Bracken Cavaliers

SPONSORED BY ROBERT W. BRACKEN POST NO. 382

AMERICAN LEGION, BRISTOL, PA. 

Corps History

The Bracken “Cavaliers” hail from Bristol, Pennsylvania and claim to be the first organized Junior Drum and Bugle Corps in the United States. At present there is a strong accent on youth. A novel feature was the use of plexiglass drums, the only ones in the world

The “Cavaliers” have consistently kept themselves in the upper bracket in Junior circles, having won the Pennsylvania State Championship several times in the past. 

 - Pa. State American Legion Champs-
          1924, 25, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 52, 53, 60, 61.        
 -N.J. American Legion State Champs- 
1935, 35 
 -Delaware American Legion State Champs- 
1935, 36  
 -American Legion National- 
      Placed  3rd,  1st in Percussion 1951    
 -N.J. VFW OPEN Class State Champs-
         1959, 60, 61, 62          
  -Eastern States Champs-
       1969, 70       
  -National Association Champs- 
       1960, 68, 69        
 -National American Legion-
   Runner Up 3 times

 DIRECTORS WHO HAVE LED THE BRACKEN CAVALIERS

Harold Bolton 1924    Vincent Cordisco 1944-46

Harry Burbank 1925-35    Arthur Straccio 1946-63

William Griffiths 1935-37    John Tompkins 1963-64

Jake Schmidts Jr. 1938-40    Art Younglove 1964-70

Harry Burbank 1940 42    Sam J. Embiscuso 1970-71

Charles Brodie 1942-44    Joseph Schepise1971-73

PAST INSTRUCTORS

Late 40's-Music, Bob Cotter
                 Drums, Benny Asta
                 M & M,

1950-51-Music, John Dowlan
                Drums, John Dowlan
                M & M, John Dowlan
John was the only one that we know of that taught all three catagories at
the same time and placed 3rd in 1951 American Legion Nationals.

1952-53  Music,  John Dowlan
                 Drums, Harry Ginther
                 M & M, El  Gelhart

  1954-     Art Straccio & Sam Embiscuso began to rebuild

  1956-      Music, Frank McCormick
                  Drums,John Cassidy  &  Drums, Louis Misarra
                  M & M, Art Straccio

   1957-     Music, Rip Bernert
                  Drums, Rita Macy
                  M & M, Lou Hansell

 1958-64    Music, Bob Adair
                  Drums, Harry Ginther
                  M & M, Kay Farmer, guard. M & M, Al Panabianco

 1965     Al Fontana, Music; Albert Adamson, drums; Art Younglove  M&M;Joann & Kathy Pierzga, Guard. 

 1965- 70  Music, Bob & Don Adair
                  Drums, Bill Kaufmann & Dennis Marta
                  M & M, Al Panabianco

 1969- 71  Music, Bob Adair
                   Drums, Bill kaufmann
                   M & M, Joe Ayala

  1972- 74  Music, Don Adair
                    Drums, Bill Kaufmann
                    M & M, Charlie Lane('74)

Jack Cassidy

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