Pittsburgh Rockets

Pittsburgh, PA United States
Founded: 1947

Inactive Senior
YearPositionScoreTheme/Songs
1962 Hooton's Hideaway * Swan Lake * Warsaw Concerto * Victory at Sea * Climb Ev'ry Mountain (from The Sound of Music) * Clear Out of this World * Sugar Blues * Flower Drum Song * You'll Never Walk Alone (from Carousel) * Two Different Worlds * Tonight (from West Side Story) * Fanfare (from Victory at Sea)  
1963 Steel City Theme * Swan Lake * Warsaw Concerto * Victory at Sea * No Other Love (from Me And Juliet) * Climb Ev'ry Mountain (from The Sound of Music) * Riff Blues * Southern Scandal * You'll Never Walk Alone (from Carousel) * Thousand And One Nights  
1964 Flower Drum Song * El Capitan * Armed Forces Medley * Fanfare (from Gigi) * The Night They Invented Champagne * Gigi * Flower Drum Song Medley * A Hundred Million Miracles * Grant Avenue (from Flower Drum Song) * You Are Beautiful (from Flower Drum Song) * Love Look Away (from Flower Drum Song)  
1965 6 76.950 Everything's Coming Up Roses (from Gypsy) * Armed Forces Songs * I've Got You Under My Skin * Flower Drum Song * Like a God (from Flower Drum Song) * Taboo * You Are Beautiful (from Flower Drum Song) * Love Look Away (from Flower Drum Song)  
1966 7 78.830 (Repertoire not available)  
1968 14 64.400 It's Today (from Mame) * Columbia the Gem of the Ocean (from Thousands Cheer) * Overture (from Mame) * Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen * What Now My Love * Finale (from Mame)  
1969 10 50.275 Come Back to Me (from On A Clear Day You Can See Forever) * Over There * You're a Grand Old Flag * Auld Lang Syne * Mas Que Nada * Those Were The Days * Don't Rain on My Parade (from Funny Girl) * Where Is Love * As Long As He Needs Me (from Oliver!)  
1970 12 64.350 Aquarius (from Hair) * It's Today (from Mame) * Over There * You're a Grand Old Flag * Auld Lang Syne * Hair * Easy to be Hard * Let the Sun Shine In (from Hair) * Where Is Love * As Long As He Needs Me (from Oliver!)  
1971 12 73.850 Hail, Hail The Gang's All Here * High Society * Polovetsian Dances * Theme (from Patton) * Let the Sun Shine In (from Hair)  
1972 10 73.900 Prince Igor Overture * Polovetsian Dances * Reggie * Theme from Patton * Superstar * The Summer of '42 * Prince Igor Finale  
1973 15 61.950 Prince Igor Overture * Day By Day (from Godspell) * Malaga * Theme (from Patton) * Let The Be Peace On Earth * Theme (from Patton) - Reprise  
1977 Second Suite in F * Swing America Style * Pagliacca * Song Of The New Moon  
Position 200+ indicates Division II, Position 300+ indicates Division III, Position 400+ indicates Mini Corps.
In early 1947, twelve men from Homewood American Legion Post 351 organized the senior drum and bugle corps that was to become the Pittsburgh Rockets. Homewood Post had sponsored a SAL (Sons of the American Legion) junior drum corps in the 1930s, and returning veterans reorganized as a senior corps. In the summer of 1947 the Rockets took to the field.

The corps' first uniforms were black cadet-style outfits with red trim. These were replaced in the early 1950s by the well-known two-tone satin blouses, black with one red sleeve. During these early years, the Rockets steadily gained valuable experience and gradually started to climb the ladder of success.

The corps evolved from the small unit of the early days into one of the largest and most famous senior corps in the country. Under the direction and guidance of Joe and Val Capone and Ed Cagney, and behind virtuoso soprano solo work by Riggie Laus, the Rockets established many firsts in the bugle corps field, both musically and in their equipment.

When the Central Penn Circuit of drum and bugle corps was organized, the Rockets rose to the top with a succession of victories. The West Penn Circuit came into being, and the Rockets quickly became the top corps in this association as well. In 1953, Homewood Post decided to send its top-flight corps to the American Legion National Championships in St. Louis. The Rockets made the top ten in their very first try, and continued to gain a top-ten spot every year they attended.

With national prominence beckoning, the Rockets continued to win throughout 1954, capping the year with their first-division finish at the Legion Nationals in Washington, D.C. Steadily, the corps gained the polish and the assurance of a true national contender. Leading contests throughout the East and Midwest extended invitations to the Rockets.

In 1957, the corps purchased new uniforms consisting of white satin blouses with a red diagonal stripe, black trousers with red and white stripe, and the now-famous West German police helmets, imported from Berlin especially for the Rockets. Another successful year was crowned with another trip to Legion Nationals, this time in Atlantic City.

The winter of 1957-58 was extraordinary in many ways. The night before Thanksgiving, Homewood Post burned in a spectacular fire that threatened to snuff out the life of the Rockets. Much of the corps' equipment was lost. The corps' competitive spirit overcame the adversity, however, and that winter they pulled together like never before. A national fund-raising drive successfully lifted the Rockets back to a strong financial foundation. Thousands of drum corps fans all over the country contributed and became "part-owners" of the Rockets.

The 1958 season featured a much-enlarged corps (39 horns, 9 drums, 12-man guard, two drum majors). In terms of success, this was the start of a new era at Homewood Post. The Rockets competed in many top contests, defeating many big-time corps they had not been able to overcome before. The best performances of the year came at Legion Nationals in Chicago where the corps placed fifth out of 34 corps; and at the Dream Contest in New Jersey where they won the hearts of the crowd and a permanent spot in the annals of drum corps.

In 1959 and 1960, the Rockets continued to win and place with the best in the country, and journeyed to Minneapolis for the Legion Nationals, placing fourth in the country.

1961 was a year of experiment with new instructors and a "space" theme. New blouses of blue, red, and white were added to the uniform in an attempt to present a different look. After a fair season, however, including another trip to the Dream Contest, the space theme was shoved out the airlock.

Returning to the semi-classical and show tunes they were famous for, the Rockets in 1962 also returned to the familiar white blouses with red stripe, and again began to move up nationally.

In 1963, a high level of achievement was maintained in competition, and the corps sponsored its own first contest, the Steel City Spectacle of Music. The climax of the 1963 season came when the Rockets traveled to Jersey City, New Jersey, and placed fifth in the World Open Championship.

The 1964 edition of the Rockets was highlighted by an entirely new music and drill show, plus new white satin blouses with red sequin baldric sashes. Powerful marches such as "El Capitan" and the Armed Forces songs combined with Broadway show-stoppers from "Gigi" and "Flower Drum Song."

Membership of the Rockets represented all parts of the Greater Pittsburgh area. Their combined efforts resulted in one of the nation's most appealing senior drum and bugle corps.

The Pittsburgh Rockets continued to perform and compete into the 1970s. The corps' best DCA achievement was the very first one, 1965, where they finished sixth. Their final DCA appearance was in 1973.

An effort to re-form in 1977 was ultimately unproductive, and the Rockets disbanded for good.

Instrumental to the corps' success was Edward P. Cagney, who played for 26 years and instructed for 30. Cagney was elected to the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame in 2002.

And from its earliest days, the corps' horn line was anchored by soprano virtuouso Riggie Laus. National soprano soloist champion for eight years, Laus is a member of the Drum Corps Hall of Fame, and continues to perform to enthusiastic receptions into his 70s.

[DCW, 8/30/02, p.22; DCW, 6/28/02, p.9; Ed Cagney; John Gruphofer; Bob Menear]

Members (15)

Member Name Section Years Involved
Cooley, Stephen Brass Arranger/Instructor 1976 to 1977
Davis, Jeff Brass 1973
Gruphofer, John Baritone 1977
Heavner, Howard H. Snare Drum 1960 to 1973
Jones, Bruce Baritone 1968 to 1973
Jones, Dan Snareline 1972 to 1973
Kirkwood, James lead soprano 1968 to 1972
Krissinger, Larry drum line tenor 1963 to 1968
Maynard Jr., John Percussion 1972 to 1973
Menear, Bob lead soprano 1970 to 1972
Rennard, Donald Lead Soprano 1969 to 1972
Schorsch, Paul Snare 1966 to 1969
Soeakman, Bill Mellophone 1963 to 1969
Speakman, Bill Sopranao,Mellophone 1963 to 1969
Speakman, Bill soprano/mellophone 1963 to 1970

CORPS 14 items

Pittsburgh Rockets

Pittsburgh Rockets Overseas Cap from the Bill Ives Collection
Pittsburgh Rockets

Pittsburgh Rockets Overseas Cap from the Bill Ives Collection
Pittsburgh Rockets

Pittsburgh Rockets Uniform 1975 from the Bill Ives Collection Contributed by Bill Thissen
Pittsburgh Rockets

Pittsburgh Rockets Uniform 1975 from the Bill Ives Collection Contributed by Bill Thissen
Pittsburgh Rockets

Pittsburgh Rockets from the Bill Ives Collection Contributed by Jim Capone
Pittsburgh Rockets
Pittsburgh Rockets History
Pittsburgh Rockets History from the Diceman Radio Collection Contributed by Ron Allard
Pittsburgh Rockets

Rockets,Pittsburgh,PA,Hat1-SideCap(Site)AA_U_S from the Richard Elmquist Collection
Pittsburgh Rockets

Rockets,Pittsburgh,PA,OR1(Site)AA_U_S from the Richard Elmquist Collection
Pittsburgh Rockets

Rockets,Pittsburgh,PA,Patch1-StateChampions(Site)AA_U_S from the Richard Elmquist Collection
Pittsburgh Rockets

Rockets,Pittsburgh,PA,Patch2-RocketInsignia(Site)AA_U_S from the Richard Elmquist Collection
Pittsburgh Rockets

Rockets,Pittsburgh,PA,Patch3-NeminiCedimus(Site)AA_U_S from the Richard Elmquist Collection
Pittsburgh Rockets

Rockets,Pittsburgh,PA,Pin1-RocketInsignia(RE-2.25)AA_U_S from the Richard Elmquist Collection
Pittsburgh Rockets

Rockets,Pittsburgh,PA,Pin2-KeepOnTruckin(Site)AA_U_S from the Richard Elmquist Collection
Pittsburgh Rockets
PDF Document

318-319, Pittsburgh Rockets from the Steve Vickers Collection

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