OFF AND RUNNING - 1960
MIKE BATTEN
With our first season under our belts the corps would spend the off season looking to improve every aspect of our show! With Vince Deegan now working with the horn line and Ted pushing individual contests and our color guard out making a name for itself Blue Rock is looking to a better future.
The off season had ten parades and numerous individual contests with a drum quartet that features Anthony Gambacorta, Gene Abbott, Frank Haddaway, and Mel Jenkins. Individual horn players, Pete Hazlett on baritone, Larry Kerchner on French horn, and Butch Denny on soprano, among others, walk away with 13 trophy’s along with some local recognition.
Our winter color guard enters a top rated contest with 19 other guards and finishes in a very respectable 5th place.
As for me I joined Blue Rock at the end of the 1959 season as an 10 year old with serious doubts about my drum corps future!
The 1960 season opens up with Ruthy Reamer as head Drum Majorette and our very first win in Rehobeth Beach.
Blue Rock goes on to finish first in all 5 south Jersey contests, but for the second straight year we finish a very disappointing 10th place at the New Jersey States. In these days many of the nations top corps are from New Jersey.
Ted made the decision to bring his young corps to Detroit, Michigan for the VFW Nationals. The trip to Detroit is an especially long one stopping at every HoJo (Howard Johnson) to practice at all hours of the night. We were still learning our drill for preliminary’s. If memory serves me right we received $3.00 a day to eat, which really was not all that bad in those days.
Blue Rock finished in 16th place with a score of 75.85 out of about 25 corps.
(St. Kevin’s Emerald Knights win preliminary’s with Blessed Sacrament coming in second. Finals has Blessed sacrament winning and Chicago Cavaliers coming in a close second.)
Ted’s original thoughts were for us to leave following prelims, but he thinks seeing finals would be a great experience for his young corps. My personal feelings are to go home and never look back! Finals are incredible and a night I will never forget! On the way home I realize that seeing finals has changed my life.
63 years later and I still think of that night every time I hear “Somewhere over a Rainbow” or In The Still of The Night”.
The off season had ten parades and numerous individual contests with a drum quartet that features Anthony Gambacorta, Gene Abbott, Frank Haddaway, and Mel Jenkins. Individual horn players, Pete Hazlett on baritone, Larry Kerchner on French horn, and Butch Denny on soprano, among others, walk away with 13 trophy’s along with some local recognition.
Our winter color guard enters a top rated contest with 19 other guards and finishes in a very respectable 5th place.
As for me I joined Blue Rock at the end of the 1959 season as an 10 year old with serious doubts about my drum corps future!
The 1960 season opens up with Ruthy Reamer as head Drum Majorette and our very first win in Rehobeth Beach.
Blue Rock goes on to finish first in all 5 south Jersey contests, but for the second straight year we finish a very disappointing 10th place at the New Jersey States. In these days many of the nations top corps are from New Jersey.
Ted made the decision to bring his young corps to Detroit, Michigan for the VFW Nationals. The trip to Detroit is an especially long one stopping at every HoJo (Howard Johnson) to practice at all hours of the night. We were still learning our drill for preliminary’s. If memory serves me right we received $3.00 a day to eat, which really was not all that bad in those days.
Blue Rock finished in 16th place with a score of 75.85 out of about 25 corps.
(St. Kevin’s Emerald Knights win preliminary’s with Blessed Sacrament coming in second. Finals has Blessed sacrament winning and Chicago Cavaliers coming in a close second.)
Ted’s original thoughts were for us to leave following prelims, but he thinks seeing finals would be a great experience for his young corps. My personal feelings are to go home and never look back! Finals are incredible and a night I will never forget! On the way home I realize that seeing finals has changed my life.
63 years later and I still think of that night every time I hear “Somewhere over a Rainbow” or In The Still of The Night”.
SOME 1960 BLUE ROCK FACTS
REPETOIRE
“Phantom Regiment”
“This Could be The Start of Something Big”
“Oh you Beautiful Doll”
“I Get a Kick Out of You”
We win our first South Jersey Assoc. Championship
We lose the Delaware State title (parade) to Diamond State.
Ted is furious, writes a letter to the parade committee in protest. Bob McGowan also signs it!
(I have a copy)
Blue Rock has 75 members from 13 to 19 (I am 11 years old)
At the end of 1960 Twins Ruthy and Diane Reamer help create the Blue Rock feeder corps.
The Corpsmen of the year are:
Male. Female
Bill Slape Ruthy Reamer
REPETOIRE
“Phantom Regiment”
“This Could be The Start of Something Big”
“Oh you Beautiful Doll”
“I Get a Kick Out of You”
We win our first South Jersey Assoc. Championship
We lose the Delaware State title (parade) to Diamond State.
Ted is furious, writes a letter to the parade committee in protest. Bob McGowan also signs it!
(I have a copy)
Blue Rock has 75 members from 13 to 19 (I am 11 years old)
At the end of 1960 Twins Ruthy and Diane Reamer help create the Blue Rock feeder corps.
The Corpsmen of the year are:
Male. Female
Bill Slape Ruthy Reamer