Keystoners

Formed in 1946 from a nucleus of returning World War II veterans, the Keystoners began their existence as The Milton American Legion Post 71 Drum and Bugle Corps. The organization adopted the name of "Keystoners" in 1949, and performed as a street unit winning a reputation as one of the top parade corps in the state. The group entered field competition in 1952 finishing second in their first Pennsylvania State American Legion competition. The following year, the corps captured first place at the State contest in Pittsburgh and became the Class B champions. Many more successful campaigns followed, highlighted in 1957 when they won the National Open VFW championship in Miami Beach, Florida. The Keystoners benefited from the instruction furnished them by Bill Hooten of the Reilly Raiders, Ralph Silverbrand of the Hawthorne Cabelleros and other highly skilled instructors such as "Skip" Groff of the Baltimore Yankee Rebels and John Flowers of the Reading Buccaneers.

The Keystoners initiated the Original Cavalcade of Champions in 1949 and it ran uninterrupted for 24 years. The list of corps that appeared in the Calvacade of Champions through the years reads like a "Who's Who" of the genre. Among the competitors was the Reilly Raiders, Hawthorne Cabelleros, Jersey Joes, Archer-Epler Musketeers, New York Skyliners, Preston Scout House, Audobon All-Girls Liberty Bell Cadets, Pittsburgh Rockets and many, many more. All of the corps looked forward to competing in the Cavalcade of Champions because it was one of the few contests always sold out and involved some of the fiercest competition to be found.

[Submitted by Frank Pursell - member of the Keystoners from 1953 through 1963 finishing as Drum Major over his last four years]

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