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Black Knights


Other Names:Belleville Black Knights, Fairview Memorial VFW Post 8677, East St. Louis, AL Post #121, Amvets Post #207, East St. Louis, IL

Belleville, IL United States
Founded: 1953

Inactive Junior
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Results from final championship competition of the year
  • Position: 6
  • Score: 83.150
Repertoire for 1960
I Could Have Danced All Night (from My Fair Lady) by Frederick Loewe My Fair Lady - Movie Soundtrack - Sony Music; ASIN: B000002AW2
Poinciana by Nat Simon | Buddy Bernier Glenn Miller Secret Broadcasts
National Emblem March by Edwin Eugene Bagley Houston/U Michigan Victory At Sea
Perfidia by Alberto Domínguez The Mambo Kings - Movie Soundtrack - Wea/Elektra Entertainment; ASIN: B000002HA1
Thunderer March by John Philip Sousa
Around the World in Eighty Days by Victor Young | Harold Adamson
Battle Hymn of the Republic by Traditional collected by William Steffe | adapted by Julia Ward Howe Acappella America - Sony Music; ASIN: B0000028PT
Pagliacci by Ruggero Leoncavallo
I Love You Truly by Carrie Jacobs-Bond
The Black Knights were formed in 1953 as an all male junior drum & bugle corps based in Belleville, Illinois. The corps was founded by two friends who had marched together in the Belleville Ainad Shrine Drum and Bugle Corps, Forrest T. Creson and Vern Poole. They remained in charge of the organization until Vern Poole passed away in 1967 followed by Forrest Creson in 1971. Roger Kaiser, Black Knights drum major in 1958 & '59, took over as corps director in1972.

The Black Knights were AmVets National Champions from 1954 - 1956 and under the sponsorship of the Belleville, IL Tancred Chapter of the Order of DeMolay from 1954 to 1971. They participated in DCI competitions from 1972 through1989. Their highest finishes were tenth at Drum Corps International Championships Open Class in 1973 and fourth in Class A in 1985. In VFW competition, the Black Knights finished as high as second in 1959 at VFW Nationals in Los Angeles and second in 1973 at VFW Nationals in New Orleans.

Their distinctive black uniforms from 1954 to 1972 where either a cadet style or satin top with a white sash, white cummerbund and white left sleeve. In 1973 corps director, Roger Kaiser, designed a new uniform styled after the British Cavalry Honor Guard, that was black and white with gold trim, topped with a chrome helmet and horse hair plume. The Black Knights also became a coed corps that year and broke away from their previous affiliation with the DeMolay. Through most of the eighties the corps wore a white tunic, black pants with a red sash and the chrome helmet.

The Black Knights disbanded at the end of the 1989 season.

[DCW, 5/02, p.3; A History of Drum & Bugle Corps; DCW, 2/04, p.14]

Members (43)

Member Name Section Years Involved
Baker, Kent French Horn 1981
Berry, Chuck Contra 1984 to 1989
Brethauer, Craig Horn line 1973 to 1978
Brown, Mike Drumline 1980 to 1986
Cochran, Fred Rifles 1961 to 1967
Cochran, Fred Color Guard 1962 to 1967
Compton, Rory Drum Line 1974 to 1976
Creson, Steve Lead Soprano Soloist 1962 to 1968
Dick, Ishmael Baratone Bugle/Drum Major 1956 to 1962
Ford, Wayne administration 1978 to 1979
Frog, GW Assisted with souvies 1989
Greene, Rob Color Guard/Flag 1984 to 1986
Greene, Rob Color Guard 1984; 1986
HAMILTON, JAMES HORN LINE 1959 to 1965
Hommel, Timothy drumline 1971 to 1973
Hopper, Mike Drum line 1973 to 1974
Jackson, Sam Drum line 1967 to 1969
Lowry, Jim Soprano, Mellophone 1971 to 1973
McCarty, Steve Baritone 1970 to 1976
McCarty, Steve Corps Director 1989
Messamore, Amy Colorguard 1988 to 1989
Miller, Scott Contra 1986 to 1989
NICOL, KEVIN LEAD SOPRANO-SOLOIST 1967 to 1971
O'Neil, Larry Drumline 1976
Pierce, Kevin Soprano 1969 to 1973
Poole, Kevin Percussion 1962 to 1971
Rogers, John Drums 1963 to 1965
Sansom, Tammy Color Guard 1979 to 1982
Scott, Dave Soprano 1966
Scott, Dave Brass Tech 1969 to 1972
Smith, Dean Baritone Soloist 1978 to 1985
Stegall, Floyd Management 1983
Waggoner, Scott Snare 1982 to 1983
West, Joel Snare Line 1958 to 1964
Willingham, Alan Color Guard 1986 to 1987
YOUNG, MARK FRENCH HORN 1976 to 1980
Young, Mark french horn 1976 to 1980
french, cindi color guard-rifle line 1971 to 1977
hamilton, charlie percussion line 1982 to 1989
hamilton, jim soprano 1959 to 1965
leggans, charles horn 1960 to 1963
poole, ron baritone 1953 to 1957
thoms, william contra/baritone 1980 to 1986

CORPS 56 items

Black Knights

Bellville Black Knights from the Bill Ives Collection
Black Knights

Black Knights Transportation Staff Jacket from the Bill Ives Collection Contributed by Jim Hamilton
Black Knights

Black Knights Transportation Staff Jacket from the Bill Ives Collection Contributed by Jim Hamilton
Black Knights

Black Knights Transportation Staff Jacket from the Bill Ives Collection Contributed by Jim Hamilton
Black Knights

Black Knights White Linen Jacket from the Bill Ives Collection Contributed by Jim Hamilton
Black Knights

Black Knights Corps Jacket from the Bill Ives Collection Contributed by Jim Hamilton
Black Knights

Black Knights Corps Jacket from the Bill Ives Collection Contributed by Jim Hamilton
Black Knights

Black Knights White DeMolay Patch Jacket from the Bill Ives Collection Contributed by Jim Hamilton
Black Knights

Black Knights White DeMolay Patch Jacket from the Bill Ives Collection Contributed by Jim Hamilton
Black Knights

Belleville Black Knights from the Bill Ives Collection
Black Knights

Belleville Black Knights from the Bill Ives Collection
Black Knights

Belleville BK White Red Sash 1979 Uniform from the Bill Ives Collection Contributed by Jim Hamilton
Black Knights

Belleville BK Black White Sash 1954 Uniform from the Bill Ives Collection Contributed by Jim Hamilton
Black Knights

Belleville BK Drum Major uniform with Crest Placard Shield A from the Bill Ives Collection Contributed by Jim Hamilton
Black Knights

Belleville BK with Crest Placard Shield A from the Bill Ives Collection Contributed by Jim Hamilton
Black Knights

Belleville BK Drum Major uniform with Crest Placard Shield B from the Bill Ives Collection Contributed by Jim Hamilton
Black Knights

1971 Belleville Black Knights Drum & Bugle Corps @ VFW Dallas from the Roy Perez Collection
Black Knights

1971 Belleville Black Knights Drum and Bugle Corps-VFW Nationals Dallas from the Roy Perez Collection
Black Knights
PDF Document

160-161, Belleville Black Knig from the Steve Vickers Collection
Black Knights

Black Knighs Recruitment Poster from the Steve Vickers Collection

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