# Hawthorne Caballeros Drum and Bugle Corps

The Hawthorne Caballeros, sponsored by American Legion Post #199 in Hawthorne, New Jersey, is a drum and bugle corps entering their 76th season of competition.
They have won the Drum Corps Associates (DCA) World Championship 10 times, the American Legion National Title 16 times, the National Dream Contest 17 times, and the New Jersey State American Legion Title 43 times. They have completed 5 undefeated seasons, consecutively in 1984 and 1985. They have placed in the Top 3 at the DCA World Championship 36 times in 56 appearances.

## History
### Founding years (1946-1966)

1951 proved to be a pivotal year. The Caballeros went on to win their first Legion National Championship. While in Miami, were offered a trip to Havana by the State Department, which was declined. The Caballeros would win the Legion National Championship in 1953, 1954, and attained a seven year winning streak from 1958 to 1964. By the discontinuing of the American Legion Championship in 1980, the Caballeros had won 15 times. After the 1958 Nationals, the Caballeros accepted another offer to tour Havana.

### Transition to DCA

In the late fifties and early sixties, there was a growing consensus among drum corps in rejecting the Legion Nationals as a legitimate championship, primarily because for more years than not, the contest was held in a distant city; generally convenient for Legionnaires attending the convention, but not for drum & bugle corps based in the Northeast. Unfortunately, the drum corps championship was one small event in the overall Legion convention, and most of the top corps, including the Caballeros, often found it difficult to make the considerable expenditure in money and time to attend an event in cities such as Los Angeles, Portland, or New Orleans. The logistics and costs involved in transporting and housing a large corps over such distances was simply far greater than it was worth, often taking a year or longer to recover from financially. In addition to the financial burden on corps in general, the Legion rules were based largely on military concepts and styles. As the war years faded further and further into history and senior corps became increasingly staffed with non-veterans, there was a general feeling that the Legion's rigid competition rules had become outdated and overly restrictive.
The Caballeros would continue to attend the Legion National Championships until the final championship in 1980, which the Caballeros won.

### DCA years (1966-present)

The corps would be the first to distinguish themselves with a winning streak, winning DCA championships thrice from 1973 to 1975. In 1984 and 1985, the Caballeros completed two undefeated seasons. In 2002, the corps would place outside of the top five for the first time in 34 years. The corps would place its lowest in recent years with the 2005 season. However, the corps would climb back into the top five in subsequent years, but fall back out top five for the 2018 season. In 2020, with the growing threat of COVID-19, the Caballeros would not perform a season for the first time since its founding. In 2021, the Caballeros completed an undefeated championship season. The Caballeros have won ten championships, the most recent being in 2021.

## Show summary 1972–2024

Source:
Key :
* Gold background indicates DCA Open Class Champion
* Pale blue indicates DCA Open Class Finalist
| Year | | Repertoire | Score | Placement |
| 1972 | | España Cañi by Pascual Marquina Narro / El Gato Mones by Enrique Calva / Captain from Castile by Alfred Newman / Theme from Patton by Jerry Goldsmith / Everybody's Everything by Carlos Santana, David Brown, and Tyrone Moss / Sabre Dance (from Gayne Ballet) by Aram Khachturian / Cha Cha Cha Flamenco by Mario de Jesus / SAmba de Orpheo by Luiz Bonfa | 90.600 | 1st |
| 1973 | | Man of La Mancha by Mitch Leigh and Joe Darion / South Rampart Street Parade by Ray Bauduc and Bob Haggart / Everbody's Everything by Carlos Santana, David Brown and Tyrone Moss / Sabre Dance (from Gayne Ballet) by Aram Khachturian / Cha Cha Cha Flamenco by Mario de Jesus / Harmonica Man by Sam White | 89.850 | 1st |
| 1974 | | Man of La Mancha by Mitch Leigh and Joe Darion / Sweet Gypsy Rose by Lawrence Brown / Soul Train by Alwyn Roberts / MacArthur Park by Jimmy Webb / Cha Cha Cha Flamenco by Mario de Jesus / Harmonica Man by Sam White | 83.500 | 1st |
| 1975 | | Conquest (from Captain from Castille) by Alfred Newman / TSOP (from Soul Train) by Alwyn Roberts / Opening Theme (from Chico and the Man) by Jose Feliciano / MacArthur Park by Jimmy Webb / Cha Cha Cha Flamenco by Mario de Jesus / Closing Theme (from Chico and the Man) by Jose Feliciano | 91.110 | 2nd |
| 1976 | | Bully by Mike Simpson / Brazil (from The Gang's All Here) by Ary Barroso and Bob Russell / Echano by Chuck Mangione / Cha Cha Cha Flamenco by Mario de Jesus / Hill Where the Lord Hides by Chuck Mangione | 92.500 | 1st |
| 1977 | | Bully by Mike Simpson / Echano by Chuck Mangione / Pagliacci by Ruggero Leoncavallo / Closing Theme (from Chico and the Man) by Jose Feliciano | 94.100 | 2nd |
| 1978 | | España Cañí (Spanish Gypsy Dance) by Pascual Marquina Narro / Land of Make Believe (Drum Solo) by Chuck Mangione / Echano by Chuck Mangione / Pagliacci by Ruggero Leoncavallo / Salsation (Drum Solo) / Espirito del Toro | 88.050 | 2nd |
| 1979 | | Conquest (from Captain From Castile) by Alfred Newman / Conquistador by Jay Chattaway and Maynard Ferguson / Celebration Suite by Chick Corea / Night on Bald Mountain by Modest Mussorgsky / Bull Fever | 89.250 | 2nd |
| 1980 | | Malaguena by Ernesto Lecuona / Malaguena by Ernesto Lecuona / La Bamba by Ritchie Valens / Celebration Suite by Chick Corea / El Cid by Miklos Rozsa / Don't Cry for Me Argentina (from Evita) by Andrew Lloyd Webber / Hoedown (from Rodeo) by Aaron Copland | 88.950 | 2nd |
| 1981 | | Malaguena by Ernesto Lecuona / Late in The Evening by Paul Simon / La Fiesta by Chick Chorea / Marianne by Terry Gillkyson / Don't Cry for Me Argentina (from Evita) by Andrew Lloyd Webber / España Cañí by Pascual Marquina Narro | 85.150 | 5th |
| 1982 | | La Virgen de la Macarena by Bernardino Bautista Monterde / Faces by Larry Dunn and Verdine White and Maurice White and Bailey and Philip F / Land of Make Believe by Chuck Mangione / Don't Cry for Me Argentina (from Evita) by Andrew Lloyd Webber / España Cañí by Pascual Marquina Narro | 87.450 | 4th |
| 1983 | | La Virgen de la Macarena by Bernardino Bautista Monterde / Rio by Mack David and Oswaldo Santiago and Alcyr Pires Vermelho / El Toro Caliente by Joaquin Rodrigo / Frankenstein by Edgar Winter Group / Don't Cry for Me Argentina (from Evita) by Andrew Lloyd Webber / España Cañí by Pascual Marquina Narro | 89.950 | 2nd |
| 1984 | | Concierto de Aranjuez by Joaquin Rodrigo / Nothing But D. Best by Denzel de Costa Best / Malaguena by Ernesto Lecuona / Don't Cry for Me Argentina (from Evita) by Andrew Lloyd Webber | 92.400 | 1st |
| 1985 | | Corre Nina byFlora Purim / Malaguena by Ernesto Lecuona / L.A. Is My Lady by Quincy Jones / España Cañí by Pascual Marquina Narro | 92.500 | 1st |
| 1986 | | Bully by Mike Simpson / Carnival by Maynard Ferguson / Echos by John Arietano / El Gato Triste by Chuck Mangione / España Cañí by Pascual Marquina Narro | 90.900 | 3rd |
| 1987 | | Man of La Mancha by Mitch Leigh and Joe Darion / Company (from Company) by Stephen Sondheim / Ritual Fire Dance by Igor Stravinsky / Georgetown (from St. Elmo's Fire) by David Foster / España Cañí by Pascual Marquina Narro / | 93.240 | 2nd |
| 1988 | | Concierto de Aranjuez by Joaquin Rodrigo / | 91.940 | 5th |
| 1989 | | Artistry in Rhythm / Granada Smoothie / Malaga / Peanut Vendor / Reuben's Blues / | 93.000 | 3rd |
| 1990 | | Granada Smoothie / Maria (from West Side Story) / Malaguena / | 96.200 | 3rd |
| 1991 | | Pictures in Spain by Evgeny Svetlanov / Here We Are by Gloria Estefan / Get on Your Feet by John DeFaria, Clay Ostwald, and Jorge Casas / Echano by Chuck Mangione | 96.300 | 2nd |
| 1992 | | Symphonic Dance #3-Fiesta by Clifton Williams / One More Time Chuck Corea by Gene Purling / Don't Cry for Me Argentina (from Evita) by Andrew Lloyd Webber / España Cani by Pascual Marquina Narro | 94.200 | 3rd |
| 1993 | | One Hand One Heart / Prologue / Mambo / America / Somewhere (All from West Side Story by Leonard Berstein) | 93.200 | 3rd |
| 1994 | | Pictures of Spain by Evgeny Svetlanov / El Borojol by Ramon Reyes / Concierto de Aranjuez by Joaquin Rodrigo / España Cani by Pascual Marquina Narro | 95.400 | 2nd |
| 1995 | Spanish Fantasies | Malaguena by Ernesto Lecuona / Conquistador by Jay Chattaway and Maynard Ferguson / Spanish Fantasy by Chick Corea / Concierto de Aranjuez by Joaquin Rodrigo / España Cani by Pascual Marquina Narro | 97.770 | 1st |
| 1996 | Celebration D'Oro | Entrance to Reality / Bully / Concierto de Aranjuez / Malaguena / Spanish Fantasy / Evita (from Evita) / España Cañí | 96.800 | 2nd |
| 1997 | | La Virgen de la Macarena / My Spanish Heart / En Fuego | 95.400 | 3rd |
| 1998 | | El Corazon de Toro / El Toro Caliente / Concierto de Aranjuez / Lateen / Malaga | 95.000 | 3rd |
| 1999 | The Mask of Zorro | The Plaza of Execution (from The Mask of Zorro) / The Legend - Zorro's Theme (from The Mask of Zorro) / The Tornado Ride (from The Mask of Zorro) / The Mask/Espana (from The Mask of Zorro) | 94.500 | 5th |
| 2000 | Fiesta de España | Fantasia de Espania / La Cumparsita / La Fiesta / Beautiful Maria of My Soul (from The Mambo Kings) / España Cañí | 95.700 | 2nd |
| 2001 | | En Vuelo / When She Loved Me / Spain / Perfidia / España Cañí | 95.350 | 3rd |
| 2002 | 1975 Muchachos | Pictures De Espana / Pines of Rome / La Fiesta / Marianne / Concierto de Aranjuez | 91.150 | 6th |
| 2003 | El Toro Nuevo | El Toro Rojo (from El Toro Nuevo) / The Prayer / El Toro Furioso (from El Toro Nuevo) | 97.375 | 1st |
| 2004 | Pamplona: - Fiesta de San Fermin - The Running of the Bulls | Chupinazo y Fiesta (from Pamplona!) / San Fermin (from Pamplona!) / Encierro (from Pamplona!) / Corrida de Toros (from Pamplona!) | 95.100 | 4th |
| 2005 | Passage to the Pyramid | The River Nile (from Passage to the Pyramid) / Sandstorm (from Passage to the Pyramid) / The Riddle and Passage to the Great Pyramid (from Passage to the Pyramid) | 89.688 | 7th |
| 2006 | Reflections Through the Future! | Fuego (from Reflections Through the Future!) / Malaga / Spain / Reflections of El Toro (from Reflections Through the Future!) | 95.000 | 4th |
| 2007 | Carmen 2007 | | 96.650 | 2nd |
| 2008 | Sketches of Spain | El Camino Real / Spanish Fantasy / My Spanish Heart / Malaguena | 93.625 | 5th |
| 2009 | Ritmos de Pasión | España Cañí / Amparito Roca / Time To Say Goodbye (Con Te Parto) / El Diablo Rojo! (drum solo) / A Mis Abuelos | 94.328 | 5th |
| 2010 | Behind the Mask; Spanish Heritage | Behind The Mask | 93.963 | 5th |
| 2011 | Heritage: The Days of Future Past | Memoriam / Malaguena / Call To The Bulls | 93.130 | 5th |
| 2012 | ¡Alegria! Shades of the Heart | Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring / Alegria / Bolero | 94.780 | 3rd |
| 2013 | unRavel! | Bolero / Rhapsodie Espagnole / Time To Say Goodbye / Paint it Black | 96.980 | 2nd |
| 2014 | Entrapment | Seduction (from Entrapment) / Allure / Pursuit (from Entrapment) / Hypnotized (from Entrapment) / Entrapped (from Entrapment) | 95.530 | 3rd |
| 2015 | Unchained | Bound (from Unchained) / Restrained (from Unchained) / Unchained Melody / Free (from Unchained) | 94.880 | 4th |
| 2016 | Red, White & Black | Malaguena / Million Years Ago / Original Composition | 94.280 | 4th |
| 2017 | The Pathway of Remembrance | La Fiesta Mexicana / Stairway To Heaven / Zambra / La Fiesta | 94.380 | 4th |
| 2018 | DuEal | España Cani / Asturias / Original Music / Nights in White Satin / Main Theme from (Green Hornet | 91.950 | 6th |
| 2019 | Out of the Box | La Ruptara / Mombozart / Northern Lights / Reduce, Reuse, Recycle / Trio Saxiana / Viego Nuevo | 95.200 | 3rd |
| 2020 | | Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2021 | At the End of the Tunnel | Arrival of the Birds / Oscillation / Milonga del Angel / Renewal | 94.650 | 1st |
| 2022 | Timeless | Romeo and Juliet Overture / Bad Romance / Just the Way You Are / Paradise By the Dashboard Light | 96.725 | 2nd |
| 2024 | | | 93.825 | 2nd Place World Class Finalist |