SKYLINERS, LORETTO COP HONORS At Soggy N.Y. Legion Show
Queensmen, Sunrisers Disqualified

By Rosemary Feliney
DCN Aug. 29, 1962 issue

BRONX, N.Y., Aug. 10 - The New York Skyliners sloshed through the rain at Gaelic Park here tonight before less than 500 hardy fans to capture the New York American Legion Convention Senior Championship from an abbreviated field.

Earlier in the afternoon, Our Lady of Loretto topped a field of 10 to take junior honors and the Smithtown Freelancers won the color guard contest.

Thursday night's parade set the tone for the entire championship as 11 junior corps and four senior units were forced to march down Fifth Ave. in a torrential rain.

Because of the downpour, the senior Sunrisers and the defending junior champion St. Catherine's Queensmen marched in street clothes rather than in uniform and were disqualified from the corps contest.

Judging the Jr. Corps were: M&M Larry Scott and Ted Locker; Bugles, Bill Moran and Bill Mafuse; Drums, Bob Redigan and Art Muer; GE Drumming, Joe Holtan and ; GE Bugling Joe Retlan; GE M&M, George Ray and chief judge, C.R. Naber.

The Magnificent Yankees of Utica, N.Y was the first corps on the field. Garbed in black, red, white and grey they put on a great show. Love your concert. The Waving Flag's resembling a sea gulls wings to "Ebb Tide" were very impressive. And the drum section has got what it takes as far as sticking is concerned.

The Kingsmen from the Bronx were next off the line. Gaelic Park is old home to them, it's their practice spot. "Zing Went the Strings" and "Pappa Won't You Dance With Me" went over very well. But, what happened to the alignment?

After hearing much about St. Rocco's of Brooklyn, N.Y. I finally got to see them. "Lets Fall In Love" and we did with your black, turquoise and white uniforms. Other selections included "If I Love You", "Heartaches", "My Foolish Heart", "The Way You Look Tonight", and "Thou Swell".

OLPH Ridgemen were much improved over the Smithtown Contest a couple of weeks ago."I Hear Music", "Fools Rush In" and "Moon River" were great.

Another first---first time I've seen the Lawmen, PAL corps from Staten Island. "I Feel A Song Coming On" and selections from "Victory At Sea" were done nicely.

What can we say about Floyd Bennett, the Marianettes and Our Lady of Loretto except g-r-e-a-t. Their names speak for themselves.

The Starlighters from Frankfort, N.Y. - came off the line with "Love Is A Many Splended Thing", "Hello My Baby", "The Man I Love" and the "Dark Town Strutters Ball". So help me I'd swear those rifle bearers in the color guard are smaller than the rifles-- but they can really handle those things.

Selden sounded as excellent as they do on Fleetwood's "Brass By Night". And they looked great too, despite the gold on their uniforms running on the white shirts. Hope it comes out. Selden was ruined by a three point penalty caused because the line at the end of the field was not there. What was there were two flags. Hardly a finish line to be seen.

The Scores:
1st Our Lady of Loretto .. 84.416
2nd Selden ..................... 81.750
3rd Floyd Bennett ........... 75.933
4th Starlighters ................ 75.550
5th St. Roccos ................ 73.800
6th Utica ........................ 73.333
7th Kingsmen ................. 72.350
8th OLPH ...................... 69.233
9th Marianettes ............... 68.983
10th Lawmen ................. 62.500

No retreat was held because the stadium had to be cleared for the Sr. Competition.

Only three Sr. Corps competed. Well it was a Friday night and how did the Legion expect corps from up-state New York to could qualify to compete on a Friday night. If the parade had been held on Friday and competition on Saturday I'm sure we would have seen a lot more action as far as senior corps were concerned.

As I mentioned before the Sunrisers were disqualified, so that left the Wanderers of New Rochelle, the Interstatesmen, and the Skyliners.All were great.

The Wanderers "Miss America", the Interstatesmen's "Heatwave", and the Skyliners "I'll Walk With God" are my favorites.

Even though the Sunrisers and the 1961 State Champion Jr. Corps, the Queensmen, were disqualified, they put on an exhibition in the ensuing downpour.

The Scores:
1st Skyliners ............ 86.783
2nd Interstatesmen ... 84.483
3rd Wanderers ......... 68.616
Again no retreat was held, due to the weather, but the Skyliners did start their own parade through the streets.

The Color Guard Scores:
1 - Smithtown Free Lancers ..... 94.85
2 - Pequa Squaws ................... 94.20
3 - Edmenton ......................... 93.15
4 - Emerald Cadets ................. 92.60
5 - Starlighters, Frankfort, N.Y. 90.45
6 - Yankees, Utica, N.Y. ......... 89.85
7 - Albertines .......................... 86.75
8 - Phoenix Cadets .................. 82.85
9 - Blue Angels ....................... 75.20