JerseyDigger29 Posted March 18, 2007 Share Posted March 18, 2007 Hey, guys - As a kind of tribute to all of us out there who are wilting away somewhat silently on the sidelines, dreaming about our former glory days, I'd like to acknowledge a pleasant surprise found posted the other day in another thread in the DCA/Alumni announcements forum by "Uncle Z." For many years now, I've been working here in the Wildwoods, my hometown. It's been a lonely kind of existence: living so far from the drum corps action. Then in 2004, to my utter delight, my former H.S. friend and fellow drum corps fanatic (who just happens to be the Mayor of Wildwood) surprised everyone by working with his friends in the Hawthorne Caballeros to bring drum corps back to the Wildwoods for the first time in about 25 years. So, what did I do? I tried to get involved as much as possible so far from the action by unofficially helping the city with show publicity. I showed up at Caballero camps in the Wildwoods and at all the various shows, lusting over their incredible horn lines and fantasizing from the cheap seats about this dream I've had since 1963 that someday - who knows when - someday before I die, maybe I'll get a chance to play just one performance with the legendary Caballeros. But the Cabbies - and in fact the entire drum corps world - seems so far away from the Wildwoods that my dream might never come true. We all just continue to grow older and older as we sit back and watch the younger kids take over in the horn lines that we helped build. But for me, my last senior corps, the Chicago Connection, doesn't exist any longer. So I show up at all the other corps' camps and shows like a lost little puppy, and I tell everyone that "Sure, I used to play in a bunch of great drum corps, but that was a long, long time ago." And deep down inside, I imagined that all these talented musicians were just smiling at me, humoring an old guy with his fantasies of past glory. "He never marched," they must have been thinking. "He was never one of us." And I told everyone who would listen that in 1979, my last marching year, the "Mob from Chicago" actually went undefeated all season long until we came east for DCA and got clobbered by all the big guys. And they looked at me and said, " Yeah, but you marched in the midwest and didn't face the same kind of competition as out east." And I looked them right back in the eyes and insisted, "I did march! Just like you! And I was even one of the soloists." "Yeah, right!" they must have been thinking. But not having the chance to play any longer, and living so far away from the action, all this lost little puppy can do is tuck his drum corps tail between his legs and head back to the sidelines while the other guys do all the great things he once did. How do you prove that you were once one of them? Well, a few days ago, "Uncle Z" posted a photo of the Chicago Connection from a show we did in 1979 - a photo that I didn't even know existed. And guess what? I was in the photo. In fact, it took quite a while for even me to recognize MYSELF from 28 years ago. And now I can authoritatively say to all my friends in the Caballeros, "See! I told you so! I really did play. And I was pretty good, too. Maybe someday, I will get a chance to play again. Just once before I die. That's me on the left - JerseyDigger29 - with an actual two-valved soprano bugle in my paw. Thanks, "Uncle Z!" Thom B) www.TheWildwoodsReporter.com thom@thewildwoodsreporter.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CozyChopsCom Posted March 18, 2007 Share Posted March 18, 2007 Thom, I'm sure it was a pleasant shock to see yourself from '79. 'Tis great that Uncle Z posted the photo. I hope you get your chance to play with the legendary Caballeros! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle z Posted March 18, 2007 Share Posted March 18, 2007 Thanks, "Uncle Z!" Yeah, no problem.....I probably have a Spirit of '76 picture around here, too. b**bs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCIHasBeen Posted March 18, 2007 Share Posted March 18, 2007 Well, at least you'll always have Kelly's ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerseyDigger29 Posted March 18, 2007 Author Share Posted March 18, 2007 Yeah, no problem.....I probably have a Spirit of '76 picture around here, too. b**bs Boy, that would be too much to hope for. I played with the boys from Racine (who used to be the oldest competitive corps in existance) the last year they were known as the Boys of 76, as well as the first year they added girls and became the Spirit of 76. Don't know about the earlier days when it was all male, but adding the girls just made it a more wonderful experience. I hear "Stapes," the greatest screech soloist I ever saw, is still going strong, although not performing any longer. Big loss for the activity. Jim Stapleman is a legend in the midwest. Same thing with my years in the Navy. I served toward the end of mostly male sea duty. After I got out, the navy made the wise decision to allow women to serve on ships. Great decision! Thom B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted March 18, 2007 Share Posted March 18, 2007 (edited) Connection had two valve horns in 1979???? Didn't know any Sr corps had them then. Jeez, didn't even see a 2 valver close up until we watched '79 DCI East Prelims for a few hours before a Sr show in NJ somewhere. Bunch of us even went up to the fence as Scouts went off the field so we could get a better look. Heh just checked, still have my Chicago Connection pin with a drawing of the guy with the machine gun. Great way to protect the Honor Guard. :) Think we faced Connection at Canton, OH shows in 78 and 79 (our big 2 1/2 day Western 'tours') and 1978 AL Chamionships in New Orleans. Great group of people and a fun corps. Edit: Pardon the blurry pic but had my digital camera out and took a quick shot of the pin and downloaded it. That's a Hershey Chocolatier pin off to the right. Edited March 18, 2007 by JimF-3rdBari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerseyDigger29 Posted March 19, 2007 Author Share Posted March 19, 2007 Connection had two valve horns in 1979???? Didn't know any Sr corps had them then. Jeez, didn't even see a 2 valver close up until we watched '79 DCI East Prelims for a few hours before a Sr show in NJ somewhere. Bunch of us even went up to the fence as Scouts went off the field so we could get a better look.Heh just checked, still have my Chicago Connection pin with a drawing of the guy with the machine gun. Great way to protect the Honor Guard. :) Think we faced Connection at Canton, OH shows in 78 and 79 (our big 2 1/2 day Western 'tours') and 1978 AL Chamionships in New Orleans. Great group of people and a fun corps. Edit: Pardon the blurry pic but had my digital camera out and took a quick shot of the pin and downloaded it. That's a Hershey Chocolatier pin off to the right. Yeah, still got my pin, too. That's "Big Louie!" Thom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanguard Rich Posted March 19, 2007 Share Posted March 19, 2007 Yeah, still got my pin, too. That's "Big Louie!"Thom If all of you may recall, Mr. Bob "Big Louie" Yurgill actually carried a "plugged" Thompson sub-machine gun with the big round ammo cartridge on the field with the CC. Bob had a completely black uniform with a white tie, I believe. Bob used to go to the front sidelines with the CC DM's during the finales (score announcements) and place the butt end of the gun on his hip, with the barrel usually pointed at the next door "neighbor's" DM's head. More than once, that barrel was pushed aside, as apparently they didn't like the direction it was pointed in. Just another one of those CC moments in DCA History !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted March 19, 2007 Share Posted March 19, 2007 Never knew that one Rich, thanks. There was actually a rumor at the time that "Big Louie" was the Business Manager of the corps or gave the corps so much $$$$ that he was allowed to be on the field with the corps. My soft spot for the corps goes back to 1978 AL Championships when we beat ChiConn. After scores were announced someone said "Bet Connection is PO'ed, if we hadn't made this trip (24 hours by bus) they would be Champs". Few minutes later, Conn played themselves off the retreat field, then turned our way and applauded us. Next day at the parade we met some members and there were no hard feelings. Think the quote from one member was "If not us, then we're just glad one of the "other" corps did it". Other as in, not one of the big corps... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnZ Posted March 19, 2007 Share Posted March 19, 2007 Bob used to go to the front sidelines with the CC DM's during the finales (score announcements) and place the butt end of the gun on his hip, with the barrel usually pointed at the next door "neighbor's" DM's head. I believe I recall him doing the same thing to a judge who wandered a little too close on the field in 79.... 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.