1960 VFW - DETROIT, MI

Major scores:
Finals were held at Tiger Stadium, Detroit
Junior prelims (23 corps competed):
1. St Kevin’s Emerald Knights 89.10
2. Blessed Sacrament Golden Knights 88.65
3. Garfield Cadets 87.45
4. Cavaliers 87.20
5. Madison Scouts 85.85
6. Belleville Black Knights 85.35
7. Norwood Park Imperials 85.15
8. Skokie Vanguard & St. Rose Lancers (MA) 83.75
10. Kilties 82.40
11. IC Reveries (MA) 81.95
12. Phantom Regiment 80.40
13. Royal Airs 80.35
14. St. Josephs NY 78.65

Junior Finals (10 corps):
1. Blessed Sacrament 90.05
2. Cavaliers 88.70
3. St. Kevin’s 87.95
4. Garfield Cadets 87.90
5. Madison Scouts 84.00
6. Black Knights 83.15
7. Imperials 82.15
8. Skokie Vanguard 79.55
9. Kilties 79.45
10. St Rose Lancers 79.10
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1960 VFW was held in Detroit, which was a dirty and dangerous city even then. We stayed in Windsor, Canada, just across the river from downtown Detroit (took a tunnel to get there).

That was my first experience with “foreign” currency. They called them dollars but they were different than US dollars, and, of course, had a different value. Took some ‘getting used to’ when shopping!

I remember practicing our “prelim” (short) drill and seeing the Royal Airs nearby. They were still a “lower level” corps, but would soon change that!

Not sure where prelims were held, but Finals were at the famed Tiger Stadium. Another great stadium for drum corps. Remember seeing Blessed Sac again. A great corps.

I remember being on the starting line, watching the (then) Skokie Vanguard perform ahead of us.

Imperials did OK, placing 7th in prelims and finals.

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63

One of the biggest surprises at 1960 VFW was seeing the Garfield Cadets return to the top level. They came back after their difficult rebuilding year of 1959 with their traditional uniforms and a new show. They were great!

It was good to see them back. A great maroon favorite and good friends.

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63

Yes Dave 1960 VFW Nationals in the Motor City brings
back a lot of memories again,especially staying
across the river in Winsdor,Ontario going through
customs at the border.

From what I can recall when we did cross over at
the Canadian border,one customs agent boarded the
buses and would ask if everyone was a United States
citizen,and than we would be on our way.It was a
lot easier to cross at that time than it would be
now.

Tiger Stadium,what a great place for a contest,
especially a National contest.Great memories of
Blessed Sacrementas well.St.Kevins surprised a lot
people placing 1st.in the prelims.

What did you do in the Corps? French Horn

What years were you a Corps member? 1957 thru 1963

Another National contest comes to mind as well,and
that was 58'American Legion National's right here
in Chicago.It was held at Hanson Stadium which is
still there,about 20 minutes or so from my house.
From what I can remember most of the top Corps were
there from the East,junoir and senior,as well from
the Midwest,both junior and senior.That was one
contest we didn't have to get on a bus together and
drive there.We were all told what time to be there
and that was that.

The junior contest was held during the day at Hansen
Stadium while the senior contest was held the next
evening at soldiers Field.Blessed Sac who won the
junior contest put on a exhibition at the senior
show before the seniors went on.

The junior show was another contest where they
posted the scores as there were tabulated on a very
large board they had set up at the opposite end of
field from where the starting line was.And this time
I don't think Blessed Sac was too concerned about
any Corps beating them,because there were on top of
their game that year.I think that year they only
had a 27 man horn-line.

This contest was the one where Garfield lost there
sponorship with there church along with their
uniforms and equipment.Their wore white shorts and
white tee shirts and borrowed horns and drums from
the Cavaliers to use in the contest that day.

The scores were a lot closer than people thought
they would be that day,especially between Blessed
Sac,Garfield and the Cavaliers.We round up 7th in
finals,and again that wasn't bad considering there
was 30 junior corps there.And no prelims either.

What did you do in the Corps? French Horn

What years were you a Corps member? 1957 thru 1963

Some Imperials music in 1960: Stout Hearted Men, Jealousie, Dancero, How High The Moon
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What did you do in the Corps? percussion

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63