Hershey Show Is Official; Reading Bucs Ruled Winner

Drum Corps News
July 11, 1962 issue

Officials from the Hummelstown V.F.W. Post have denied any reports that they ruled the June 9th Hershey, Pa. competition as "no contest". Contest chairman, Clarence Fisher, said no official made any ruling of this kind and he could not understand where this rumor began.

A ten point tabulation error was discovered and corrected on the New York Skyliners drum sheet after the results were announced. The official scores were as follows:

1. Buccaneers .......... 86.761
2. Yankee Rebels ..... 85.523
3. Archer Epler ....... 85.226
4. Skyliners ............. 85.088
5. Perth Amboy ....... 80.705

The tabulating error occurred because the scoring captions totaled: Marching and Maneuvering, 30 points; Drumming, 30 points; Bugling, 30 points; and General Effect, 10 points.

The drum and bugle sheets were originally set up for 20 points each, and because the Skyliners were the first corps on the field, the tabulator neglected to add the additional 10 points to the sheet. All the corps were judged on the same type drum sheet, and each drum G.E. caption was worth from 5 to 40 points. The Skyliners were awarded 4th place money.

Officials pointed out that a representative from each corps checked the score sheets after his corps had performed, and it was unfortunate that this ten point error was not discovered by the Skyliner representative at this time.

"It was a truly disappointing sight to see two established corps such as the Skyliners and Archer-Epler display an unsportsmanship-like attitude and commit the cardinal sin of a review procedure as they joined ranks and tried to outplay the 1st place Reading Buccaneers who were passing in review", contest officials said.

The audience, contrary to some stories, was well behaved and did not over-run the field as the results were announced, according to officials. They had come to see a contest with Class A senior corps both in individual performances and in review ceremonies.

Hummelstown V.F.W. officials stated: "Cecil B. DeMille may have turned green with envy as the drama unfolded, but the 'drum corps minded' audience turned white with shock at the unsportsmanship-like spectacle on the field. Their shock soon turned into thunderous applause for the Buccaneers who had presented an almost flawless performance in the contest".

"The Reading corps conducted themselves in the truly traditional drum corps manner and were given a unanimous vote of confidence by the audience as they passed in review".