1977 Bridgemen Drum and Bugle Corps - Finals Night

1977 Bridgemen Drum and Bugle Corps
Denver, Colorado
Corps was disqualified but allowed to perform at finals.
Notes from an outside source on the DQ:
The Bayonne Bridgemen were serious title contenders in 1977. The corps' show started off with “Chiquita Banana” (“Yes We Have No Bananas”) drum solo, along with “Pagliacci” as the opener, complete with the operatic tragic clown in tow. Jim Brady, arguably one of the finest horn players in drum corps history, was the featured solo soprano. The Bridgemen won the World Open and DCI East titles, before heading out west to tour en route to Denver.
After their announced 3rd place prelims performance, several members were singled out by DCI personnel, with the full support of some DCI member corps directors, where the persons under scrutiny were declared ineligible subjecting the corps to disqualification. The Bridgemen sued DCI to contest the disqualification on the grounds that there was no intent to have an overage member march beyond their 21st birthday since the corps had replacement members on tour to take the spots of those members in question on the day prior to their birthday. A compromise was reached by which the Bridgemen were allowed to compete in the 1977 DCI finals.
The day of DCI finals in Boulder, CO was a painful one for the Bridgemen as no one knew how this would turn out. But lawyers for the Bridgemen found a loophole in DCI rules that allowed the Bridgemen to take the field. The audience's resistance was met with Bayonne's tenacity as the corps unleashed a powerful performance in the face of adversity. By the show's end the crowd was roaring their approval and the Bridgemen proved they were one of the strongest corps in contention that night.
Their score and placement would not be recognized in the DCI annals. But years later, the disqualification was rescinded and the Bridgemen are now listed as finishing in 4th place in 1977.
Enjoy!

[@ian272]

man Jim Brady could wail like there was no tomorrow

[@I7435IC]

Yea he could !! Got to see him do it multiple times when I marched then.

[@mrl3129]

Yup!!

[@user-mo1gu4kt3i]

That's the truth!!!!😊

[@TerryMcclure-ri7os]

Yes he could

[@davidfisher5599]

Piston-rotary bugles, too. Incredible.

[@marktillotson5426]

not incredible amazing ...and to think something similar was happening in most all of the lower 48 dozens of times every summer Saturday till Labor Day HUNDREDS and HUNDREDS of corps ALL over this country.

[@joeyllanos7573]

It was a life changing experience marching onto the field that night. Physically draining and mentally straining for me. The corps was told of our disqualification after one of the most incredible practice run throughs, the night before prelims. The entire corps literally had a physical and mental meltdown in response to the news. I mentally relive the trauma of seeing my corps member friends dropping to the ground, fainting, ambulances arriving, rushing kids to the hospital for hyperventilating being a mile high above sea level in Denver CO. No one would understand better than a corps members who has marched an entire rigorous World Class season into championship week. What having the "rug pulled out from under you" means. I remember Dennis Delucia's face, pale in Shock, having to experience this for a second time only two years before with the magnificent Hawthorn Muchachos. I believe it was criminal to subject so many young adults to such a damaging mental trauma! I am not against rules, and I think a greater consideration should be taken with the mental health of all the members involved in this higher educational performance activity! I applaud the wonderful staff of the 1977 Bridgemen, not for securing a compromise with DCI? But for the swift thinking and action in defending the corps, finding those lawyers in the 11th hour and getting a court injunction on the show!! NO!!!! They were not going to stick it to us without do process!!! NO One should have the right to cancel an entire 128 member corps! Too many lives at stake! Enough of my rant. Finally got this off my chest in 2022, 45 years later. lol. Proud member of The Bayonne Bridgemen Drum & Bugle Corps( Snareline). Thank you Hoffman, Delucia, Dubinski, Scolin, Thompson, Morella, and all my member friends. Love you guys!

[@oldschooldrumcorps]

Joey, was that kk doing the dance during the concert number?

[@jimeastman4666]

Cheats!!

[@jamesjordan8097]

@@oldschooldrumcorps Yes, that was KK & Johnelle.

[@jamesjordan8097]

@@jimeastman4666 Puhlease, get a life.

[@jamesjordan8097]

Very well said, Joey! It was extremely despicable and poor behavior for a bunch of frightened, and extremely competitive adults to put so many young adults through that debacle. Especially when considering DCI has always considered itself to be a “youth activity”, designed to help educate, and further the growth of young adults. Like I’ve always said…that experience taught us a lot, especially, how to be strong and resilient when faced with adversity. We weathered the storm beautifully, and came back even stronger in 1978! If they were so intent on disqualifying us, why did they wait until just before prelims, when they already had their “evidence” at DCI Midwest? Why? Simple conservative philosophy…money. DCI was composed of a bunch of sick, and unscrupulous people back then, and apparently the trend has continued over the last few decades.

[@pauldoucette2523]

Over aged members or not, arguably one of the greatest shows ever! They were ahead of their time.

[@I7435IC]

True - ''from the guts & sole '' - Drum & Bugle Corps !! .. I am very blessed to have been apart of it back in the mid to late 70's.

[@g.hon.4645]

Yeah, those "overage-ers" had been hanging around since 1970! You guys Never picked up on the fact that you weren't just dealing w/Mrs. B. any more. It had become the Midwest Haters' rules & you were dumb enough to decide you'd play w/them. 2 wrongs don't make a rt. They had plenty of overage-ers of their own. But instead of fighting fire w/fire, you went along w/THEM calling the shots, & there was no way you were ever going to beat them w/them running things. O.g! I always figured your management would've spotted that kind of thing since it was you North Jersey guys who.inventedi it in the first place! It was always in your playbook & they were reading it. Never, ever thought someone would do it to you, I guess.

[@Mrtellitlikeitis]

Cmon bro. They were a punch line. Never was going to win

[@DV-mq5fv]

@@Mrtellitlikeitis First priority was entertaining. That was winning to them.

[@byrongreene8983]

​@@MrtellitlikeitisSad you can't see the virtue of pouring your heart into it and enjoying the fact that people appreciated your passion, hard work and HEART!!!!

[@MrZonk2010]

better than anything I've seen here in 2024

[@k.coleman9317]

They left every ounce of energy they had on that field...incredible show and performance.

[@fatovamingus]

Writing tickets to the judges was frigging brilliant! It's one of those things that can only be done once and they did it perfectly

[@alfiocco8380]

5 years later I had the honor of wearing the yellow coat. 83 Brass What a trip!!!!! Best of times

[@JamieSmith-fz2mz]

For years, I've said I would make a facsimile of the coat for a halloween costume, but NOBODY in my neighborhood, county, or state would understand.

[@MusicalDrill]

Me too! I was in Memphis blues until they folded in 83. Drove up to White water and Filled a hole through to the end of the season. Just turned 16. What a trip!

[@t.j.ludwick5914]

We sure that wasn’t Maynard Ferguson? Dude had some serious lungs and lips. Amazing!

[@andrewbos8837]

Nothing like them before or today! Take a note!

[@gbrhythm]

Such a great show. The Bridgemen drumlines from the late '70s don't always get the credit they deserve for just how awesome they were. They were often playing more sophisticated parts during their main numbers than most corps played during their percussion features. Right out of the gate this snareline is killin' it with all those fast, clean rolls. Love it.

[@carminemangione]

Awesome show, horrible color guard.

[@user-mo1gu4kt3i]

That's the TRUTH!!!!

[@robertbrodie5183]

my brother was in that drumline tripled and never under appritiated by his younger brother ❤❤❤❤❤ miss you john

[@user-mo1gu4kt3i]

Love my Bayonne Bridgemen, I mean LOVE❤❤❤❤😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@killerrush77]

almost 50 years later, and still amazing!

[@icsa]

I remember watching in my home town as a 12 year old snare drummer in a small corps and finding out that the short Bridgemen snare drummer on the end of their line was also 12 years old. Knida got me extra motivated.

[@drumcorpsfan]

So did you march?

[@mrl3129]

He was 13 👍

[@mrl3129]

Bayonne Bridgemen, 1977 here is a little tidbit that you don't get to see in this video. During Jim Brady's solo in the land of Make Believe KK and Janell are doing the Hustle( popular disco dance) and the rest of the corps is doing a line dance which was called The Bus Stop. Hmmm🤔 synchronize dance steps seems to be a very popular thing nowadays. We were so very cool and suave!!!!!! And so much fun. AND WE WERE GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!

[@fatovamingus]

This is on V#*meo for when DC I guess it taken down which happened to me

[@byrongreene8983]

Yes Indeeed!!!!!

[@gidgetgrimm7384]

I love this show ! Awesome!

[@heididietrich9800]

I love the Bayonne Bridgemen and I only WATCH them!

[@CarolanIvey]

Amazing. Definitely a different world back then with all players in the drill, no stationary pit.

[@I7435IC]

A lot better world actually, IMHO .. Best Rock concerts of all time also... Glad I was a part of it !

[@mrl3129]

Different...... Not better not worse. Drum Corps has steadily evolved over the decades. These young adults now are tremendous!!!!! My only criticism of today's activity is that it has become Exclusive and not Inclusive.

[@DV-mq5fv]

Wow! Just super enjoyable. Wonderful writing - brass and percussion. This is from an ol' North Star friend.

[@brucenoble974]

Hello former north star here also✴️✴️

[@jamesjordan8097]

Thank you! We loved youse guys, as well!

[@patrickkaye9734]

Yes! Finally online! Thank you! Glad people get to see this. One of the best shows of the times. And one of the best soloists ever. Tremendous group of young people. They rocked the establishment in 1977. I watched it on PBS that night. Full finals back then, a 5 hour broadcast, live. And I have the 8-track tape of this performance. Been hoping a video would surface someday. 3rd place in prelims with a 1st in brass. Then this performance on finals night, under protest, facing disqualification, all announced as such when introduced. A little shakey, but given the enormous pressure, it was to be expected. Most people cheered, some to be polite, while some, literally, booed. Most of the booing was about the disqualification by DCI, not at the kids. But still, can you imagine kids today having to face such a situation, stepping onto the field in front of a booing crowd? 4th place in finals, but disqualified. Interesting coincidence that, for the first time ever, there had been a tie for 12th place after prelims, allowing 13 corps to compete in finals. So with no record in the books of this performance and placement for decades, records still were able to show 12 finalists that night. I wrote DCI several years ago with a, "come on, it's been decades, XX years. DCI could, at least, acknowledge them, even if it's just to state the disqualification," letter. Whoever replied, agreed, and I believe the ghosting did eventually stop. Thanks again for this upload!

[@mrl3129]

B/ S disqualification. totally political ... such a slap in the face that back in 1971 they formed the combine to get away from restrictive performances and when Hoffman decides to go total performance play to the crowd pleasant music etc etc all of a sudden it's not drum corps but look at what we have today these kids are tremendous the activity is unbelievable even though it has become exclusive and expensive.

[@kingicepanda9855]

The Muchachos never got a chance like Bridgemen did, when they got DQ'ed during Prelims in Philly, that was it. Someone up in the stands played Call of the Lonely Bull during retreat and it sent the crowd into an almost uncontrollable frenzy. How the corps had the will and power to perform two days later in Hershey, while in exhibition, is still incredible.

[@Mrtellitlikeitis]

I played that show in Hershey with Chachos and we got booed coming on. I knew peeps in SC, Devils, Kilts that had overage. Was the thing back then, most everyone did. Very political

[@michealpalmer5017]

I saw them perform this show earlier in the season. They were far and away the crowd favorite that night!

[@nathanclaflin4352]

Thank you, this is one of my favorite old drum corps shows and the only previous full recording I could find was deleted a while ago, so I'm happy to see that you posted it

[@tperk]

It wasn't so much they were allowed to perform at finals than they got a legal opinion to do it. The crowd saw and heard a legendary performance from those kids that night.

[@g.hon.4645]

Some if those "kids" were 5 yrs past 21. That was the screw up I figure they didn't exoect. It sent the standing of their charges into a legal ditch. If they jettisoned the over-agers, they likely would be given the go-ahead. But if course they couldn't do THAT. Think of how it would've affected the show! So, if they went ahead & performed w/people who were in blatant violation if "the rules", there would be no choice but to disqualify them. It was St. Andrew's choice. A real no-win situation. Should've prepared for it. The legal advice was really "limp".in a situation like this, the rule of thumb is clear : "If you want to beat the king, you better make sure you KILL the king...".

[@holtek86]

Stuff of legends

[@keithbarnes9419]

One of the cleanest snare lines ever.

[@user-mo1gu4kt3i]

I love the Bridgemen, foreva!!!!

[@ReckyDarmawan]

My Grandpa was there, playing Drums. 😍

[@drumcorpsfan]

That is awesome!!!!

[@robertbrodie5183]

what did he play? my brother played triplees was my hero

[@Jerrytb1]

SPECTACULAR

[@mrl3129]

probably unknown to a lot of people Bobby Hoffman created the "Traffic Jam" and intersection Red light Green light in 1972 for the Hawthorne Caballeros. the traffic jam was back in 1977 during the salute to Mayor Ed Beam and the Big Apple!!!!! with the big NYC Harlem nocturne and 42nd Street!!!!

[@drumcorpsfan]

I had no clue! That's an awesome story!

[@stevekubinak2646]

Bobby wrote for the New York Skyliners, not Hawthorne in 1972.

[@mrl3129]

Yea writing Hawthorne was a slip but The traffic jam and intersection Red light Green light drill let you know I was 👍 must have had the Cabs music playing when I was writing. Tell me.. how did you miss such a good clue???? And still tried to be critical🙂

[@mrl3129]

The two greatest tragedies in drum corps history outside of death or sicknesses are the disqualifications of the 1975 Hawthorne muchachos and the 1977 Bayonne bridgeman both corps who had a great chance of winning a championship which no Eastern corps had done up to that point after DCI was formed. The 1975 27th Lancers and the 1975 Hawthorne Muchachos we're very deserving of being in the mix to win a championship. up until around 1976 including the years of the VFW Corps leaped frogged each other between prelims and finals with great frequency which was a product of how the judging system worked. after that the champion corps was almost predictable.

[@drumcorpsfan]

Muchachos in '75 had the same issues as Bridgemen did in '78 correct?

[@mrl3129]

@@drumcorpsfan in all honesty I can't say that they did

[@g.hon.4645]

Live by the sword. Die by the sword. The NJ judging Assocs. did the same thing to Audubon for yrs. We caught them doi g just what that "expert" Sasso reportedly had hired to prove that in '68 the L.I. Sunrises had done to them @ the Dream. A.K.A : screwing around w/the numbers on the score sheets to put them down in 4th place & propel the winners (Skyliners?) to the top. Saw the sheets myself & the numbers that had orig.'ly bern written, then erased, then rewritten to place Audubon down exactly 20 points behind the top 2 NJ outfits. Nobody ever mentioned it. Only just now did I realize that that pattern of behavior proved to be a major factor in the eventual destruction of drum & bugle corps. Nice work, y'all! 😁

[@santoxtremefluffy]

Wasn’t this the year the Bridgemen were disqualified from finals for marching an overage member? Still a great show! I miss corps like the Bridgemen and The Velvet Knights…😔

[@drumcorpsfan]

Read the comments ;)

[@mrl3129]

no one marched who was over age.

[@jeremybobo2602]

No that was 78

[@mrl3129]

The video is 1977 finals not 78. I know this because........ I was a lead soprano player😎

[@michaeloneill1964]

@@mrl3129 who are you?

[@cindih13]

Back when we played crowd-pleasing music, not judge-focused!

[@MicahtheDrumCorpsPseudoboomer]

Back when the Bridgemen was the ONLY corps who liked to please the crowd, if the 1979 DVD Vignettes are a trustworthy source.

[@americanspirit8932]

I just thought I might mention, when I was a member of the Long Island sunrises 1964 through 1968, we won the American Legion National Championship in 1968 in, New Orleans Louisiana. At the national dream contest, in 1968, it was announced that we were in fourth place, Skyline is worth in 5th place. It took approximately 45 minutes for the scores and placement to be announced, that was the very first time in the history of the national dream contest, it took that long to tabulate the scores? John Sasso, may he rest in peace. Hired, two expert handwriting specialist. They both claim up with the same conclusion, the score sheet numbers were changed they were manipulated, taking the sun rises out of first place, and put them in fourth place. That really hurt the Sun rises, and it still bothers me to this date, that we would cheated out of a first place position, due to politics. The same is for the Bridgman, they got the shaft everybody knows it. Today is October 25th 2022. And thank you so much for posting this clip, brings back great memories, I've always been a big fan of the, Bridgeman.

[@drumcorpsfan]

Do you have any recordings? I would like to help if you did? Video footage?

[@g.hon.4645]

DUH!

[@americanspirit8932]

@@drumcorpsfan I still have quite a few old school recordings oh, they are LP records albums from Fleetwood, I had several hundred records, 45 RPM 33 and a third RPM but they were all stolen from me. Golden years of drum and bugle Corps, started back in the 50s, up until DCI. Involved, then things started to change but not for the better. The activity was primarily started after WWII help keep kids off the street. Local communities would support their local drum and bugle Corps, they would come to competitions and fill the stadiums. The national championships were a major events mini-course could not make the long trip because of financing, most would compete in their state competition oh, several times there will be several hundred that would compete. That one time we had over 7,000 G of evil courses throughout the United States and Canada oh, they were not all Marching In maneuvering organization, someone compete in standstill competition others would be basically parade drum and bugle Corps but they had big Community Support that is no longer there today. Don't get me wrong, I have absolutely nothing against what's currently going on with these marching bands they do a good job, but they are not a drum and bugle Corps. I'm just asking, Drum Corps International just call it what it is marching band International.

[@g.hon.4645]

Ah, yes! Another night in the saga of how the Bridgemen got the Muchachos treatment! 😁

[@drumcorpsfan]

Oh, I need WAY more context!

[@g.hon.4645]

@@drumcorpsfan Oh! Well, when PBS was still showing the entire DCI contest for fund-raiser night, along came the Muchachos who got treated to the same job Bridgemen got - only they had it happen BEFORE then. So that meant it had to be something like maybe 1973 or 74 on up to maybe 76 - I can't be sure. But I know I actually got it on cassette tape that night. Gene Rsyburn was one of the on-air hosts, along w/Pete Emmons from.the Troopers & they went into great detail on the air abt how Hawthorne had been thought to be in finals only to be told that no, they didn't make it after all. And there was some heated debate abt how that couldn't be mathematically possible & the corps showed up @ the stadium & crashed the contest. They came marching in in the background & the people began to go crazy. The officials tried to get rid of them but that didn't happen. Hawthorne said they were going to compete anyway. They stopped them from lining up for a couple of mins but then the rest of the corps came out. There was a guy in the stands blowing a bull fight fanfare for them & Rayburn watched them.filing onto the field in slow motion & I remember him chirping up happily "Oh! The Lonely Bull!". Like later happened w/St.Andrews, they were told they had been disqualified & woukd not be judged. But they went on anyway! From what I heard later on, it appears that this was the 1st time DCI played the "overage" card. I didn't find that out until just a few yrs ago. Anyway, my friends said that they figured on something untoward was going to happen there has there had been a huge increase in East vs West rivalry over that year. Apparently it was set off by a lot of cheap trash talk From the Midwest-ers over the prev. winter abt how unsophisticated the NJ music arrangements & their dubious "talent" they had to play it. I believe the North Jersey conglomerate got a bug up their butt bcs what the problem.was rt then was MONEY. It looked like Sac & Garfield would be He's only reps the next yr bcs nobody else had any money. Lucy's wasn't marching & it looked like any of the 2nd tier names woukd be up to tackling a DCI style show. And I believe the bar. organizers up the turnpike said "F-- that!" & began recruiting people from all over the North Jersey area who wouldn't otherwise be competing anyway to firm this powerhouse massive corps & that they were drawing a big fat target on the Midwest & CA name outfits & letting it be known they were coming for them. So DCI scouted them & reported back that these guys weren't fooling around, that they had some original arrangements & a large following & it could get really bad, since they weren't chewing to the DCI style of doing things at all& they could be an unplanned for threat. The overage thing was the straw they finally grasped at. In an interesting turn of events involving how DCI had grudgingly been made to change their collective mind abt us East Coast knuckle draggers who at times couldn't read music, when the money-hungry DCI organization went on to Broadway w/their drum corps extravaganza "Blast!", they began their show featuring the exact arrangements Hawthorne used that night. The "Crow" must've been especially tasty that yr. 😁

[@deborahhall3860]

I remember this performance in Mile High Stadium!!!

[@gbrhythm]

Throughout that 1977 season, the Bridgemen placed 2nd on only four occasions, and won 1st place at _every_ _other_ _show_ until prelims and finals. Repertoire: @0:02 "Yes, We Have no Bananas" by Frank Silver | Irving Cohn @0:34 "Pagliacci" by Ruggero Leoncavallo @2:48 "Land of Make Believe" by Chuck Mangione @6:55 "New York, New York" (from On the Town) by Leonard Bernstein @8:24 "Lullaby of Broadway" (from 42nd Street) by Harry Warren | Al Dubin @9:20 "Give My Regards to Broadway" by George M. Cohan @10:15 "What I Did For Love" (from A Chorus Line) by Marvin Hamlisch | Edward Kleban @11:51 "William Tell Overture" by Gioachino Rossini

[@GigaJinGaming3711]

2:25 That scream... predecessor to santa clara's highs

[@lokiofasgard7780]

I love the contrast in energy that this show has.

[@LyleFrancisDelp]

Land of Make Believe is one of the all time greatest production numbers.

[@janetphillips2875]

My high school band practically copied everything Bridgemen did in 1977. We had people coming to the games to see us and not the players. Alot of jealousy formed among the school staff. It got so bad, our director resigned a year later. We were lucky enough as high school kids to go to DCI in Birmingham, Alabama, which was only 40 miles away. I used to march around our front yard playing that Lonely Summer song. Im 58 now, still have my trumpet, still love the Drum Corp. I spent Sunday talking to my nephew who is now a band director, about our love of Drum and Bugle Corp. Thanks.

[@LyleFrancisDelp]

@@janetphillips2875 Oh! We traveled to Birmingham 1980 too! From east Houston.

[@sdingeswho]

Love the Hell out of the Bridgemen’s ‘77 show ❤️! One of “the shows I grew up with “, along with Madison ‘75, 27th Lancers ‘80, and many shows by Phantom Regiment! I mostly leaned toward the more “rigid” kind of shows (I’m a big-time PR guy), but damnit! The Bridgemen were just so damned *fun* 🎉😁❤️! What Drum Corps *should* be! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ P.S. At band practice, I, uhhh, “borrowed” my dad’s Stetson, tied a scarf around the crown … and snapped the broad brim down to give me that let-it-all-hang-out Bridgemen feel 😎❤️🎺! Bananas Forever 😁❤️🍌😎! P.P.S. I also, like any Right-Thinking American Male 😎🇺🇸, had a seriously-unquenchable lust 👹for the Bridgemen Rifles 🤪❤️😎! Still do, in fact 🤣!

[@fatovamingus]

There was a lot of nonsense that went on as CYO transition to DCI. Do you remember the Muchachos? And the closing ceremony? When I posted this on KZbin I get almost kicked off but there is always another place

[@sdingeswho]

@@fatovamingus I heard about the whole Muchachos kerfufle second-hand, from my band directors. Have heard that performance, and they were shredding it and burning it down 😁🔥😎❤️!

[@tjwtrumpet]

Saw this show that night in Denver. Who is the screaming soprano soloist? And geez - ya can hear everything...and nothing is electrically amplified.

[@shscjs3]

I miss the Bannannas

[@alexandergrega6902]

The opener sounds like it should’ve been the closer

[@mrl3129]

opener? no that was then referred to as off the line. a closer was referred to as the exit. comparing modern drum corps to drum corps basically from the early 2000s back into the '60s makes no sense almost like trying to compare today's MLB NFL NHL and NBA. the performers nowadays are extraordinarily talented and athletically gifted not to mention the science of nutrition exercise and conditioning along with the technological advances of writing drills. it's just not fair to compare them.

[@alexandergrega6902]

@@mrl3129 bro chill I’m just saying it’s different

[@mrl3129]

😎 very chill

[@Mrtellitlikeitis]

As a person who marched Muchachos in 75, and watched this in 77, the whole age thing was a sham of a mockery of a sham ( as woody allen would say) Most everyone marched overage back then, yet no one targeted Vanguard, Devils, Kilties. I personally knew those corps did. If memory serves, Vanguard was caught one year and was asked to remove the player No DQ Don Peseone had a hard on against the Chachos cause he didnt like our director. He knew toward beginning of season Chachos had overage, yet did nothing till finals Same fate should have happened to bananas, yet they performed. They werent going to win anyway. Its my belief the bananas were “out there” in terms of not the norm drum corps at that time, and werent going to win no matter how good they got. Look at 1980. DCI was not going to allow Bayonne to win looking like pimps, falling on the field, all the antics etc It was anti establishment, and Donny boy didnt like it 1977 Bayonne was a good show, not great. 1978 and 80 were great shows that went unrewarded. 1980 in particular. 5 tenths away I think. Didnt matter, they werent winning DCI destroyed a couple of great corps While overlooking others that should have been dealt same fate. Politics is everywhere On a personal note, I think if Bridgemen would have kept original uniforms and played same shows, they would have had a better chance. The pimp look and antics destroyed them. But then again, they wouldnt have been the bananas without it

[@mannyfernandez6860]

were they still using the single piston bugle?

[@drumcorpsfan]

Yes! Some corps were using them in 2000!

[@mrl3129]

valve / rotar

[@mrpoopoohead7668]

if anyone know where we can find a whole bunch of those old horns, we are trying to start a corps. But we are going to do things the 1970's way

[@mannyfernandez6860]

@@mrpoopoohead7668 im a 63yo who played a single piston contra 45yrs ago..I do believe that progress in everything must be embraced but reading your post made my heart happy. i wish you success in your endeavour to set up an old school DBC. some things are better left alone untouched and single piston bugles are one of them. Mabuhay to you all.

[@mannyfernandez6860]

@@mrpoopoohead7668 please create a web page regarding your progress in building up a REAL Drum and Bugle Corp..im sure a lot of guys are interested.. is it true that saxophones and amplifiers are allowed in dci? ...im sorry they did..i guess thats the ultimate travesty to the DBCs spirit.

[@user-mo1gu4kt3i]

I might let you slide. Your team is not great. Ha ha

[@jimeastman4666]

Cheaters!!

[@nyoung5556]

It’s been 45 years man. Time to let it go.

[@byrongreene8983]

You need to do some research and see how many other corps had overage members!!!!!HMMMM!!!

[@ikshields]

Hardly.

[@mrl3129]

No one cheated, it was a misinterpretation of how the rule was written. The rule was ambiguous at best. Bottom line we got robbed.

[@StephenKershaw1]

awesome