I went down to Osmond Post VFW to join the Drum and Bugle Corps in 1945. My Brother Joe was teasing me about what a sissy thing that was for a boy. He followed me down on his bicycle. After he saw and heard the Corps practicing, he joined, too.

Lowell practices - I remember how dark it was and we would be out there without any lights in complete darkness learning how to do right face, left face, about face, etc.

Practicing at John Mountain's house. We would go there on Sundays and John would patiently teach us the scales, etc. It's a wonder Mr. and Mrs. Mountain and their neighbors could put up with us, we were so bad - but they never did. I would go up to 2nd and Godfrey after school and practice in the woods behind the Olney Vets Baseball field (now Cardinal Dougherty) so no one could hear me.

West Reading - 1945. This was our first field competition since joining the Corps. It was their policy at the time to only take those who had a spot in the competing line-up on the trip. Joe got to go because he was the only new kid who was old enough and strong enough to carry a Baritone horn and there was a hole in the line-up for a Baritone. He could only play two notes and for many years that's what they affectionately called him. Of course, I was broken-hearted. I was the one all hepped up to join and Joe got to go.

Old Post Home burned down - Corps raised most of the money to rebuild it. Never got much help or thanks from the Post members.

Olney practice - Guy at Olney high always complaining about practice noise.

Kids from the Corps staying over our house on Spencer St., because we had to get up so early to go on a trip- I ended up sleeping on the cedar chest, because we had so many kids that I kept getting pushed over until I would fall out of bed. In the morning, everyone pitched in - Mother and Dad cooked breakfast at 4:00 A.M. - Uncle Ed and Aunt Ellen would come over and all helped press pants, shine shoes, and shine bugles (we had the old brass ones).

John Smith taught music - Rigoletto, The Thunderer, - an old style teacher who really wasn't up with progress in the way Drum Corps were going. He contributed a lot in bringing the quality of the technical aspects up, but the Corps needed more to get up to a national level of competition.

Philadelphia - 1946. Won our first State Championship in a Parade Contest.

Boston - 1946. First time ever in a VFW National contest. We finished 3rd. On way to Boston, bus got stuck under bridge - had to take the drums and stuff off the top rack of the bus to get under. At the YMCA where we were staying, everyone was swiping decorative flags from the indoor track for souvenirs - people at the place were angry and said they were going to search our luggage to find the flags and get them back. Bob Hansen hid them in the Corps hat boxes and put them on the bus. When they searched us, no flags were found and they were flabbergasted.

Our new uniforms with the bibs arrived, and replaced the old West Point style cross-straps.

I often think of Bob and Doris Hansen and the old ambulance they carried the equipment in. They certainly were always there for us and did a lot.

Cleveland - 1946. Lost the championship by a few tenths. Finished 2nd. Street Post got mad at Hymie Walker because we played in front of the reviewing stand by accident when all the Corps were protesting the judging. It wasn't intentional, but Street Post, later known as the Reilly Raiders, never forgave him. We became good friends with the guys from Lock Haven and used to get together with them nearly every convention. They even drove down to Philly sometimes on the weekend just to chum and shoot the breeze about Corps in general.

Lee Wolf took over music started modernizing our repertoire over the years with some great arrangements like On to Burgundy, Old Black Magic, Slaughter on Tenth Avenue, and Dancing in the Dark. Don Mundt took over the marching - later helped by Don Adair - and produced some excellent new style formations, such as the box and pinwheel and the reverse company front, as well as the full corps wheel.

Harrisburg - 1947. Won our 2nd straight State Championship, this time in the Field Contest. Adair upchucked in somebody's shoes. Jack Hackett was asleep and they painted him, wrapped him in toilet paper, and carried him into the girl's quarters where he woke up in the morning to a few chuckles and a little embarassment.

Inaugural parade for Harry Truman - 1948. Played 'Who Stole My Heart Away', 'I'm Just Wild about Harry' and 'After the Ball is Over'. Pittsburgh - 1948. Won our 3rd straight State Championship.

Pittsburgh - On the way to St. Louis. Bob Llana couldn't hold it in any longer, so the bus driver opened the front door and he began pissing out the bus door - as we rounded the corner, a woman and her kid were standing there and got sprayed. I know it wasn't funny to them but everyone on the bus howled and couldn't stop laughing all the way to St. Louis. Some guys from the Corps stole the bus and took it for a joyride. I think Tyson and Mihok were involved, but the memory is dim. Anyway, they brought it back with much weeping and gnashing of teeth.

St. Louis - 1948. On the way, we stopped at a restaurant and, after eating, we lined up outside and sang 'The Battle Hymn of the Republic' with our own special rendition. Don Mundt acted as choral conductor. People stopped and gathered around to listen to us. We had a group of guys who were just natural harmony singers. Maybe it was from playing music together on instruments so long that it was so easy, but we could sing just about any song and end up with an almost flawless harmonic choral rendition of it. We were so good, I often thought we could have recorded.

Wherever we went, we spent most of our travel singing, and we did it with fantastic energy and real love of the sound we were creating, and all just because we enjoyed it tremendously. I think this is where I developed my love for singing that led me to eventually become the soloist for the La Salle College Glee Club in later years in '59-62.When we got to St. Louis, the entire Corps went to Mass to pray for victory. We won our first National Championship.

The Brass Quartet of Lee Wolf, John Mountain, Joe Mountain and Ed Klien won the National Championship. Parade temperature was extremely hot and humid. Many girls fainted, ended up like an all guy Corps, which a lot of guys always wanted. Greisedick beer. I think it was this year that I won the City Championship Baritone individual contest.

Allentown - 1949. We had already been to 4 events that 4th of July - the Morning Olney parade, an exhibition field show at Hunting Park, a parade in Phoenixville and the afternoon Baby Parade back in Olney. Then we had a field contest in Allentown to compete in at night. Hymie thought it was too much and wanted to call and cancel. But Lee Wolf and a couple of the other senior guys talked him out of it.

He insisted, though, that we stop and get everybody something to eat even though he knew we would be late for the show and get a penalty. We called ahead and told them we would be late, but we would absolutely be there. We arrived after the last Corps had already performed but they held up the end of the show for us. We went on knowing we had a 2 point penalty and put on probably one of the best performances ever - blowing everyone out and winning convincingly to a standing ovation.

Phila 1949 - Won our 4th straight State Championship.

Miami - 1949. Some of the guys got stuck in the elevator between floors - we passed cards and drinks between floors to guys that were stuck and then we got a lottery as to what time they would get out. I remember shining Norman Prince's horns for beers. Paraded with St. Vinny guys, singing down the main street of Miami Beach at 3 A. M. The next day when we lined up for marching to the practice field, Vinny showed up again and interspersed themselves in our ranks to parade and play with us.

The Great Hurricane - we all loaded up on Watermelons and beer and filled our bathtubs with cold water, ice and beer. Somebody hollered that Hymie was coming - so we hid the beer in the toilet - inside the flush and in the hopper part. He came right in and picked me up off the toilet and took the beer out of the toilet bowl. That was the first time I got thrown out of the Corps. Actually, the many times he threw us out, we never got thrown out - that was just Hymie. The guys got dressed up as girls one day - even went to the restaurant that way. They looked pretty good - especially Fr. John and Fr. Denny. The Drink Hearty Boys Tropical Juice Bar across from the Hotel would spike our drinks for us for a price.

At the field competition, we turned our backs at the kickoff line while Ballantine was on because everyone thought they were our closest competition and we didn't want to lose our composure if they put on a great performance. It worked, and we won our second consecutive Nationals. East Germantown (later to become Liberty Bell) our arch-rival at home, surprised everybody by coming in second. Vinny took 3rd with Ballantine trailing in 4th.

Barbara Roach got to see Cuba along with Walt Long. Joe and I helped because we gave her some of the tickets we sold for the Post fund raising campaign. Prize winners got to go. She was second.

Our guys took 2nd in the brass quartet championship, this time with an all Baritone quartet of Dick Muir, Joe Roach, Ray Mountain, and I do believe it was Don Adair, who normally was a Soprano horn. If I'm wrong, then it was George McCracken (who married Dolores Eisenach). George Woods from East Germantown, later to become my sister Barbara's husband and my Brother-in-Law, won the First Horn individuals. Don Mihok won Snare Drum. On the way home, we were turned down at a restaurant in Georgia because we were Yankees. We had to make a considerable number of detours on the way back due to washed out bridges from the Hurricane. But we made it home safely and triumphantly to a worried bunch of parents.

Harrisburg - 1950. Won our 5th straight State Championship. My brother Joe and a bunch of the older guys who were helping the Corps because they were over age now, were all sitting in a bar having a few and Bob Cwalino said it was time to go. Nobody paid much attention, until suddenly a huge horn blast shook everyone in the bar. When Bob couldn't get everyone to leave, he had gone out and gotten the bus. He drove it right up on the City pavement to the front door of the bar, and let go with one of those bus bull horns. That got everyone's attention.

Chicago - 1950. Lost the championship by a few tenths when the color guard went off field and got a 2 point penalty. We finished 2nd and the girls were in tears because we would have won without the penalty. One night, we all snuck into the State burlesque theater. The place was full of St. Vinny guys. That is, until someone came in and yelled with that New York accent, 'Fadders coming'. The place emptied out in 10 seconds flat.

Performed in Michigan at the VFW National headquarters. Saw the Zouaves perform.

The Jersey Scam. - We would go undefeated in 6 or 7 contests for the year and go up to North Jersey and end up losing by 20 points. The North Jersey All-American  judging mafia with Charlie Nabors and Dr. Baggs once even placed us last in a field of 19 Corps, when some of the Corps in the contest looked and sounded like an old boy scout troop, and I don't mean the Madison Scouts or the Casper Troopers. One Corps that supposedly came in ahead of us was actually in their first field contest.

I don't know if it was because they didn't like our style of music and show, or because we had twice defeated St. Vincent's Cadets for the National Championship. It was like giving us our come-uppance to dare to defeat one of theirs. For whatever reason, we couldn't win in North Jersey to save our lives.

The best we ever managed was a 3rd in the Dream Contest, which was almost always won by Holy Name from Garfield, and because St. Vinny couldn't compete in their own contest, they would be followed by Ballantine, whom we consistently beat at Nationals. One Corps I really liked was the St. Joseph's Cadets from Newark, but they always got banged down, too. They always had some innovative drill and repertoire.

We took a train to Montgomery, Alabama for the Blue Grey football Classic. The Southerners loved us because our uniforms gave them the impression we were from the South - and we played "I'm Alabamy Bound" in our show.

Wildwood - We used to change into our uniforms at Wildwood High School. The guys in the auditorium and the girls in an adjoining classroom. What they didn't know though (who knows, maybe some of them did), was that the classroom they were changing in was right next to the back stage of the auditorium. There were windows there, but as long as it was dark backstage with the stage curtain shut, you could look into the classroom where the girls were changing without them being able to see you. All they could see was a darkness that they thought was an empty room. As long as no one made any noise, no one suspected that half the guys in the Corps were getting an eyeful.

On the social side, we played a number of teams in football - both Drum Corps and other pickup games. We had some especially good players who were on High School teams, like Joe Gummel who was first string Philadelphia All Public and later, Bob Llana who made 2nd string All Public. But we also had a bunch of guys who weren't great players, but who enjoyed competition and would beat hell out of you to win at anything. Especially recall Tom Clayton, Ray Mountain, Joe Gummel and Bill Long in this respect.

One instance of this was when we played Tyson A. C. in Mayfair. When we arrived for the game, here were 35-40 guys in almost professional gear, exercising like the Philadelphia Eagles. Our team barely had enough equipment to put 11 guys out on the field. If we had to make a replacement, the guy coming out had to take off his cleats to give them to the person going in. Our quarterback Don Mundt wore a Beanie for a helmet. We held them scoreless for the entire first half and third quarter. It wasn't until the 4th quarter that their depth finally caught up to us and wore our 18 guys down. Tyson wound up winning by 28-0 but they knew they were in trouble and were scared them for quite a while.

Atlantic City football and staying at the Lodge. Willie Curlott and his wild antics. One night, he chopped up the piano and threw it in the lodge fireplace. Then he banged on the caretaker's door and dared him to come out.

John Dowlan started a local Drum Corps paper. It didn't last very long, but we all enjoyed it. I guess that's where I got my idea years later to start a National Marching Band magazine.

Basketball - The older guys had a pretty good team, but the younger team was really good for their age group. Joe Denny had a great jumper from the left or right side of the basket. Get a pass to him there and it was almost always a sure two points. Then we had two great guards with Bobby Adair and a friend of mine from Olney who played with us, Ray Glemser.

They were two great ball handlers and passers, as well as shooters. We also had a couple other guys I recruited who played Varsity and Junior Varsity for St. Joe's, LaSalle and North Catholic., including big 6' 7" Ed Givinish, Joe Galen and John Margraff, who completely controlled the boards. We won the P.A. L. Championship and the Nicetown Boy's Club championship under Coach Joe Roach. We also played against the Pioneer club champions and the Boathouse Row Champions.

Before our Sunday's Drum Corps practice we also took on and beat almost all comers.Hulmeville - We used to go up to Hulmeville Creek fairly often. Once there were 19 of us in Ted Locker's old Ford, because we could get in for a $1 a carload. We had about 3 guys in the trunk and Lord knows how many piled on top of each other in the back. Me and another guy sat on the floorboards in the front with me sitting right next to the accelerator.

Cucci died - one of the most liked guys in the Corps who came from the old Ft. Washington Corps Bolton-Dixon Post died suddenly.

Clementon Lake Park - We always enjoyed this one because they gave a pretty good contest prize amount and we got to spend the whole day on the rides for free, along with a free lunch. In addition, we practically always won here.

Had an exhibition at Girard College for Founder's Day Open House. Valley Forge Military Academy Band gave a performance, too. They were pretty sharp - I was impressed.

Kitty Ryan taking our picture in concert formation in performance at our own show in Olney High field - she didn't realize we were all taking her's too from the position she was in.

The Norman Prince love affair. Everybody in the Corps loved Norman Prince from Boston. They were a super corps and nice guys. Wagon Wheels and their spectacular full corps pinwheel, especially stood out in my mind. Osmond had became pretty close friends with them over the years and they seemed to almost adopt us as their Jr. Corps.

Pittsburgh - 1951. Lost State Championship for the first time to our old adversary Liberty Bell.

Coaldale - 1951. We came here from Pittsburgh after losing our first State Championship after 5 consecutive years to our hated Liberty Bell, and everybody was in a pretty down mood. Not only that, but we knew we were going to compete in Coaldale against Upper Darby and McCall who were American Legion Corps and red hot that year. Somebody came up with the idea of putting on an act that we were so depressed, we all got drunk. So we got off the bus looking like we were totally bombed and sick. We blew them all away by a couple of points with a great performance.

New York City - 1951. Corps was beginning to get lackadaisical and some guys weren't giving it their best anymore. All they wanted to do was party. We finished 3rd. We won the brass quartet National Championship again, this time with Dick McDonald, Bill Beckman, Pat Roach and John Danks. Later we went out for drinks even though most of us were underage. The place got raided.

Chuck Ward was only 13, and when the cops asked him when he was born, he said 1927. The cops took us outside and took money from the older guy's wallets and let us go. When we got back to Philly, though, it came out that they had turned us in anyway. I had to appear at the 35th Police District and explain it away. Some of the guys really got out of hand on this trip and were throwing furniture out the window onto the patio below.

The Corps ended up having to pay substantial damages. Fr. John was on his last convention before going in the Seminary and was letting it all hang out. He would come out in the hall of the Hotel late at night, and take down the hall light bulbs. When everything was quiet, he would open his room door and hurl the light bulbs against the far wall, shouting, 'The Phantom Strikes again', then slam his door and hop under the covers. Then he would wait until all the commotion died down and do it all over again.

Milwaukee - 1953. I couldn't get out of Marine Corps Reserve summer camp, so I missed my first convention and what turned out to be my last year with the Corps. The gang came back strong with a second place finish by mere tenths on some technicality. This proved to be the last gasp national appearance of the Corps. I went on active duty with the Marine Corps for two years and when I returned the Corps had faded and gone. I guess it was best for me because I would have found it deeply depressing to see such a magnificent group break up that way. This way my memories are always of the Grey and White Men of National Champion caliber.

Can't forget the time with Fr. Denny going into a bar in Jersey City and stealing bar stools one at a time and bringing them back to Philadelphia to outfit the Reilly Raider Post bar. Later Denny came in bombed out of his mind and bragging about his brand new hat that he just bought. Whoever was behind the bar asked to see it. When Joe handed it to him, the guy filled it up with beer and placed it back on his head. The beer just poured all over his face and he couldn't stop laughing.

I went to individuals in Jersey City. Went on for Osmond in brass quartet and took 3rd. Then I went downstairs and changed into a Reilly Raider uniform, went back up and on for Reilly in the Baritone Solo contest. Took second, but everybody from Osmond and Reilly were laughing, because they knew it was me on twice, only in different uniforms.

Philadelphia - 1952. Lost States to Liberty Bell again. Big fight broke out in parking lot afterwards and Bob "Rusty" Russ punched somebody from Liberty Bell to start a real broughhaha.

Much later - 1960. Osmond Sr. Glenside parade. We had already had a performance in the morning and practically everyone came back to our house for lunch and a couple drinks. Brother Joe came up with the brilliant idea that if drinking tomato juice for a hangover helped, then why not drink tomato juice with all of your drinks. Naturally, everyone was bombed by the time we got to the Glenside parade.

During the parade, someone poured water on us as we marched under the train station bridge. Drum section kept on parading without knowing that the bugle section had left and gone after the people who dropped the water on us. A big argument developed, and they said they were going to get us at the end of the parade.

When we got to the end of the march for review and prizes, the thugs had gathered a bunch of their friends and were itching to start a brawl. In the meantime though, Joe Roach, who had recently gotten out of the Marine Corps, talked to a platoon of Marines who were also in the parade and they agreed to help us out.

When things were about to get ugly, the Marines came to fixed bayonets and the tough guys left in a mighty big hurry. Sr. Corps took a sabbatical for the Nationals in Philadelphia because we didn't have a field show ready yet. That let our guys free to go with Reilly or Archie for the field contest. This proved to be a big mistake, because the Corps could never get going again. The Sr. Corps Color Guard won the National Championship.

For a small-lived Corps, this gang was great and had a lot of heart and talent. We easily had the greatest Baritone section ever put together. If we had a few more reliable first horns, I think we could have been at National class level.

The experience in the Corps served me well in the Marines at the Parris Island Music School, where I was assigned as Drum and Bugle Corps Instructor. Who did we have in the Corps but guys from St. Vinny, St. Joseph and Nuss-Ohara-Todd.

To have a Dream Contest in Philadelphia was always my dream and after I got out of the Marines, years later, I eventually had one for High School Marching Bands in Veteran's Stadium. At one contest we had 33 bands from Massachusetts to No. Carolina, and a performance by the Navy Drum and Bugle Corps from Annapolis. They were fantastic. Our first year in 1972, we even had a band from Nebraska.

Osmond was my life in those days. I didn't go with friends from school or the neighborhood much because we had such a close knit group in the Corps. We were not only a Corps, but we were buddies and we did practically everything together. If we weren't going to other Corps shows, we'd be going swimming, or to the movies together, or throwing parties (and throwing up). And most of the time, singing those incredible songs.

But before I sign off, and get too maudlin, I just want to say, 'Thank You Hymie, I truly love you for all you did for us - you were the greatest'. And Lee, 'Thank you for those great musical arrangements. We never would have gotten as far at the National level as we did without you.' And of course, none of this would have been possible for me, Joe or Barbara without the great love and support we got from our Mother and Dad. We love you and thank you - two wonderful people.

Without a doubt these were the best years of my life.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

Guys coming home from service were allowed to go on the field in their service uniforms - included Ken Rutherford, George Gardner, and 'Ears' Gehlert. At St. James church. Everyone singing Onward Christian Soldiers. Osmond guys were singing 'Marchin' with their feet in the air' version.

Alexandria, Va. - 1947. Won Jr. Trophy and Overall Commander-in-Chief Trophy against Reilly and Jersey Joes from Riverside in Parade Competition. Really showed off with an exhibition of discipline and snap. When we stopped and came to a rest, we froze in Parade Rest position with heads bowed. No one moved a muscle. When we came to attention, crowd would let out gasps and applaud. We were good friends with Reilly, many of whom were former Osmond guys, and they congratulated us. We often marched our two Corps together, even when they were Street Post. Repeated this Championship again in 1949.

Whiz Weber missed the bus to Va. and had to go down on a commercial Greyhound. He couldn't find where we were, but he found Reilly and stayed with them overnight until he finally caught up with us at parade time.

At Inaugural Parade we changed in an Army Armory. First time I ever saw a large screen TV - all the way back in '48.

Bus Driver in Boston had an accident and killed someone who worked for the Boston Elevated collecting coins. Hymie had to put up bail.

Hymie used to sell syrup for soda fountain use. Many times he made trip arrangements for the Corps while he was out on his sales route. Once somebody stole a Stop sign from New York and put it on Hymies front door step. Hymie with his migraine headaches and a bandage around his head. My Mother and Dad cooking in the Post kitchen, always making sure Hymie got something to eat. He never thought much about taking care of himself because he was always so busy taking care of his Corps.

Bob and Kitty always with us - driving the Corps bus, last-minute white shoe shining and spruce up before inspection. Thank God they did away with that torture. Remember Boston when we were out on inspection. Took over 3 hours because there were so many Corps. It was the first really big convention after the War and maybe the largest one ever.

Field show wasn't doing too well in the early part of the year. So on the 4th of July in between 3 of our 4 events that day, we learned a new kickoff from Lee Wolf called 'The Pause that Refreshes" - the Coke theme song. That was the night we blew everybody away at Allentown.

Party at Tom Parkins house. Denny bet me that he could drink me under the table. I lost the bet because every time I left the room, he would dump a shot in my beer. Got pretty bombed. How many times did I split my lips?

Tutti-Coo riding around in circles on his motorcycle practicing his triple-tonguing.

Going to Bracken practices - Used to go up Nazareth Circle. At that time it ended in a dirt road that you could take to Frankford Ave. George Gaughan would always stop in at a bar in Bristol and get beer, since he looked old enough.

Atlantic City guys driving up twice a week for practice - Willie Curlott, Bob "Rusty" Russ, George Goodman and Bernie Blum.

Sometimes we had to ride down to Pleasantville, NJ to get our buses because of antiquated State law that wouldn't let them pick us up in Pa.

Friendship with John Cassidy. Used to go to his house and the Levittown Pool.

Milwaukee - 1953. Corps got hot one more time. They finished 3rd, but some fluke incident or penalty cost them the Championship. This was the last time the Corps was of National Championship caliber and when I returned from Service in October of '54, the Corps was gone.

Norfolk trip -1947. Trip across bay in boat. Won Parade Championship, then gave a Field Exhibition. Mr. Mihok used to follow us around to various shows. He was an exuberant guy who I think used to embarass Don, but we all got a kick out of him. This particular night, after the results were read, he came out on the field, dancing around with an umbrella over his head (it wasn't raining).

Archdiocese of Phila. Parade - The Archdiocese was having a night-time, candle light parade on the Parkway. People and organizations were asked to participate on a voluntary basis, but the Archdiocese could offer no assistance financially. A bunch of the guys asked Hymie if the Corps could participate. Hymie said he would like to do it, but we just couldn't afford buses. So the whole Corps got together with their instruments and rode downtown by trolley and subway to be in the parade.

Mr. Bishoff - driving us everywhere to local shows in a PTC bus. He would pick up me, Joe and Barbara right at our front door and drop us off again at night. Had a crush on Viv for many years, but she was a couple years older and I don't think she had any idea or interest. Many, many years later, talking to Mrs. Bishoff, she told me she always thought Viv and I would end up together.

State College, Pa - Won first place here with an unbelievable 99.5 score. Judges were made up pf Colonels and Majors from the Armed Services. They weren't really good judges for a Drum Corps contest but we did beat the nearest Corps by a considerable margin.

One year when we were playing basketball at St. James Church on Tabor Road, George Smith and I got off the bus across the street from the Church. We were running a little late and 'Smitty' ran across the street in front of the bus and got hit by a car. The guy got out and insisted on taking us to Einstein Hospital. Smitty was alright, but at that age, all I could think of was missing the game.

Playing Basketball:

St. James - playing around the posts in the middle of the court. St. Benedicts - You couldn't arch the ball because the ceilings were so low. North Catholic - One lunch period, I was playing in the school gym with a pickup team between classes. I tore down the left side of the court and as I came even with the far side of the basket I let loose with a 30 ft. underhanded scoop shot that swished. The place was full of students at the time and they let loose with a crescendo of screaming and applause. One of my finest memories.

PAL league - once during a game I sprained both ankles, but I had to go back in although I could barely walk. However, someone else had gotten hurt and we didn't have anymore substitutes. By some stroke of luck, the next two passes came my way and I sank both of them with pretty good running stabs.