirds and we were talking back and forth "Can you see him?" "No, can you?" "No.... so is he going to shut up or pass out first?" "Dunno, maybe someone will try to pull the mic away" "Let us know if you spot him, don't want to miss 'em fighting over the mic". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ManchesterMuchacho Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 Ah...Good times. My horn was TRASHED! B) Dood... I've got a Freelancer question. What was the deal with the axe guarding the horns before retreat? Also funny story with Freelancers. As most know the Crusaders and Freelancers uniforms used be look pretty similar, especially at a quick glance. I believe it was 1990 and we were waiting to go on for retreat and SAC is setup next to us. SAC's drum major was a tall guy like ours. We were picking up our horns etc... and all of a sudden you hear "corps ten hut..." and about a dozen of our guys snap to attention. Needless to say most of those folks were rookies, it took a while for them to live it down. They made 2 cardinal sins. Didn't recognize our DM's voice & they missed the code before the command. Dave BAC '87 - '90 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
84BDsop Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 There's always my classic DM puking during retreat story... Glenwood Springs, CO was the show site, I think. Gary Zinter and Brent Kline are ont he line and suddenly Brent about-faces and cruises as a double time (still marching, mind you) past the block and toward the stands behind us. We were thinking "WTF?" and then heard Brent tossing his cookies under the back stands....then he returns to the line at a more normal marching tempo. To this day I have no idea 1) what got him sick in the first place or 2) how be upchuked in a white uni and didn;t get a spot on it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cainan Posted February 8, 2007 Author Share Posted February 8, 2007 Dood...I've got a Freelancer question. What was the deal with the axe guarding the horns before retreat? Also funny story with Freelancers. As most know the Crusaders and Freelancers uniforms used be look pretty similar, especially at a quick glance. I believe it was 1990 and we were waiting to go on for retreat and SAC is setup next to us. SAC's drum major was a tall guy like ours. We were picking up our horns etc... and all of a sudden you hear "corps ten hut..." and about a dozen of our guys snap to attention. Needless to say most of those folks were rookies, it took a while for them to live it down. They made 2 cardinal sins. Didn't recognize our DM's voice & they missed the code before the command. Dave BAC '87 - '90 It was just a hype. It looked cool as hell and nobody ever walked through our horn block. It was also an honor to be a block guard. One of our instructors, a guy called Michael Grogan, made the Freelancer Battle Axe for the corps rebirth 1987. He used to carry it with us as he marched the corps down to the field. He saw it as escorting us to the field of battle. The Freelancers hyped on all things medieval. Our name was medieval in nature. We were really into chivalry, A Freelancer NEVER walked alone in uniform and a female Freelancer NEVER went anywhere unescorted. It was also expected that her escort would lay down a gauntlet for her to sit on (this looked cool but it also kept their unis clean). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PR_ducky Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 Have a few good ones. In 86 at finals retreat we were next to VK. When they were marching off the field one of their horns was particularly hammered and two other guys hooked him under the arms and carried him off, horns up and all LOL The other involves good old Larry. Larry was a year off in Regiment terms. He marched 88 and 90, anmd marched his local corps, The senior corps, Minnisota Brass in the alternate seasons. At DCM finals in 89, Minnesota Brass was next to us in retreat. Larry was bombed out of his skull and kept making references to 88. We informed him we had his wallet and he shut up a bit dumbfounded. All thru retreat , "larry, we have your wallet" Was priceless the whole night, had to be there. The last is the infamous Batman wars of 89. I put it in the 88 thread as we got onto that topic but here it is again: In 89 when the first Batman movie came out we (Regiment low brass) had a contest with your low brass. The contest was to see who could get the most batman stuff on the field at retreat. We all had batman Stickers in our helmets, your guys had action figures. One of our contras had a foot long batmobile he got into retreat in his bell. So one night, somewhere in the midwest, Spaz pulls this dead bat in a ziploc bag out of his uniform. Right there, on the spot, we decalred you guys the winner LOL Was a fun little sub competition that summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.