"Nobody will ever do what we did. I hope you've worn it well" - Doug Bass, 2002

On the afternoon of August 18, 1977, on the field at Folsom Stadium in Boulder, Colorado, the Oakland Crusaders drum line scored 18.85 in percussion (X 14.2, PA 5.0, Total 19.2 - Judge #1; X 13.6, PA 4.9, Total 18.5 - Judge #2) in preliminary competition at the Drum Corps International Championships.
Oaklands were first in every sub-caption on both percussion judges' sheets. The Blue Devils and the Freelancers both scored 18.2 to tie for 2nd. The Oakland Crusaders placed 15th overall, not making finals.

The following night, at DCI Finals in Denver's Mile High Stadium, The Blue Devils would not beat the prelims score Oaklands had posted. Devils would only get 18.8 and the High Drums trophy.

No corps in the history of DCI ever won a caption and failed to make finals.
The Oakland Crusaders of 1977 have become a trivia question. More importantly they became legends.

These are the people who marched in the line, taught the line, and wrote the music. They were unique.

Repertoire
Bacchanale from Sampson & Delilah
Drum Solo School Daze (Stanley Clark)
Sing, Sing, Sing
Celebration Suite
El Gato Triste

Book By
Harry Clark
Ralph Hardiman

Educators
Tom Float
Bob Cook
Mike Bruni
Phil Huntley

Cymbals
1 Janet Butler
2 Bob McCormick (2nd Tour)
3-6 ( Still looking for Names)

Tympani
1st Tour
1 Greg Mellnick
2 Al Taylor
3 Brian Mason
4 Bob McCormick
5 Kevin Dunne

2nd Tour
1 Greg Mellnick
2 Collin Brooks
3 Jimmy Wickstrom
4 Bob NcCormick
5 Kevin Dunne

Keyboards
1 Vince Cicchine
2 Carol Munro

Tenors
1 Cliff Blundell
2 Doug Darwin
3 Chris Taylor
4 Ron Huckstep
5 Larry Lerch

Basses
1 Mark Blanford
2 Joan Butler
3 Jeff McKay
4 Dwayne Dumont
5 John "Sarnia Sam" Swartz
Note: Murray Stan subbed for two shows on 2nd tour

Snares
1 Randy Wickstrom
2 Mike Robinson
3 Tim Kowalski
4 Bruce Thomas
5 Doug Bass
6 Wayne Saunders
7 Dave Morton
8 Peter Boyle
9 Mark Doering

Information compiled by: John "Sarnia Sam" Swartz

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