336-341, Santa Clara Vanguard
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by Christina “MAV” Mavroudis with a wealth of oral/written history culled from alumni & boosters Tradition. Innovation. Class. Santa Clara Vanguard embodies them all, with even their name defining a (photo from the collection of ). legacy of brilliance that resonates The 1967 Santa Clara Vanguard Drum Corps World throughout the drum corps d married and started a family. By 1967, some blouses with a red stripe, black shoes, hats community 35 years after d in the organization wanted to return to a bell with the side turned up and pants from inception. r corps. JCPenney. The color guard wore black Statistically, the corps sweeps r At a parents meeting on March 6, 1967, cotton pleated skirts and white majorette honors like an epic. They have citing differences of opinion in artistic boots. a won six Drum Corps International a direction of the Sparks, the majority of Some equipment was purchased from the titles (1973, 1974, 1978, 1981, parents voted to disband the bugle corps and Sparks for $300 during the disbandment 1989 and 1999), the Spirit of return to a drum and bell corps with negotiations. Money was borrowed to buy the u Disney Award (2001), an American u majorettes. Having learned of a proposed horns. Voluntary pledges were also solicited Legion Championship (1970), a reversal, several members waited anxiously from parents with dues at 50 cents per week. g VFW Championship (1971), two g outside for the outcome. After the meeting, The Stockton Commodores loaned drums and California Color Guard Circuit the adults took them aside and explained there were offers to help from others. From Championships (1968, 1978), nine what happened. Asked if they wanted to keep humble beginnings came great progress. n DCI percussion titles (1973, 1974, n going on bugles, the kids gave a resounding The big trip that year was to Southern 1975, 1978, 1979, 1988, 1989, 1991 “yes!” and a new corps was born. California to compete in the Anaheim a and 1998), countless I&E caption a Later that evening, the booster club met Kingsmen’s second annual “Festival of awards and literally hundreds of for the first time to elect officers. Music Music.” The corps placed fourth, losing to other competitions. instructor and American Legion judge Gail the Lynwood Diplomats by 0.15. V SCV has the distinction of V Royer, initially hired by the Sparks, became Several brass arrangements from the first the director for the new corps. years came from the pen of Truman being the only organization to maintain its membership on the Mike Munoz remembers meeting friends Crawford, arranger for the Chicago Royal Airs board of directors of DCI since the for what he thought was a Sparks’ rehearsal. and director of the U.S. Marine Corps Drum a organization’s inception in 1972 by a What he found were guys on a porch ripping & Bugle Corps. Other early contributors to making finals every year. They are out threads spelling Sparks on their jackets. the brass book included Don Angelica, Keith r the first organization in DCI r “What are you doing?” he queried. When told Markey and Jack Meehan. Royer started history to have two drum and the group was splitting, he joined the corps. arranging a little, until finally taking over all bugle corps in the top 25 (1993) Following that first practice, everyone brass orchestration from 1970 to 1980. a and the top 17 of DCI (2000). a discussed name possibilities and narrowed Just before the final performance at the l During its first 25 years, SCV l the choice to three: Cardinals, had a record of finishing in the top Spartans and Vanguard. One three 94.12 percent of the time. In of the name distinctions was C 1987, they won 24 straight C to not pluralize Vanguard, affirming the concept of one contests. From 1985 through 1989, they only finished as low as front, one entity. third place one time out of 151 Additionally, insisting on a contests. In 1987, they were the a inclusion of the city name, only corps in history to win three Santa Clara, gave further t captions at the world t distinction. championship yet not win the title. Since that revolutionary day, the Santa Clara Vanguard At the 1971 VFW Nationals, they n were the only national champion n celebrates its birthday every that did not win a single caption. March with a spaghetti dinner a While impressive statistics a and an introduction to the create a body of excellence, it is season’s show. the journey that means so much to 1967 S the performers and audience. S Big Country, theme from Pre-history -- The Sparks “The Cardinal,” Man of La Mancha, The year was 1950 and a young girl in Born Free, “Burke’s Law” theme , (photo by Moe Knox from the Northern California wanted to take baton Almost There cSoalnletcat iConla roaf Vanguard, 1971, at) . the World Open lessons, but lacked financial resources. With One week after its birth, Drum Corps World a little ingenuity, she set a legacy in motion. the new corps marched and won its first California State Open on September 20, Pat Mancini gathered a quarter from three parade, beating the Pinole Princemen and Royer honored Vanguard’s first age-outs with friends (75 cents happened to be the cost of a others in San Francisco’s St. Patrick’s Day the original “Green Feather Ceremony” at lesson) with the promise to teach them what Parade. Munoz remembers wearing a Santa Clara’s Townsend Field. The ceremony she learned. Years and nearly 100 “friends” temporary uniform of black pants and white has continued every year to this day after the later, Mancini had a full drum and bell corps shirts in rainy, freezing weather. “It was so final run-through on DCI Championship day. together -- the Sparks from Sunnyvale, CA. cold,” he said, “we poured hot coffee on our September also marked the debut of the The bell corps soon transformed into a hands to warm up.” SCV newsletter, “The Vanguardian” (originally bugle corps, but became a bit too much for That first season the group was relatively called “The Flock”). Starting as a two-page the young lady who had, in the interim, small. New uniforms were green satin mimeographed circular featuring articles by 336 marching members, its continuous standstill on the steps of the Capitol, and to Roof.” For the closer, Royer originally multi-page publication now carries photos, New York City for “cultural enrichment” wanted to play Leaving on a Jet Plane . coverage of all SCV programs and, in addition before making the long bus trip home. On However, Don Angelica talked him into doing to mailed hard-copies, finds distribution the home stretch, a breakdown resulted in Bridge Over Troubled Waters . Hardly through e-mail and the SCV Web site. the corps doing exhibitions in North Platte, troubling, the corps was on its way. 1968 NE, and Elko, NV. 1971 -- VFW Champion, 89.95 Procession of the Nobles, theme from Overture to the Globe Playhouse from “Henry V,” “The Big Country,” Step to the Rear, You are My Chester Overture, Miracle of Miracles, Soul and Inspiration, Going Out of My Head, Tradition/Matchmaker, If I Were a Rich Man, By the Time I Get to Phoenix Greensleeves In 1968, SCV engaged on its first By 1971, there were 45 horns, 19 drums, Midwest tour to be evaluated against more 24 flags, eight rifles and an American flag experienced corps in preparation for VFW party. The talented staff grew with the Nationals the following year. While they addition of Scott Pierson, Wayne Downey, did not place high at any of the Dan Smith and Mike Moxley. competitions, they successfully got Nationally, it was the year of the exposure on the national scene. Brought Midwest/West Combine and the East Coast on board to write and teach percussion and United Organization of Eastern Corps. SCV drill, respectively, were Fred Sanford and traveled to the East Coast once again, but this Pete Emmons, formerly with Anaheim time they faced a series of tough losses -- Kingsmen and Troopers, who began to help known to insiders as “The Boston Massacre.” (photo by mold the Vanguard image. JSaanneta B Colualrean Vfraonmgu tahred ,c o1l9le7c5t,io ant oDfC I in Philadelphia, P)A. VFW Nationals, the equivalent to today’s On the local front, the Vanguard color Drum Corps World DCI Championships and the biggest contest guard beat the Anaheim Kingsmen on March 1970 -- American Legion Champion in the nation, were held at the Cotton Bowl 16 to win their first California Color Guard Festive Overture, Procession of the Nobles, in Dallas, TX. Capping a 54-day, 17-state Circuit Championship. A week later, the Chester Overture, Miracle of Miracles, tour, which included the World Open, CYO corps won its first standstill. The first public Tradition/Matchmaker, If I Were a Rich Man, Nationals and the Danny Thomas Invitational, performance of Procession of the Nobles Bridge Over Troubled Waters Vanguard won VFW with a score of 89.95 yet occurred afterward with the U.S. Air Force This was the year SCV “arrived” as a didn’t take a single caption. Academy Drum & Bugle Corps as the national contender. The season started with The first major change in the uniforms audience. The corps also won its first field the American Legion State Championships in was made this year as the brass and show August 3 on the Anaheim Kingsmen’s Sacramento on June 27. The corps not only percussion switched to white shoes. own turf.