Some of us remember marching in a contest in Bellefountain, Ohio (1962?) where it really POURED when we were on the field. A really strange sensation .. and it energized the corps!

A Garfield Cadet posted a story about the Cadets doing the same in 1967 ... but the storm was really bad. In fact, I am surprised they didn't pull the corps off the field for safety reasons.

Go to their website: www.theholynamecadets.org and click on their HISTORY section (on the toolbar), then look for 1967 history. Quite a story.

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958- 63

Trying to dry out plumes - THAT was fun. Especially before small hand dryers were common. Or wearing plastic bags over the plumes - always a funny sight.

I seem to remember getting rained on more in parades than shows, because they would usually stop shows if rain came. But there were a couple of years when the Blue Stars were on the field when it started to hail - which produced in interesting sound from their helmets! And in 1980 in Montreal, Spirit had already performed and we were sitting in the back stands watching when someone noticed what looked like a herd of locusts about a quarter mile away - it was rain, and again, it was Blue Stars on the field!

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

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

It was always raining / sleeting on St. Patrick's day. The kind of wet cold that goes right through you.

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

What years were you a Corps member? 1980-1983

Dave, how about the Indy 500 parade - was that '63 or '64? It seemed like it poured the entire route.

The other big rainstorm I remember was before the Cavie show when John Gruber of the Vanguard was killed by lightning and I think one of the Lutz sisters was in the same area but she survived. Here we go again with the years - '64 or '65?

What did you do in the Corps? drum

What years were you a Corps member? 60-69

John, The year John Gruber was killed was 1967 at the Cavalier show at Maine East. It was a terrible storm which cancelled the show.

It rained at the Cavalier show ALL THREE YEARS that I marched there!

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

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

Bob, the Cavalier show seems to bring out the rain more consistently than any that I can remember. You get the schedule date for their show and you can predict rain for that weekend.

What did you do in the Corps? drum

What years were you a Corps member? 60-69

I recollect that it rained at the Indy 500 parade in 1963. But don't recollect it being in the same category as Bellefontine Ohio in 1962 or VFW State in Springfield in 1962.

In the years I marched with the Imperials (62 through 66) the weather at the Cavalier's show was fine.

In retrospect from 1962 through 1966 I only remember a handful of contests being rained out (1965 VFW Nationals move to McCormick Place was the most significant) and a show in Janesville and McHenry. Based on the typical midwest summer, I'm surprised there weren't more.

John T, the girl that marched in Norwood and then the Vanguard was Barb Lutz and was killed in auto accident as I recall. She was the sister of Chris Lutz who marched in the Imperials for several years. Barb was a very nice person and a tragic loss at a young age.

Tom,I remember Barb - she marched next to the drum line. But I seem to remember her or another guard member getting hospitalized from that storm.

What did you do in the Corps? drum

What years were you a Corps member? 60-69

In addition to the kids being killed by lightening in 1967 (before(?) Cavaliers show), I believe the Vanguard lost a couple of kids during practice in a hanger at O'Hare. I think a cargo plane crashed into the hanger, but don't clearly recollect the circumstances.

At that time I don't recollect that people paid much attention to lightening unless one was on a golf course. That was obvious as one would be really out in the open and I recollect a number of people in midwest would be killed or injured each year. Now it's a big deal. A couple of weeks ago, I recollect seeing highlights of a Cubs gave with the Astros where the Houston players rushed off the field with the first lightening strike (before umpires stopped play). Funny though, the grounds crew guys still went out and covered the field with the tarp.

What did you do in the Corps? Baritone

What years were you a Corps member? Cadets 1959 to 1961 Imperials 1962 to 1966

I remember that Indy parade too. VERY wet!

As for lightning, THAT scares me and I go hide fast!

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958- 63