From: gordons@CS.ColoState.EDU (vahl scott gordon)
Subject: muchachos
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1992 14:06:43 GMT
Organization: Colorado State University


>   Not too long ago one of the net members out in Colorado? posted
> that he ran into someone from the Muchachos who marched through '75.
> If they are reading this and ever see this guy again please ask him
> if he remembers Paul Bongiovi (bass drum), Janette Irving (rifle line),
> Scott Starkowsky (mellophone), Guy Pennachio (mellophone) and Ralph
> Pennachio (soprano).  I grew with these folks and they all marched in
> the Muchachos from '72-'77.  

That was me.  I'll keep this note and show it to him next time
I see him.  He's a local percussionist and I'm a drummer.
We're just acquaintances but we play gigs together sometimes.

>    The Muchachos were disqualified from finals in 1975 for 
> marching 2 overage guys from the Midwest that were from the
> Cavaliers.  (Muchachos won prelims by 2 points).  

That isn't really confirmed.  It's not even confirmed that they
won.  But the accounts are rather compelling, and I believe it.

> Many feel that
> these two guys were planted in the corps for this to take place.
> They were never seen again and ran for their lives.  Hence, when the
> Cavaliers came on the field in finals, the crown booed the shit out
> of them.  If anyone still has a recording of '75 Cavies you can
> hear the booing after every number.

His story was that the guy in Cavaliers who "ratted" was also overage,
and knew of a particular overage guy in Muchachos because they were
the same age when they were both in Cavaliers.  He also said that
the Troopers were strongly pushing the DQ because they were sitting
in 13th after prelims.  Finally, he claims that after the DQ the
MUCHACHOS were booed like crazy... that they had to play one more
show in Pennsylvania and they were nearly booed off the field.
People were actually throwing things at them.  He said many of the
members got into fights with fans.  He also says that there were
actually a couple of suicides by corps members after that season.
Not a pretty picture.

> the Cavies probably do not have a single person still affiliated
> with them from that time) just the mention of their name elicits
> growls from old Muchachos.  This could have very well been the 
> first east coast champion, instead Madison won.  (SCV, Muchachos,
> Blue Devils, and Madison all beat each other that year yet, as I
> mentioned above, the Muchachos pulled ahead by a 2 point lead in
> prelims).

Again, not really confirmed.  Let me add that Derf told me that
they were friendly with Madison, and that the Muchachos felt like
if anyone (else) were to win, they would have hoped it be Madison.
They didn't hold any grudge against Madison.

>    As for the Muchachos, they kept basically the same show for
> '76 although not as strong and DCI just bombed them, as they
> finished in the lower teens.  1977 was their last year on the
> field and with a completely new show and a full corps they were
> still getting their heads handed to them, losing to corps that
> should have never touched them like the Saints, from Edison, NJ.

Derf tells this part differently.  He claims that nearly everyone
left the corps after 1975 and there were very few vets.  He claims
that the corps was actually very weak in 76.

Scott

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