Being that Jimmy Eiden was trying to change the subject in the cadet instructors, I thought that it would be better to make a new subject for this one.
So Jimmy, Randy was one of my best friends in drum corp but I don't remember him getting hit. I do remember in Springfield someone standing at attention and then passing out. Also in one of the shows when I was playing the bongo tymbolis, at the end of the show the whole drum line was suppose to raise their drums up and arch our backs so that the sound goes to the stands. When I did this, I started falling backward and back stepped about 20 steps and when I caught my balance, I was inches away from getting Susie Littlefields horn in my head.

What did you do in the Corps? Drums

What years were you a Corps member? cadets and A corp from 76 to 83

We could probably do an entire thread on problems in Springfield! The race track was ALWAYS fun - the darkness anywhere but the middle of the track, the small step sizes, etc. But as drum major in 1978-79, I had the added fun of no room for the podium and having to direct from the top of a wall - with one arm on either side of a light pole that doubled as the 50-yard line!

In 1972 it was raining for prelims, so we couldn't use the race track. We stood inspection (remember those?) and marched prelims in a building called "The Coliseum." It was deathly hot, and the floor was made of cow manure - NOT a good combination. MANY people fainted that day, and those of us who didn't were probably only left standing from fear of laying down on that cow manure floor!

In 1973, the darkness actually helped us win. When the guard went into the far back corner during the closer to change to the American flags (be quiet, Bill), they literally disappeared, then reappeared with those stars and stripes flowing - and it was Veteran's Day at the fair, so the crowd literally went nuts!

In 1971, at the Illinois Association Championship, the date coincided with the SAT test in Belleville, which was MANY miles south of the championship sight. In those days, you had to march a certain percentage of your membership at prelims AND finals, so they were in trouble. The Black Knights were grabbing people from other corps (mostly cadet/feeder corps) and people off the street, putting them in uniform, having them stand at attention for inspection, then fainting on the starting line! This fulfilled the rule for percentages, and solved the problem of those extras not knowing ANY of the show!

That's all I can remember at 7:45 in the morning...

What did you do in the Corps? Snare, Drum Major, Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73, 78-79

Ah yes, cow manure and drum corps! A great combination! Very similar to the problem posed by horse units in parades!

Bob, you also have to give credit to the Black Knights for their very creative solution to the "percentage" problem you mentioned. That starting line must have been a real sight!

What did you do in the Corps? drummer 1958-63; instructor 1964-70; quartermaster 1964-66

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63

Vince, the spinning rifles and twirling / tossed flags were a common threat. Even for the judges. There were many times where I had "close calls" while on the field as a drum judge.

In addition, during the days when ALL equipment had to be carried (yes, even those huge timps and keyboards ), there were times when the straps or carriers broke. I remember a timp player trying to continue to march and play aftter a strap had broken. The drum was swinging wildly from side to side .. it was BIG and he wasn't! I had to grab the drum and GIVE it to him, telling him to NOT play and just carry it! Did this happen to any Imperial drummers?

What did you do in the Corps? drummer 1958-63; instructor 1964-70; quartermaster 1964-66

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63

Dekalb 1983:

Vince should remember this one. At DCM in Dekalb, there was of course a parade through downtown Dekalb. Vince was made Drum Major for the Parade.

The Color guard was in front, then the drum line, then the horn line. During the parade, the Guard started to creep ahead. Eventually, they got a 1/2 a block away. There were train tracks running across the road and the guard was on the other side of the tracks when the gates went down and a freight train came through.

The drum line and horn decided to perform a standstill while the train came through. Once the train cleared and the gates came up, the guard was so far down the street we couldn't even see them.

What did you do in the Corps? Cymbals, Bass Drum, Tenor

What years were you a Corps member? 1980-1983

I do remember that one, I guess that's why they wouldn't let me be drum major anymore. But it was fun doing a little stand still concert! I even marched American Flag and they wouldn't let me do that anymore because I was walking to fast, of course this was in 83 or 84 when we didn't have anyone to fill these spots when someone was absent. I always wanted to do something else.

What did you do in the Corps? Drums

What years were you a Corps member? cadets and A corp from 76 to 83

Dave, you mentioned near mishaps on the field when judging. I think it was 1966 when we played Dancero. Jim Middleton (the drum judge) was between our 2 bass drummers facing the back of the field when they turned toward each other. Jim dropped to the ground to avoid getting hit. Unfortunately for him, the rest of the drum line turned around and proceeded to march over him. When Jim started teaching us the following year, he did remind us about that.

What did you do in the Corps? Drum

What years were you a Corps member? 1960-1969

John,

I think the incident with Middleton occurred the first time we played Dancero as I had a near miss with the bugle judge, Dave Richards in that show. We changed our out of concert song to Dancero mid-season and the judges weren't aware of the change and positioned themselves in their usual vantage points during concert. I was on the end of the concert formation. I made a right turn and almost hit Richards with my horn (those Holton Bass-Baritones were long). I recollect moving my horn so I didn't lose a few teeth (Richards was a very large man)and damage the horn. He did write a note on the score sheet apologizing for getting in my way.

Did Middleton do the same? By being out of position and having the drumline march over him, he could have caused someone to trip.

I had another incident with a judge my first year in the Imperials (1962). During concert the drum judge was kneeling behind me so that he could see the drum line. As we started the number out of concert I would take a step backward to line up with the rest of the squad. When I stepped back he was standing behind me and I stepped on his foot, bumped into him and almost lost my balance. That guy also wrote a note on the score sheet apologizing for being in my way.

The only other mishap I recollect was at the famous Springfield VFW state contest in 1962--famous because that was the first time we wore the battle jackets and because there was a heavy rain storm about ten minutes after we finished our show. As we came out of concert the guy next to me slipped and went down. The french horn section marched right over him--he had a muddy shoe imprint on his back.

What did you do in the Corps? Baritone--Cadets 1959 through 1961 Imperials 1962 through 1966

What years were you a Corps member? 1959-1966

Vince
I have known (or knew) the Munzers long before I joined the Imperials as well. When I joined.. I had NO clue they were involved. We used to go camping with them.
Anyhow.. it was Randy Munzer that got shellacked in the family jewels by a rifle. I dont remember where it happened but it was a standstill somewhere.
I also recall eating a rifle or flagpole a few times during a show. You just never knew where they were behond you or what they were doing.

What years were you a Corps member? 78-83

John,
Jim Middleton never wrote anything about getting "walked on" on his sheet. At the time the drum line didn't care much for him - scores were always low. After he started teachimg, I found him to be a regular guy and a great techician. He really did laugh about it later saying he never saw it coming and he was glad he didn't get nailed by the bass drums.

Speaking of mishaps. Didn't Madison have the "battle axes" in '63 or thereabouts? Anybody ever get nailed by one of those?

What did you do in the Corps? Drum

What years were you a Corps member? 1960-1969

Actually, most corps members would WARN the judges before they hit them. But, they had to SEE the judge in order to do that. Lots of times I had drummers, cymbal players (even contra players .. who often hung out by the drum line) just yell out at me.

I doubt that Jim was "out of position" when the bass drummers almost got him. It was probably a very good spot to hear the drum line.

It must have been hilarious to see him hit the dirt!

Speaking of being hit, I wonder of the LANCES we used in 1965 (the guide-ons) ever got anyone?

What did you do in the Corps? drummer 1958-63; instructor 1964-70; quartermaster 1964-66

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63

We used the guide-on lances in both 63 and 64 and I don't recollect an incidents. I think that most of the time they were held upright.

I recollect that some corps used to use their assistant drum major or color guard sargent's as "judge chasers." The idea was to keep the judge moving.

What did you do in the Corps? Baritone--Cadets 1959 through 1961 Imperials 1962 through 1966

What years were you a Corps member? 1959-1966

Manitowoc Wisconsin 1980:

This entire adventure was one big mishap on and off the field.

I remember the parade. The pavement was so hot, you could feel it through the bottom of your feet.

Joe Minogue (DUKE) - We are getting ready to step off on the parade route when Duke drops his mallet. Duke can't bend over as he is wearing the big bass drum.

Duke tries to bend over to get his mallet and splits his pants right down the middle. Mrs Ruchalski (Ma Lurch) come s over and start safety pinning his rear end. As she is pinning his behind, we step off. Mrs. Ruchalski doesn't even pause, she follows behind pinning his butt as we march down the parade route.

Then someone lost a shoe. I remember Jim Snyder picking it up without missing step. He held it up with his left hand and one of the chaperones or instructors grabbed it and found the member with the missing shoe.

I also remember at least 1 guard member passing out during the parade.

Then the major mishap during the competition involved Dave Brownstein. Dave was walking backwards at the back of the field conducting the Corps as we faced the backfield. He tripped right over small podium at the back of the field.

I also remember the grass on the field had not been cut and we had a real hard time figuring out the yard lines.

There were even more mishaps off the field including a bus breakdown, a stolen stereo, a hand check, among others.

What did you do in the Corps? Cymbals, Bass Drum, Tenor

What years were you a Corps member? 1980-1983

Happened to remember this one .. at one show, a color guard member marched out of her pants. That is, her "underpants", which fell down while she was marching!

Being cool about it, she sort of stepped out of them, dropped them on the field and kept marching!

I wonder what was said when she got off the field with the corps?

What did you do in the Corps? drummer 1958-63; instructor 1964-70; quartermaster 1964-66

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63

"Also in one of the shows when I was playing the bongo tymbolis, at the end of the show the whole drum line was suppose to raise their drums up and arch our backs so that the sound goes to the stands. When I did this, I started falling backward and back stepped about 20 steps and when I caught my balance, I was inches away from getting Susie Littlefields horn in my head."

Vince, you were probably about 4'11" at the time so the drums overpowered your ability to balance. Of course I'm thinking back to when you first joined the corps in the mid/late 70s.

Jimmy, I do remember Dave falling over during the show, pretty hillarious. And I think Duke ripped his pants on a weekly basis.

There's just way too many years of drum corps in my brain to remember all the years, places and memories, but some things are as clear as if they happened just yesterday.

There was another incident that occurred to Dave's late brother Bruce. In 1966 we played a Spanish medley and Wally Pennington (1st Soprano) usually played a solo. At that year's show in Wilmot, WS, Bruce (1st Baritone) was to play the solo. Either Wally couldn't make the show or Brian Pennington was going to try using a Baritone. Anyway, when Bruce went out to play the solo, he took a breath and inhaled a bug so he couldn't play the solo. We won the show but Wally played the solo for the rest of the season.

What did you do in the Corps? Baritone

What years were you a Corps member? 59-66

Have a bad memory of a mishap at VFW or American Legion prelims at Elk Grove Village High School in the mid-70’s. Rainy conditions forced prelims to be held in-doors in the gym. I believe before the show we went over how we were going to enter and exit the gym via a particular entrance. At the end of our show when a left face was ordered half the corp. turned right towards the door we were supposed to exit through while the other half followed the order and turned left. Nobody was hurt but it was a little embarrassing.