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1970 Brookhaven Crusaders - future Crossmen and former Fawns.


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Here's some old B&W movie of the junior corps I marched with in 1964 to 1975, (it's presented in two parts; OTL to color presentation/concert number to exit number). This is from the 1970 Eastern States Circuit Championship, which we won. It was in Glenolden, PA. This is some interesting history because there were literally thousands of this type of corps carpeting the US, mostly in the NE and Midwest.

It is a classic military, "elevator" drill, with ranks and wheels and pivots and company fronts, etc. The horns are all piston/slide except for the lone contra and two mellophones. The next year we moved up to piston/rotor for the entire hornline. Most of the big corps, the top 12, as it were had abandoned this type of show by 1970, but it was still the mainstay of most corps. We had 30 horns and you count the drums.

Another interesting thing about this video is, that on the field is most of the nucleus that would become the Keystone Regiment that later merged with 507 Hornets to become the Crossmen. Also, the corps was marching with many former Media Fawns, an all girl corps from Media, PA, that had disbanded the previous year.

Ray Eyler was the Horn Arranger/Instructor. Joe Marello was the Drum Arranger/Instructor. Al Lucia was the Drill Designer/Instructor. Rich Lucia was DM. I forget who was Guard Captain, I'll have to look that up.

The littlest snare drummer is Thom Hannum of Vic Firth and UofMA fame. Ted Brehoney is the Mellophone Soloist and Bob Hannum, (Thom's older brother), is the soprano soloist. I was his backup. Doug Stemet was the other mellophone. I could name more, but I'm getting long here.

Finally, The horns were all Getzen except for the contra bass and Mellophones which were Olds Ultratones. The drums were Ludwig, I believe.

The guard used steel poles with chrome plated brass spikes screwed on the end. The flags were sewn satin and they used belt cups to support them. Very heavy. The rifles were modified Army Carbines, (non-firing) oak stock, steel bolt action and barrel, also heavy.

Hope you enjoy this little bit of my childhood. EDIT: because of comments about the quality, I reloaded the movies as mpv.4 and they're definitely better, but not by much. It reset the view counter, also. The previous WMV versions had over 300 views and some nice comments.

Edited by Martybucs
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Here are the scores from that contest:

September 13, 1970 Glenolden, PA

Eastern States Championship

Brookhaven Crusaders 72.05

Chessmen 70.25

Bracken 68.30

White Knights 67.25

Sacred Heart Crusaders 63.05

Belvederes 60.00

Young Americans 59.45

Belles 51.20

Earls 49.70

Black Watch 48.75

Emerald Lancers 42.40

Shadettes 38.30

Skylarks 29.00

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Here are the scores from that contest:

September 13, 1970 Glenolden, PA

Eastern States Championship

Brookhaven Crusaders 72.05

Chessmen 70.25

Bracken 68.30

White Knights 67.25

Sacred Heart Crusaders 63.05

Belvederes 60.00

Young Americans 59.45

Belles 51.20

Earls 49.70

Black Watch 48.75

Emerald Lancers 42.40

Shadettes 38.30

Skylarks 29.00

WOW! Thanks. So it was Glenolden, PA. Not far from Brookhaven. Wonder what else I got wrong! :doh:

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WOW! Thanks. So it was Glenolden, PA. Not far from Brookhaven. Wonder what else I got wrong! :doh:

A lot of the corps were from the same county.

If you notice on this map, everything is pretty close together. You can even see West Chester, PA where the Crossmen started which is in Chester county, but everywhere you go takes no more than a 1/2 hour to get to.

delawaremap.jpg

Besides Brookhaven Crusaders and Media Fawns, a lot of people from the Crossmen came from a corps called Blue Rock (delaware) and the Bracken Cavaliers.

Edited by xbones7480
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A lot of the corps were from the same county.

If you notice on this map, everything is pretty close together. You can even see West Chester, PA where the Crossmen started which is in Chester county, but everywhere you go takes no more than a 1/2 hour to get to.

delawaremap.jpg

Besides Brookhaven Crusaders and Media Fawns, a lot of people from the Crossmen came from a corps called Blue Rock (delaware) and the Bracken Cavaliers.

In that show, we were the only corps from Delaware County, but some of the other corps were within 100 miles, some farther away. It was the Eastern States Circuit, not the whole of the Eastern US, if I didn't make that clear.

I think Fran Haring marched with Sacred Heart Crusaders.

Of course the members from Blue Rock and Bracken had their Social Security Benefits to help them out. :P

I thought the Crossmen originally started from Newtown Square and practiced in Ridley. Not so?

Edited by Martybucs
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In that show, we were the only corps from Delaware County, but some of the other corps were within 100 miles, some farther away. It was the Eastern States Circuit, not the whole of the Eastern US, if I didn't make that clear.

I think Fran Haring marched with Sacred Heart Crusaders.

Of course the members from Blue Rock and Bracken had their Social Security Benefits to help them out. :P

I thought the Crossmen originally started from Newtown Square and practiced in Ridley. Not so?

I just meant Media Fawns, Brookhaven Crusaders, Keystone, and the Hornets were all from Delaware County.

Robby and Charlotte lived in West Chester and that's basically where the xmen office was (in their house). When they announced us, they said "West Chester," sometimes they even said Philadelphia, guess it depended on the show. I don't think Boeing parking lot had a post office box for us. Crossmen also had a warehouse in West Chester for the Corps where we held Bingo and practices from 1981-????

Yes, we practiced in Newtown Square, which is about 5 miles down the street from West Chester, also practiced at Valley Forge Military Academy in Wayne, PA and Sun Center in the Winter, and Boeing in Ridley Township in the Spring and Summer.

So basically, we were from the Delaware VALLEY.

Edited by xbones7480
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I don't think Boeing parking lot had a post office box for us.

b**bs

That was a horrible lot!!!

When the whole blow up happened at Brookhaven and most everyone left to go to Tri-Community,(Keystone Regiment after the name change), I wanted to go with them. They were all my friends, but I had to stay because of strong family friendships.

Keystone Regiment had some cool shows.

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....another good reason why the tribute minicorps 'Crossmen Xtreme' and the soon to begin tribute corps 'Crossmen Classic' are based out or 'The Forge'........

we may think about paying a visit to the John Wesley Cross Post.......for old times sake........

Frosty

Yes, we practiced in Newtown Square, which is about 5 miles down the street from West Chester, also practiced at Valley Forge Military Academy in Wayne, PA and Sun Center in the Winter, and Boeing in Ridley Township in the Spring and Summer.

So basically, we were from the Delaware VALLEY.

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In that show, we were the only corps from Delaware County, but some of the other corps were within 100 miles, some farther away. It was the Eastern States Circuit, not the whole of the Eastern US, if I didn't make that clear.

I think Fran Haring marched with Sacred Heart Crusaders.

Of course the members from Blue Rock and Bracken had their Social Security Benefits to help them out. :P

I thought the Crossmen originally started from Newtown Square and practiced in Ridley. Not so?

Wow. I marched in that show with Bracken when I was 10. Man am I old. I was also one of the group that went from Bracken to Crossmen the first year.

I think that DCI Hall of Famers Jim Prime and Donny Van Doren marched in the Chessmen back then.

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Those were turbulent times for drum corps in our area and perhaps the nation. In the end history proves that the Crossmen chose the right path and reaped the benefits of their fore thought and hard work.

Like I said, it killed me not to be able to follow my friends to Keystone.

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