DCI The First Decade 1972-1981 (Excerpt)

DRUM CORPS INTERNATIONAL THE FIRST DECADE • 1972-1981

Table of contents I Foreward.................................................................................................... 4 I Chapter 1 ................................................................................................... 5 The Pre-DCI Backdrop I Chapter 2 ................................................................................................. 13 Life Under the Veterans Organizations I Chapter 3 ................................................................................................. 21 High Noon in a Wisconsin Bathroom I Chapter 4 ................................................................................................. 28 1971 -- The Combine I Chapter 5 ................................................................................................. 36 “Where Does That Leave Us?” I Chapter 6 ................................................................................................. 47 1972 -- Destination Whitewater I Chapter 7 ................................................................................................. 54 1973 -- A Honeymoon of Sorts I Chapter 8 ................................................................................................. 65 1974 -- Growing Pains and the Era of Public Relations I Chapter 9 ................................................................................................. 76 1975 -- From Public Relations to Public Television I Chapter 10 ............................................................................................... 88 1976 -- “May We, Mr. Mangione?” I Chapter 11 ............................................................................................. 102 1977 -- Future Shock I Chapter 12 ............................................................................................. 117 1978 -- DCM, WGI and B-I-N-G-O I Chapter 13 ............................................................................................. 132 On the Other Side of the Clipboard: The Transformation of DCI Judging I Chapter 14 ............................................................................................. 150 1979 -- The Opening of the South I Chapter 15 ............................................................................................. 169 1980 -- The Height of How They Used to Do It I Chapter 16 ............................................................................................. 195 1981 -- Ask Not What DCI Can Do for You, But What You Can Do for DCI

The Pre-DCI Backdrop America, rarely has the very essence of an activity been argued over like it has with drum and bugle corps. One of drum and bugle corps’ lone consistencies, the relentless August sun, bakes the aluminum bleachers of a college football stadium in rural Baseball, despite its historical controversies of fixed games, corked bats Wisconsin. and performance-enhancing drugs, will almost assuredly remain America’s The fate of an infant organization, Drum Corps International (DCI), national pastime. Football, with its proclivity for danger and its ability to intended to rescue the youth activity from the perceived stranglehold of the induce weekend-long escapism, will continue to capture the country’s American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars, rests largely on the stadium’s imagination. Broadway and theater will similarly endure, as they have scorching hot bleachers being filled with drum corps enthusiasts. through 9/11, as chances to see the big city and to dream as big as it. Heat and humidity aside, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater campus, with its pastoral expanses, its intimate amphitheater stadium, and its Drum and bugle corps, conversely, has evolved so far -- from military community feel, is a perfectly idyllic locale for the inaugural DCI function to patriotic pageantry, through an era of church and veteran Championship to put drum and bugle corps’ future, once and for all, in the organization sponsorship, out of community-minded ideals, beyond marching hands of its participants. band, back toward marching band and into the merged world of That is, if it ever gets going. international sport and performance art -- that its future seems permanently David Kampschroer, a native Wisconsinite, believed the moment uncertain. Whitewater became available that it held potential well beyond an area businessman’s humble suggestion that it might be an ideal setting for a local With so many twists and turns, traditions and transitions, drum corps’ drum corps show. A few months later, while visiting Whitewater in the history has sometimes been equally as amorphous. Most of the tangible endless expanse of February snow, Hugh Mahon, a New Jerseyan, developed evolution and change in drum and bugle corps has been a direct result of the just the opposite impression. participants’ simple but powerful desire to compete. Kampschroer stood knee-high in snow, excited with possibility. Mahon Drum corps competition has proven time and again to hurl even the most sunk, pessimistically. pious of men along a path of frenzy, political maneuvering, and self-retreat. Since that February 1972 morning, For drum corps competitors, neither spectator applause nor personal growth Kampschroer and Mahon have spent are entirely satisfactory results. As long as drum corps performers, countless hours fostering this new instructors and directors maintain their desire to compete, the activity will organizational body while simultaneously always be reliant on a tangible result. fathering something inherently closer to them, a drum and bugle corps. The problem with such a result, however, is that the nature of arriving at a David Kampschroer has been selected drum corps score has become increasingly more subjective than mainstream by a small group of his peers to be DCI’s sports, where a great majority of rulings and results are clearly defined. If a Western Coordinator. He simultaneously football passes through the uprights, regardless its aesthetic, a team earns directs the First Federal Blue Stars, one of three points. On the other hand, a well-executed drum corps drill, a the 13 corps responsible for forming it. beautifully choreographed dance sequence and a successful apparatus toss do Hugh Mahon, also selected by his not net a specific number of points. peers, serves as DCI’s Eastern Director, in addition to directing the Garfield David Kampschroer. (Dick Deihl) In addition to the subjectivity of its scores, drum corps’ adjudicators have Cadets historically operated closer to the action and have been more influential to from New Jersey. the final result than have officials, umpires and judges of other competitive Both Kampschroer and Mahon are activities. Therefore, as drum corps has continued its evolution toward an painstakingly aware that time spent on one abstract art, its scoring system has continued to move in that direction as effort translates to neglect of the other. well. Drum corps adjudication has not only become an art unto itself, but its Thus, standing next to each other, just objectivity and exactitude will likely continue to remain unattainable as well. hours before the first DCI Championship is scheduled to take place, they face a duel To further complicate the matter, throughout the early developmental anxiety. And the damn sun isn’t helping. history of drum corps, judges simultaneously served as the activity’s Ordinarily, such a delay would give instructors, clouding the fine line between evaluation and promotion. Kampschroer and Mahon time for a few deep breaths and to make the last-minute The desire to participate and remain involved, regardless the fashion, has adjustments necessary to ensure their always been part of the legacy and allure of drum corps. Few have ever marchers and staffs are primed and ready. entirely or permanently left drum corps. That is why the drum corps But there is too much at stake. fraternity will likely always harbor an active nostalgia, and also why senior Why isn’t anyone arriving? and alumni corps have become so popular. Miles down the Wisconsin countryside, on the only two-lane highways connecting Thus, while some have strived to push the activity beyond its Hugh Mahon. (Dan Scafidi) Madison, Milwaukee and Chicago to pre-conceived artistic and musical boundaries, others have simultaneously struggled with equal verve to return it to where it has been. Somewhere in Whitewater’s Warhawk Stadium, cars are packed at a standstill. By dusk, the the middle, a generation set out to create its own drum corps history, and bleachers will be full, however, and it will appear that the lack of highway succeeded in doing so - Drum Corps International. infrastructure is the only thing that Kampschroer has overlooked in his efforts to provide the perfect setting for DCI’s first championship. DCI’s creation can therefore be attributed to drum corps participants’ That, and drum corps’ other uncontrollable consistent, rain, which will desire to gain control of their activity, an activity that outsiders, to the have emptied the stadium before the final results can be made known. longstanding chagrin of its enthusiasts, have perpetually categorized as Kampschroer and Mahon’s corps will find out, while soaking wet, that their marching band. While that comparison pained virtually every drum corps corps occupy the two most excruciating positions in all of drum corps -- soul in the 1960s and 70s, the passing of time has made the two activities’ second and thirteenth, respectively. affinity a tremendous source of pride for some of the very same individuals. Neither Kampschroer nor Mahon, nor the thousands of drum corps fans and enthusiasts who questioned the ambitions of this new organization, and Only the future will tell whether or not drum corps and marching band even accused it of inside dealings, would ever have believed that these two will merge entirely, and prove just how ironic drum corps and DCI’s history corps would finish in those unenviable places. But since they do, Drum Corps has been. International is ensured its success. ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ When the GI Bill of Rights was enacted in 1946, veterans of World War II Drum and bugle corps is ironic. Either that, or the muses of evolution were suddenly afforded opportunities to improve their lives in ways they within the activity have remained every bit as undecided as its participants might never have imagined. Upon returning from service, veterans secured and enthusiasts as to whether drum corps belongs to military or art, sport or homes, pursued higher education, began families and sought recreational and marching band, technology or tradition, community or the world spotlight. diversionary pursuits. Whether they had been previously exposed to musical instruments while While social dynamics, wartime drafts, economic conditions, and political in high school or during their time in the military, or now for the first time in motivations have affected every recreational activity in 20th and 21st century college or as a member of the VFW or American Legion, drums, horns and flags became perfect tools to maintain camaraderie with their fellow veterans. Those instruments simultaneously served as a means of paying homage to the veterans of World War I. As the veterans became fathers they passed drum and bugle corps’ virtues onto their children, or more specifically, to those who had yet to develop their views of the world. Those ten- and 12-year-olds, no matter what their parents engendered in them, hadn’t participated in war and therefore didn’t harbor the same military patriotism as their veteran fathers and uncles. A horn was simply fun to blow. Drums were fun to beat. And bus trips? To Miami, FL? For a chance to compete for the national drum and bugle

both regular competition and corps attendance. “Combine . . . Shmombine!” which clearly intended to In the weeks leading up to the 1971 season, the Combine’s alleged suggest the drum corps public had overreacted to recent developments: selfishness fueled a steady outpouring of disgust, anxiety and outrage throughout the activity. Letters to the editor asking where the Combine The birth of the now infamous term [Combine] came from corps got the right to act the way they did littered drum corps newspapers. unnamed sources in the Midwest and was blown out of all proportion The drum corps public insisted that the little corps were doomed, contest by the same sources . . . sponsors were being cheated, and that drum and bugle corps was no longer about the youth, but instead politics, driven by the new, “Combinite” party. The Western Combine came about in the fall of 1970. The major Western and Midwestern corps simply got together on their plans to The disquietude extended beyond contest sponsors to the various drum make an Eastern tour in July. Because of the length of time these corps circuits and associations who braced for the worst, as rumors of corps must be on the road in the summer, it was decided, and very boycotts pervaded the forthcoming contest season. Judges became unsure of wisely, to make the Eastern swing earlier because the two veterans- their assignments or whether they would still be part of the competitions that backed shows were in Texas in August and 10 days apart from one they had been judging for years. another. The overall drum corps climate was perhaps best personified in satirical It doesn’t take anyone long to know that drum corps is a very cartoons, the most infamous of which graced the back cover of Drum Corps expensive hobby and that each year the expenses go higher. It goes Digest in May 1971. The “Combine Cartoon,” reminiscent of the pastoral without saying that many of the top 20 corps in the U.S. and Canada advertisements that helped make Olds Bugles a leading brass instrument need enough show bookings on any tour just to survive. The distributor, clearly depicted the disillusionment many felt toward the Com- tongue-waggers are quick to say that the corps will price themselves bine. Don Warren’s cigar and Jim Jones’ cowboy hat reflected the right out of competition and that sponsors will not foot the bill to larger-than-life stature of the two everybody knew were responsible. higher prize money. ________________________________________________________ Well, I’ve got news for you wagerers. The prize money has As a result of drum corps’ heavy Combine scrutiny, the UOJC also began steadily risen and you’ll find many of the top shows do pay the receiving criticism for its initiatives. An anonymous Drum Corps News letter expected rise in prizes. Without good corps, you won’t get good to the editor captured the growing concern in the East: attendance; without the prize monies, you won’t get the good corps. It is deeply disturbing to hear rumors that some Eastern corps intend to isolate themselves from others by pushing for package deals involving a certain group of corps We at DCN, and particularly as a major sponsor, can see no that must be engaged in any contests regardless of the sponsors. An attitude of this wrong in the combining of the corps toward the end result that type is a deterrent to promoting goodwill among corps. everyone profits by such an act and again, may I stress -- the corps, The UOJC and Combine possessed a very important supporter, however. the audiences and the sponsor. 21 Drum Corps News’ editor Dick Blake produced a sweeping editorial in the early summer of 1971 attempting to quell the mounting letters of opposition As Blake suggested, real-life contest sponsors would not toward the Combine, many of which were surfacing in his paper. need to be quite as confrontational as certain cartoons Blake’s placation began immediately in the title of his editorial, suggested. In fact, the relative infancy of many Midwest shows compared to those long-established contests in the East suited the Combine well. Midwest contest sponsors were far more tractable in meeting demands. The success of their shows were much more dependent on the contest lineup. Few contests had spanned enough time to develop their own reputations. Furthermore, the new string of competitions in the West -- preparatory measures Jones had undertaken prior to the formation of the Combine -- were either run by the Troopers, their supporters or by those interested in becoming so. Challenging the immense popularity of Jones and Warren would not be as easy or popular as the cartoon depicted. The 1971 Contest Season By virtue of the Combine and UOJC’s formation, the 1971 season offered both more consistent regional competition and twice as many opportunities for corps to measure themselves nationally prior to VFW (in Dallas, TX) and American Legion (in Houston, TX) events. All 10 Combine and UOJC corps accepted invitations to the World Open and, as Blake had indicated, they asked that the traditional August date be moved to July to accommodate the corps’ tours. The Blake-Samora duo not only complied with the request but also advertised their largest prize structure ever. If the activity’s largest private contest sponsors were willing to make such concessions for their show, it was logical that the smaller, less influential contest sponsors would follow suit. By the start of the season, eight sanctioned Combine shows had booked, where at least three of the five member corps were scheduled to compete. The UOJC slated seven official contests, with additional competitive exposure and judging feedback generated by the host corps now competing rather than simply performing in exhibition. The national level competition began early at the newly created Western contest series, “Drums Along the Rockies.” The Madison Scouts, Santa Clara Vanguard and Troopers tangled with Argonne Rebels and the Sky Ryders at competitions in Cheyenne and Casper, WY, and Denver, CO. Santa Clara’s hat trick in front of Trooper-heavy crowds immediately propelled the Vanguard to early-season favorite status. In the Midwest, the Cavaliers swept through regional competition, gathering eight victories in a row, including another near 10-point margin at the Illinois VFW State Convention. For the time being, Midwest judges did not have much to measure the Cavaliers’ show against. Consequently, they leaned in the direction of the awe-inspired side of the faction of the corps’ circus-themed show. The Blue Stars, despite gaining full-fledged respect and praise from spectators and drum corps writers alike, weren’t able to position themselves 21 Dick Blake, “Combine . . . Schmombine!” Drum Corps News, June 12, 1971.

On The Other Side of The Clipboard: judging had gone from operating as a support system that provided drum The Transformation of DCI Judging corps with the most level playing field possible, to instead promoting, championing and even rewarding certain creative directions. Angelica, who seemed convinced that this new direction in judging was for the good of drum corps, was there to fan the flames of the debate. _______________________________________________________ “In Angelica We Trust, Sort of” As a whole, the late 1970s marked a key period in drum corps’ new attempt at re-regionalization. While the activity had advanced musically, While judging had always ranked at the top of debate-worthy issues in adopted new instrumentation and incorporated new forms of artistry, the drum corps, up until the mid-1970s there had never been a singular person number of corps able to afford that new expression of drum corps was synonymous with judging and, therefore, potentially directive of its course. shrinking. The activity had lost over a fourth of its active junior drum corps Once Donald Angelica became judging coordinator for DCI -- then also during the span of the 1977 and 1978 seasons 406 and the hope became that Drum Corps East and Winter Guard International while still retaining his greater regional strength and organization would stimulate more local influence in many other individual judging associations along the East Coast, contests, 407 reduce the amount of travel and it was alleged that one person keep smaller drum corps viable. was steering drum corps Attempts to save money, such as judging in a particular requiring fewer judges to be flown to their direction. competitions, for example, were not By 1979, Donald Angelica without political consequences. A had become, in the opinion of localization of the activity’s “first season” many, drum corps’ most meant a potential renaissance of one of influential and most drum corps’ unwritten rules -- that judges polarizing figure. “took care” of the corps from their area. Angelica’s multiple Judges did not intend to simply favor positions of influence led their local corps in terms of scoring or some to assert that he was competitive results. More importantly, as also capable of, and did, guide DCI Hall of Fame brass instructor and judge drum corps as a whole along Jim Elvord suggested, judges took liberty to the creative path he viewed be more critical of the corps in their area, most appropriate. Others resulting not only in a greater adjudication, suggested that this was not (DCI archives) but also an instructional, investment. 408 within the bounds of his role Nobody could dispute that as DCI’s Jim Elvord (Bob Scholl) as DCI Judging Coordinator, and that adjudicators should refrain from Judging Coordinator, Donald Angelica had influencing the direction of the activity regardless of capability. more interaction with DCI directors than he did with non-member corps Judging had taken a bumpy evolutionary path long before Angelica directors. By the same logic, as judging coordinator for Drum Corps East and entered the picture. The first significant shakeup came when the Central Winter Guard International, Angelica was required to invest more time in and States Judging Association (CSJA) reconsidered what drum corps judging have more frequent communication with the instructors, managers and should be. Rather than simply provide a ranking of the corps, CSJA’s goal judges associated with those organizations. Here was where, for many, became to improve, including instructing if necessary, the drum corps it Angelica’s polarizing influence began. adjudicated. While that philosophy went almost universally unchallenged in Angelica’s influence did not stop the tick era of supposed outright objectivity, it persisted through the there, however. He possessed a mid-1970s when drum corps was moving speedily toward greater musicality, profound ability to place himself and artistry and individual expression. others in positions and with drum Jay Kennedy (eventual DCI Hall of Fame judge and DCI Judging corps where he could all but Coordinator) was initiated into the activity guarantee their success. In many during this period in which more instances, as DCI judge Lloyd Pesola subjective evaluative systems were suggested, Angelica could see an emerging and the tick approach, by individual’s potential before he or she extension, was also becoming viewed as did. 409 Angelica’s longest running increasingly subjective. Despite the DCI colleague, Don Pesceone, subjective nature of newly implemented credited him similarly: “Donald was captions like Musical Analysis, CSJA’s like a cousin. He was always pragmatic philosophy toward judging held available to help. He loved to fast, this included the association’s long discover, promote, lobby for and tradition of fostering its member judges as Lloyd Pesola (Photo by Dick Deihl)) showcase talent. And he was quite teachers. good at seeing potential.” 410 Kennedy’s judge training from his DCI Angelica’s posturing included mentors included a new and additional headhunting for instructors for the biggest emphasis on being a teacher to the corps as name corps in the activity, including, Gary well as ways to use cassette tape Czapinski to the Santa Clara Vanguard, Ralph Jay Kennedy (DCI archives) commentary and critique discussion to help Pace to the 27th Lancers, 411 Bobby Hoffman corps improve their achievement. This to a number judge-as-teacher role was increasingly considered by many, DCI directors of DCI especially, as a conflict or contradiction and tended to intensify the objectivity member vs. subjectivity debate. Kennedy reminded, “Despite judges’ attempts to re- corps, and main objective and consistent, there were inevitably suspicions favoritism.” 405 later, during The question DCI corps directors would finally raise in 1978 was whether his DCI Judging Coordinator 405 Jay Kennedy, phone and internet interviews, July 2009. tenure, 406 Brian Tolzmann, “2007 junior drum corps census shows numbers keep declining,” DCW.com. George 407 Wayne Downey, phone interview, March 2009. Hopkins 408 Jim Elvord, phone interview, March 2009. and Michael Don Pesceone (Photo by 409 Lloyd Pesola, phone interview, May 2009. Cesario to Rich Bircher) 410 Don Pesceone, phone interview, February 2009. the Garfield 411 Ralph Pace, phone interview, March 2009 Cadets. 412 Czapinski recalled one afternoon in Gary Czapinski (Photo by Bob 1969 receiving a phone call from Angelica Scholl) telling him he was being mailed a plane

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back references in George and Patsy Bonfiglio. Pesceone hired Walsh that summer and he began his appointment as DCI’s new PR Director on August 3, 1981. 1090 By the spring of 1980, it appeared that some potential public relations During the course of Whiteley’s tenure, his role -- or at least his title on remedies -- time and cooperation -- were on DCI’s horizon. paper -- appeared to have shifted toward the public relations side. Upon his In the midst of Kampschroer and Pesceone’s admission that DCI’s public official hire in 1975, DCI deemed him Publicity and Public Relations Director. relations needed attention, the organization announced the hiring of an Upon the announcement of his resignation, he had been referred to solely as associate director of public relations, Donna J. Ashe, in January 1980. 1085 DCI’s Public Relations Director. Later that fall, the DCI Management Seminar produced its documented Whether the omission of public relations from Whiteley’s title was gracious welcome to the activity. The DCI directors and staff had worked as accidental or an indicator of how his role was to have changed in terms of the diligently as ever to produce quality presentations for the activity and this DCI office operations, the effect was non-existent. The directors’ goal for time the content catered directly to the health of the activity and its Whiteley remained unequivocally, from beginning to end, to promote the “smaller” participants. activity. That was exactly what he had done. Don Whiteley’s 30-second promotional videotape provided contest The change in Whiteley’s title nevertheless appeared sponsors the ability to add voiceover details about their individual shows. to make room for DCI to appoint a new person, Chris Drum Corps World’s Christopher Bragg referenced the videotape and Allen, as Publicity and Promotions Manager in January DCI’s effectiveness: “Contest directors should know DCI has the tools . . . to 1981. help in making your show a success. Don Whiteley awaits your call to Villa Park, IL. The 30-second video can make the difference. It did last year for the As publicity and promotions manager of DCI, Allen will be Malden, MA, show.” 1086 responsible for writing news releases on the member corps, In addition to Whiteley’s promotional spot, he headed up a panel that helping to conduct promotions seminars, writing articles for covered topics like, “Under $3,000 a Year Budget Shows” and “Things a the DCI publication, Contest Guild, putting together press First-Year Sponsor Should Know from a 1979 First-Year Sponsor.” packets on each corps and working on local, regional and Bob Lendman and Scott Stewart explored several areas of drum corps championship contests. 1091 management, including establishing corps support groups and ways to select corps staffs, and the Blue Stars’ Emile Latour grounded drum corps in its Allen’s job description sounded like a carbon copy of Chris Allen. earliest ideals with a presentation titled “The Management of Drum Corps as a Don Whiteley’s. (Unknown) Youth Activity.” 1087 That certainly didn’t mean the job was all roses. Allen The 1980 management seminar, however, assumed the unenviable task of producing two of the more unpleasant DCI turned out to be the last major direct press releases of the time: announcing the cancellation of the DCI PBS contribution Don Whiteley would make to telecast and another announcing a concept change to DCI Rules Congress DCI. participation. _________________________________________________________ Long-time Public Relations Director Don Whiteley has resigned his position effective May 27, At the spring 1980 board of directors meeting, Jim O’Brien proposed that 1981. the DCI Task Force meeting that April be expanded to include the key Don Whiteley has done a great deal for drum instructors in the three major captions (M&M, brass and percussion) from all corps since it found him late in the 1960s, working 25 or 26 DCI member corps. Jerry Seawright seconded O’Brien’s motion and with KBTV in Denver. Through his efforts, drum the directors passed the proposal with an 8 to 4 vote. corps audiences are greater and the people around Though the expanded approach worked against Angelica’s initial reaction the world know about the North American to the unwieldiness of a larger task force, the concept gained traction. An movement. All of us are thankful to him for his invitation to 78 instructors, as opposed to a small handful, opened up dedication and efforts, and wish him well. 1088 discussions to a far greater representation. Ironically, the directors’ support of the 78-person group led to a decrease Don Whiteley’s resignation had contained a Don Whiteley. in overall drum corps representation; either that, or it spoke to a change in degree of inevitability. The DCI directors were the condition of the activity. Bill Howard recommended that DCI change the well aware of Whiteley’s reluctance to move to the DCI office in Lombard, IL, parameters of its rules congress so that all proposals come from the 75 to 78 from Denver before voting to relocate him. Once there, Whiteley’s longtime member-corps instructors, working in concert with DCI’s sanctioned judges. assistant, Doris Wentland, confirmed Whiteley and The 25 or 26 DCI member directors would then vote on their Pesceone’s oil-and-water personalities. 1089 proposals. 1092 And yet, Whiteley’s resignation also provided DCI’s Publicity and Promotion Manager, Chris Allen, an example of how the directors, preoccupied with described the changes in a DCI press release: their drum corps, were often in a poor position to manage beyond their corps. In the spring of 1981, Beginning this year, rule-making will become a distinct, this included failing to follow up on the reasons for two-step process, providing time for a review of the proposals and resignation of arguably their most important for thorough discussion before action is taken. Instead of a employee. one-weekend congress in which everything from proposing changes Time was a major culprit once again. News of to voting on them is done at once, the process will be divided into Whiteley’s resignation broke in May, less than a caucuses which will propose the changes. The actual congress will month before the then vote on the proposals. 1981 season was After this year, rules congresses will be held every other year, as to begin, Lee Carlson and Doris Wentland working in the past, but the caucuses will be held in the off-year. sandwiched on a slide presentation for a DCI banquet between the in Chicago. (Unknown) The activity’s competitive requirements and procedures have become extremely sophisticated and proposals made to the bi-annual board congress should have time for study, testing and interpretation meetings earlier that winter and weeks before being submitted for vote and implementation. 1093 before the DCI directors would convene at a regional competition. Thus, none of the 1085 DCI press release, Drum Corps World, January 1980. directors appeared to consult with either Pesceone or Whiteley on the decision, 1086 Christopher Bragg, Drum Corps World, January 14, 1981. ascertain if things could have been worked 1087 DCI press release, Drum Corps World, November 1980, pg. 1. out or considered if the decision wasn’t even James Walsh. (Photo by Ed Whiteley’s at all. Pesceone and the directors 1088 Chris Allen, DCI press release, Drum Corps News, June 10, 1981. Ferguson) simply accepted Whiteley’s resignation and 1089 Phone interview with Doris Wentland, October 2009. life went on. 1090 Internet interview with James Walsh, November 2009. In the meantime, Don Pesceone had begun searching for Whiteley’s successor. In the mid and late spring of 1981, James Walsh had first interviewed by phone and then in person for DCI’s Public Relations Director 1091 DCI press release, Drum Corps News, June 10, 1981. position. A year earlier, Walsh had successfully spearheaded the 27th Lancers’ 1092 February 1981 DCI Board of Directors meeting minutes. Winter Olympics promotional efforts and thus had generated important 1093 Chris Allen, DCI press release, Drum Corps News, April 15, 1981.