Lived across the street from Taft High School on Northcott. Grew up next to a great athlete by the name of Gregg Schumacher who won 13 Varsity letters at Taft and went on to The Fighting Illini and the LA Rams. Also followed the career of another Taftie, Gordie Lund who played for the Cleveland Indians and Seattle Pilots. Dad started the Norwood Park Baseball Association which just turned fifty years of age.

Sat on the porch many a night listening to the Corps practicing on the Taft football field. When you guys were not out there, I was sharpening up my seven iron.
That is where I learned to golf - between the goal posts and that seven iron sure has come in handy as golf has been one of my passions ever since.

Was always amazed at the Corps, especially the drum line. Well in 1957, much to the amazement of family and friends I joined the Bee corps lugging around a big base drum. The athlete took up playing drum and gave up baseball. Remember banging pieces of tile in the upstairs room at Norwood Park. I wasn't good enough to play the snare, but kept practicing. At eight years of age, they had to find somebody to carry the "big drum." Think, I also broke too many sticks. Just was happy to get a uni and that goofy looking boy scout cap. I wanted the hat with the shaker!

So year two, I skipped baseball for a while and finally got to play the snare drum. Marching in that
Evanston - Fourth of July parade was like the longest
"walk" I had ever taken. But, finally got a shaker and cadet cap. Never got my Imperial jacket and that was another dream of mine.

So at age ten, baseball and hockey took over for me and that still goes for me today. At age 15 and 16 was a batboy for the visiting teams at Wrigley Field even though it took me almost two hours to get there on the bus. Kids were getting off at Foster Avenue to go to the Beach and I had to watch the Cubs lose and lose.

I would never get drum corps out of my mind. Dad used to take me to his uncles Legion Post near Devon and Kedzie to watch the Winter Guard. Became real familiar with the area as I ran Thillens Stadium for 11 seasons and worked for the Blackhawks in the PR departemtn in the Winters.

Always managed to go to Maine East and Hanson Stadium to watch the competitions.

Remember riding the long distance United Motor coach buses - the ones with the curve in the back to parades. Dreamt of the day of taking a long-distance ride in one of the Trailways Super buses.

Norwood Park is still a great park. How did the people there ever put up with the constant noice of drums and bugles.

Moved to San Jose, CA in 1992 to work for a hockey team and got to follow the Blue Devils and Vanguard real close. But, I was still waiting for the Cavies to come out West.

Now living in Michigan and this years DCI competition here was incredible. Watching a old vhs tape from the Cavies called "when drum corps was drum corps."
Sorry to disagree, but the event today is outstanding.
Not a fan of all the dancing and shenanigans and flag twirling, but you still have the drums and bugles.
Even the instruments on the sideline add to the show.
Will leave you with one final thought. They interviewed Bobby Knight one day, and he said he never saw anything like drum and bugle corps where the kids have nothing to win but their pride. They don't win money. They sleep on gym floors. Ride the bus for hours. Eat sloppy joes and for what? For their pride and to entertain.

Long live The Imperials. The Corps that made Norwood Park famous.

Bobby Friedlander
Richland, MI

What did you do in the Corps? Drums

What years were you a Corps member? Bee corps in 1957 & 1958

A great posting Bob! Glad to have you with us.

A lot of common memories !

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-1963