Miss Drum Corps Beauty Pageant

Drum Corps News May 22, 1963

The finalists in the Blessed Sacrament Pageant. From left to right: Donna Magnusson, State Island T-Birds; Jane Holt, Betty Ann Long, Drum Major of Wilmington, Del. Blue Rocks, elected runnerup; Babs Newe, Lorraine Williams, Fairlawn Cadets; Mary Sica, Miss Drum Corps; Dorothy Sadloch, runner-up; Evelyn Gutierez, Drum Major of the Mother Cabrini Corps of N.Y.C.; Debbie Jakowichik, and Ruth Knapp, Drum Major of the Liberty Bell Cadets of Philadelphia.

Chosen - Miss Drum Corps

Drum Corps News May 22, 1963 issue

Miss Drum Corps Pageant, Individuals Highlight Golden Knight Weekend
DCN May 22, 1963 issue

IRVINGTON, N.J., April 28 - As a fitting climax to the spectator Golden Knight weekend held here today and yesterday, Miss Mary Annette Sica of Tom's River, N.J. was selected to reign as Queen of Blessed Sacrament's Coronation Ball and Pageant and will be Miss Drum Corps for 1963. Miss Sica, 16, is a Junior at St. Rose's High School in Bellmawr, N.J. and is Drum Major of St. Joseph's Drum Corps of Tom's River.

Chosen as her aides at the gala affair held in Irvington's Coronet Ballroom were Miss Betty Ann Long, Drum Major of the Blue Rocks of Wilmington, Delaware, and Miss Dorothy Sadloch, who was escorted by Michael Nosal, a Garfield Cadet. The Queen and her aides received trophies donated by Drum Corps News and checks for wardrobe purchases from the Golden Knights.

Initial selection of 10 finalists was made by an impartial panel of judges from photographs submitted at the Ball. They were qualified beauty experts who do not have any association with Drum Corps.

As a result of being chosen Miss Drum Corps, Mary Annette will reign as Queen at the Golden Knights' Tenth Annual "Cavalcade of Music" competition to be held at Newark Schools Stadium on Saturday night, June 15. She has already received several other invitations to appear as Miss Drum Corps at various activities.

Plans are already being discussed for next year's Coronation Ball, which will be held on a Saturday night. Mr. Eugene Kennedy acted as Chairman of the Pageant and Ball, which was staged to provide an opportunity for members of all drum corps to meet off the Competition field in an evening of dancing and getting acquainted in an atmosphere of charm and social grace. He was assisted by Mr. Frank P. Dalton and Mr. Les Wright, plus several members of the Corps led by Richard Burns.

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The previous evening was the date of the Golden Knights' Annual Junior Individual Contest in the Newark School Auditorium. Vasella and St. Kevin's walked off with most of the prizes, the Musketeers winning top awards in the Soprano Bugle, Snare Drum, and Drum Quartet Captions, and the Emerald Knights copping the Baritone Bugle, French Horn, and Bugle Quartet events.

JUNIOR SOPRANO BUGLE
1. Vasella .......................... 96.6
2. Royal Lancers ............... 95.7
3. Woodsiders ................... 93.9
4. Majestic Knights ............ 92.5
5. Bracken ........................ 92.2
6. St. Rose Lima ............... 90.9
7. Pennsylvanians .............. 89.1
8. Corvettes ...................... 85.8
9. Diplomats ...................... 77.4

JUNIOR BARITONE BUGLE
1. St. Kevin's ..................... 95.0
2. Royal Lancers ................ 94.9
3. Corvettes ....................... 84.8

JUNIOR FRENCH HORN
1. St. Kevins ...................... 97.2
2. St. Rose Lima ................. 93.6
3. Garfield .......................... 88.3
4. Diplomats ....................... 84.6
5. Corvettes ........................ 82.6

JUNIOR BUGLE QUARTET
1. St. Kevins ...................... 97.2
2. Blue Rocks .................... 95.1
3. Majestic Knights ............. 93.7
4. Lindenaires and
Diplomats .......................... 90.1
5. Royal Lancers ................. 82.6
6. Corvettes ....................... 82.4

JUNIOR SNARE DRUM
1. Vasella ..................... 94.1
2. Bridgeport PAL ........ 92.5
3. Royal Lancers .......... 91.7
4. Woodsiders .............. 91.1
5. Blue Rocks ............... 89.0
6. Garfield .................... 85.4
7. St. Joseph's .............. 84.3
8. Lindenaires ............... 74.0
9. Manhattanaires .......... 72.4
10. Corvettes ................ 71.0

JUNIOR DRUM QUARTET
1. Vasella .................... 94.9
2. Bridgeport PAL ....... 94.5
3. Woodsiders ............. 93.0
4. Blue Rocks ............. 91.4
5. Royal Lancers ......... 89.8
6. St. Joseph's ............. 82.8
7. Royal Lancers ......... 74.9

Musketeers Plan June 1 R.I. Show

Letters To The Editor
By Norman S. Peckham
DCN May 22, 1963

On Saturday evening, June 1, the Rhode Island Musketeers, in conjunction with the American Legion will host "Cavalcade of Music" at Pierce Memorial Stadium, East Providence. Six Corps from the Northeastern Circuit, the Sunrisers of Mineola, L.I., the Vagabonds of Torrington, Conn., the Connecticut Yankees of Stratford, Conn., the Whalers from New Bedford, Mass., the Marksmen of Springfield, Mass., plus one other corps , will compete. An exhibition will be given by the Musketeers. This will be the finest competition ever held in Rhode Island.

In March of 1959, the Vaqueros of Pawtucket and the Tri-Town Cavaliers of Bristol merged to form the "Rhode Island Musketeers," the finest drum and bugle corps to come out of the state of Rhode Island.

In the summer of 1962, the Musketeers won every parade competition they entered in southern New England. They only lost one field competition and that by only eleven hundredths of a point.

In 1963, the Musketeers will field a thirty-man horn line, a nine man drum line, and a twelve-man color guard. Their uniforms consist of white gaucho shirts with red ascot and sash, black pants with red kick pleats, and black hats with white plumes.

Their music is from Broadway hit shows and films, including such songs as "Mutiny on the Bounty," "Maria," "Quo Vadis," "El Cid" and "Adventures in Paradise." Responsible for the corps' great music is Robert Grushey, with Henry Black on Drums, both of Boston. The drill is under the capable direction of William Sweet, who is also drum major.

Spectacle City Mariners Retain Midwest Crown

By Dr. H.R. Patin
DCN May 22, 1963

The Fabulous Red-Skirts from South Milwaukee, Wisc. made it an undefeated season as they burned up the circuit floor in Des Plaines, Illinois, copped their second consecutive championship, and won their 33rd consecutive victory. The girls, with an average age of 13.6 years, became the second guard in circuit history to make it an undefeated season. The Phantomettes did it in 1959. The Red-Skirts now possess almost every record in the circuit books and it is the opinion of many that they are the top Jr. Guard in the country today.

Thirty-two guards entered the big championship show. Amongst them were several challengers very determined to prevent the Mariners from being the first guard in history to win the title twice in a row and to keep the coveted championship flag. Very capable and dangerous opponents to the defending champions were the National American Legion Champion Kankakee Shadows, the National VFW Champion Norwood Park Imperials, the Rockford Phantomettes and other guards who have been tough this year, like the Des Plaines Corsairs, the Racine Kilties, the McHenry Viscounts, Our Lady of Mercy, Skokie Vanguard and the Milwaukee Starlites. The Troopers from Casper, Wyoming, made the big show their first this year and were predicted to be a dangerous contender.

In the prelims the Shadows, with their sights on the Maitland M&M Memorial Trophy in mind, cut their drill down to under the minimum time of 4 minutes and had a rifleman use up the time til the gunshot. The strategy worked and the Kankakee boys beat the Red-Skirts by five-tenths in M&M. So spirited was their show that the GE judges kept it close and they took the Mariners by .35 in the prelims, 94.55 to 94.2.

The Phantomettes were third with 92.55 and a show of their usual fine quality. The Kilties outpointed the Imperials 91.95 to 90.35. Other finalists were the Viscounts with 88.95 and a smooth show, the Corsairs with 88.65, Our Lady of Mercy with 86.5, the Vanguards with 86.35, and the Starlites with 85.7.

The Troopers would have earned an 8th place, had it not been for a boundary line penalty. The Wyoming girls displayed a very fine M&M, a spirited spreadout show, and some very good and precise rifle work. Considering the lack of competition for them out west, it is actually amazing the show these girls can put forth. If they had the benefit of a whole circuit season under their belts they certainly would be one of the best.

All the other 22 guards did creditable jobs. The Scarlet Knights of Gurnee earned the year's "most improved guard" trophy, and the St. Alexis Vikings got the "most competitive guard" award. The Knights took 15th and the Vikings 14th. The Patriots, Black Guard, and Spectacle City Privateers also did exceptionally good prelim jobs. The State was set for the finals and the Shadows had the upper hand.

The Final show was one of thrills, spirit and precision that would make the National shows look like pre-season warmups. All the guards looked like real champions. The Shadows were terrific and their first half made a lot of spectators think the Mariners might be beat. However, the pressure of the situation, or some other quirck of fate caused their second half to break a bit. It was not perfect and the boys themselves knew it.

The Mariners, determined more than ever after their preliminary strategic loss, put on a show comparable to their record-breaking performance that won the title in 1962. The girls were sharp, spirited, and precise. The rifles and flags clicked, and the drill went from beginning to end like a well-oiled machine.

The Phantomettes, Imperials, and Kilties were a coin-toss type thing, and the Corsairs were fine to watch. The Rockford girls kept their third place, but the Corsairs pushed their way up to 4th. The VFW champion Imperials pushed way past the tough Kilties and won 5th place looking like a champion. Seventh went to the red-coated Vanguard from Skokie and 8th to the green-clad girls from Mercy High. The always smooth Viscounts were ninth and the Milwaukee Starlites 10th.

The Mariners won the Sweepstakes trophy for the guard with the best season's record. They got the championship trophy and flag, and by virtue of a 5-tenths lead over the Shadows in M&M in the Finals, they tied the Shadows in M&M average for the two appearances to win a share of the Maitland Memorial for 1963.

Miss Diane Last, Mariner Commander won the Sword for being the best female C.O. and Gary Cartier of the Shadows won the Male Sword. Diane also got the Sword for the Season's Command Excellence which is given to the C.O. of the winner of the Sweepstakes award. Plaques were also awarded to the Mariners for the traveling awards won by them last year. It was a happy day for the Red-Skirts and another page for the circuit record books.

The Mariners, who have enjoyed 8 years of winning with its Drill Team and Guard are now starting on the bottom rung of the ladder with their new corps. This summer will find the 6-month-old unit trying themselves in parades. Progress is on schedule and already its effect on surrounding units is felt.

The Mariners strength always centered on its organization being sound. Its management is nonconflicting and capable and smooth. Its instructors are tops and abundant and its Parent Club is financially and morally 100 percent behind them. The spirit of the youth is tops and the future of the corps will certainly be like the team and guard --- no matter how it starts.