Historical Drum Corps Publications
A permanent home to share my family collection of Drum Corps publications. My Mom started this collection in the 40s. This is my labor of love. I hope you all enjoy these articles / scores / pictures... as much as we have over the decades. History must be preserved. This is my lil corner / contribution to the drum corps community (online). A place for all of us to live, relive, learn, love and share in our passionate hobby. Please feel free to add comments, share your experiences, stories, etc.
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
From The Land Of Sky Blue Waters
By Jim Ward
DCN Sept. 12, 1962 issue
Greetings once again From the Land of Sky Blue Waters. Right now we are in the process of relocating for the winter months. In the future our address will be St. Mary's College, Winona, Minnesota.
Now that the V.F.W. Nationals is past history the heads start turning toward Las Vegas and the Legion show in October. The junior contest shapes up as a fight between the Royal-Airs of Chicago and the Garfield Cadets. On the basis of what happened at the VFW show and several other contests during that week the Big Blue will probably be favored to put both national titles in Chicago. We haven't heard that any of the other Midwestern or Eastern powers are planning to take the Vegas jaunt, but this is understandable with the late date and the great distance.
It looks as if Hawthorne is all alone in the seniors again. We hear the Skyliners, Archer-Epler, and the Baltimore Yankee Rebels mentioned as possibles for the Legion contest but we'll wait and see which corps actually make it.
The Goldcoasters from Miami, third place in both nationals last year, have passed up the VFW show and will definitely be in Las Vegas as will the vastly improved Racine Boys of '76 and the Spirit of St. Louis. Our corps, the Hamm's Indians will also be on the scene as will the Laidlaw Toreadors of Minneapolis, marking the second straight year that both corps have attended the Legion Nationals.
As for the VFW show there was no doubt as to which two corps were the top ones in the show. The two corps from Chicago were head and shoulders above the Easterners that night. Bugles apparently made the difference with the Cavaliers topping the Royal-Airs by one point in total score, 88.20 to 87.20. The Big Blue showed very clean M&M and nice drums, while the Cavies bugles were great.
As for the other shows around the Midwest prior to and immediately after Nationals, they seemed to substantiate the results in Minneapolis. The Royal-Airs and the Cavies are very close, with the Green Machine pulling most of them out by tenths. Both corps were well above Garfield and the Cadets held a definite edge over Norwood Park. The Miami Vanguards surprised by knocking off some good corps around the Midwest. St. Joe's of Batavia also put on a good show at Racine before Nationals, taking high GE and M&M over Madison and the Kilties. The Skokie Vanguards and the St. Paul Scouts were big Midwestern disappointments. Skokie is way down from former years. St. Paul, after doing so well in July, was beaten by a corps which hadn't come within five points of them in July. The Scouts impressed quite a few people while they were in Seattle and seemingly put on a good show at the VFW prelims but failed to impress the judges. Drums are admittedly weak, but horns have been their strong point all year and it was horns that killed the Scouts at the Nationals.
On August 12 the Garfield Cadets defeated Madison to win their first Drum Beauty championship in four tries. Madison's fabulous horn line was not so fabulous that night in the eyes of the judges who placed the horns of the Miami Vanguards above those of the Scouts.
When the scores were announced Miami was in fifth place, 0.36 behind the St. Paul Scouts. However, they found a two point flag penalty, protested it and went out on the field after the show for the benefit of the judges, who then took away their flag penalty. We hope that this doesn't start a trend, for every corps which receives a penalty will go on the field after the show in an effort to show the judges how it really happened and contests will last about twice as long. Maybe this sort of thing is commonplace in Florida but we never saw a corps put on their drill twice for the same judges at the same show around here before.
Bill Hayes Told To Slow Down
DCN Sept. 12, 1962 issue
MIAMI, Fla. - The Vanguards of Miami returned home from Minneapolis a more experienced corps, knowing how much distance they must travel before they break into the "Top Ten" corps of the nation.
That road was suddenly made much more difficult with the news that their leader, Bill Hayes, was under doctor's orders to take a less active interest in drum corps.
The announcement, made at the first rehearsal after the trip to the VFW convention, shook every member of the corps and the management. Many could not restrain tears which silently gave tribute to the large place that Mr. Hayes has in the heart of every Vanguard.
The Vanguards have grimly determined to keep the competitive spirit which was instilled in them by Bill Hayes, and to continue to show the improvement that he would expect of them.
It is expected that Mr. Hayes will continue to make recommendations for the welfare of the corps and will participate as much as his health will permit.
Drum Corps Highlights
By Jim Gallagher and John Tully
DCN Sept. 12, 1962 issue
There's been quite a bit of talk in the Penna. area about the protest that took place against one of the junior corps at the V.F.W. State's here in Philly. The BRACKEN CAVALIERS were well aware that they were being protested by one of the smaller corps as long as two weeks before the contest, but they failed to produce proof that they had no one in their ranks over age.
They came to the contest knowing they would be protested, and went on the field with the entire Jr. contest under protest. When the final scores were announced, Vasella Musketeers were announced in first place with 82.533. Bracken was announced in second with 81.85. And Mann Rangers were announced third with 67.783. The V.F.W. Committee gave Bracken two weeks to produce proof that they did not have any overage members in their ranks, and the Cavaliers failed to produce this proof. Consequently, Bracken was disqualified and Vasella (who had won the first place) kept the title while all the corps behind Bracken moved up one place.
At the American Legion States, the protest did not go through. It was turned down on the grounds that a man's word is not enough proof, even though Bracken failed to produce the proof for the V.F.W. contest. The final scores were announced as follows:
Vasella - 83.866
Bracken - 79.733
Rangers - 72.783
Once again, Vasella took first, this time by a margin of four points. The big gripe was that when the article appeared in D.C.N., it stated that Bracken did not know they would be protested until they arrived at the field, and that they had to do a lot of rushing around and were pretty well shook up by the time they went on the field. But, I repeat, and the V.F.W. Committee will stand behind this, Bracken was aware they would be protested quite some time before the contest, and they were on the line a full 15 minutes before the kickoff in full uniform, after they arrived at the field ready to compete under the protest. Many people were misled by the article, written by E. Saxton (Bracken Business Mgr.) , and thought that Vasella had won the contest only because Bracken was disqualified. Archer-Epler took first in both American Legion and V.F.W. State. The MUSKETEERS took first at V.F.W. with 83.616. Reading BUCCANEERS were second with 83.55, and REILLY was third with 82.483.
At American Legion State, Archer-Epler was again first with 86.05. Reilly was second with 84.266. Pittsburgh Rockets were third with 83.283........ Atlantic City's Invitational saw Vasella take first, Audubon Girls second, and Haddon Heights take third. Archie put on an exhibition at this contest using 9 more men in the hornline and six snares .... ST. KEVIN'S undoubtedly have the top GE show of the year. They had the crowd at Garfield going wild. Blessed Sacrament took first at Garfield, and they are still the smoothest corps on the field. Kevin's was second, St. Catherine's was third.
And Sacrament emerged the victor at Bracken's Eastern States, defeating the Garfield Cadets with St. Cathy's in the number three spot....
The Drum Corps world will soon be hearing from the one and only Father Wojtycha once again. He and Mickey Petrone have quite an idea for the Big Green Band.
Vasella Gives Views On Pa. States
Drum Corps News Sept. 12, 1962 issue
Contrary to a belief expressed by a columnist of D.C.N., the VASELLA "MUSKETEERS" of Philadelphia, Pa., defending state champions of both the Penna. V.F.W. and American Legion, came out to successfully win these same two titles without the aid of protests (as stated) or any other reason mistakenly presented by the columnist - Mr. Ernest W. Saxton, business manager of the Bracken "Cavaliers". Evidently, Mr. Saxton finds it necessary to present a blown-up, one-sided picture to the drum corps public, to save face for his corps, which he has continually boasted about concerning their ability to overcome and dominate fellow Pennsylvania State corps competition.
To explain the V.F.W. contest of July 13, 1962, which took place in the Philadelphia Municipal Stadium, we must give a full, uncensored picture of the night's happenings and what led up to them.
On the night previous to this contest, Bracken was informed that due to the information held by a corps director, concerning over-age(21) members in the Cavalier's ranks, the corps would be ineligible to compete in state competition. Bracken knew this before their busses pulled up to the corps entrance to the stadium. The corps dressed, as all corps did, and WERE PREPARED TO MARCH in their previously drawn position which was sixth in the junior corps line-up, without any "rushing around", as stated in Saxton's column. They knew that they were under protest when they marched their kick-off company front onto the line. As mentioned, they had this knowledge when they made up their mind to compete.
As announced by Mr. Frank J. McCormick, contest chairman, the positions - other than Vasella's first place tally - were unofficial pending a hearing and investigation of the protest. (which is standard operating procedure as stated in the V.F.W. rules and regulations.) These scores and positions are now official with Bracken being disqualified for using over-age personnel in that competition. Thus, the Ridley Park "Rangers" and every corps thereafter move up one position and receive the prize money awarded those respective positions.
The following week at the American Legion State contest, Vasella once again took home the title, by a margin of four points. No protests were filed against any corps (including Bracken) at this show.
We have written this with the intention of clearing up any misinterpretation or unnecessary partiality as expressed in the July 25, 1962 edition of D.C.N. by the scribe. At present, the "Musketeers" have a 5 and 1 record, against many popular corps, which speaks for itself. We only hope that Mr. Saxton will refrain from excuses, and report the facts as they take place. We are sure he will find this a much more gratifying experience.
THE VASELLA MUSKETEERS
1961-62 Champions of Penna.
V.F.W. and AM. LEGION
Overage Juniors
Drum Corps News September 12, 1962 issue
Attention, All Jr. Corps Directors
Mrs. Bernert and I have been tagged as crusaders because we stand for what is right and decent.
There are entirely too many adults associated with Junior drum corps who have a total disregard of fair play as far as kids are concerned, by advocating and condoning over-age personnel in their corps. Do you think its fair and sportsmanlike to pit young men 21, 22, 23 and even older against kids 12, 13, and 14 years old to have their brains beat out? What price glory?
It's like a college football team playing a bunch of grammar school kids - or a 23-year old squaring with a 14-year old kid.
Why not change your corps name from junior to senior and pick on corps your own age? Then, if you win you will have real satisfaction rather than taking candy from a baby.
Some Drum Corps writers seem to think it is all right to break the rules a little and we shouldn't make an issue of it. It seems there are too many nowadays who think its O.K. to lie a little, to steal a little and maybe kill a little. Our prisons are overflowing with people who think that.
The time will come when all decent and upright corps directors will refuse to enter contest where your kind of corps is invited.And who will be hurt? Your eligible kids for the sake of some ineligibles.
Why not give your kids a break? Why do you have to use loaded dice to win?
Think back a year or two. How many so-called "Juniors" Uncle Sam got in the 23-year old draft?
Too many directors of Junior Corps have lost sight of the basic reasons for Junior Corps. To mention a few: To occupy the youngsters' time with something worthwhile and keep them out of trouble; To build better citizens for these United States; To instill self-discipline and work with others; To teach them right from wrong.
To what category do you belong? The above - or win by hook or by crook?
Maybe I'm a square.
Joe Bernert
Director of the Bon Bons
Audubon, N.J.