St Raphaels started 1961 with an all new management and instructional staff. The winter previous had seen the departure of the Director, and all the instructors from the season of 1960. Jack Sullivan, Fred Cartwright and Joe Gaudet, all alumni of the Connecticut Yankees and Bridgeport Troopers senior corps were now the "team", led by Warren MacDonald, the new corps Director.
Music for 1961 would include "Start of Something Big", "Pomp & Circumstance March", Hey Mama", "Beyond the Sea" and "Misty" all arranged by Fred Cartwright, with the drum charts written and taught by Joe Gaudett. The drill was written and taught by Jack Sullivan, with the color guard taught by Jack Bracken, also an alumni of the Yankees.
The corps membership had also suffered. As a result of the change in management over half the playing members had quit, following the old director to the new Fire Department drum corps he had started, or joining the Hurricanes. The only section in the entire corps not to suffer a 'defection' was the color guard. St Raphaels Buccaneers entered the "Season of 1961" with a hornline of 27, a "battery" of nine , 16 girls in the guard, and Charles Gallant as drum major.
August 12, 1961
Patterson, NJ
1. 84.611 St. Raphael's
2. 82.95 Blue Rock
3. 80.777 Dumont Cadets
4. 8.566 Kingsmen
5. 77.85 Grenadiers
6. 74.977 St. Cath.Marian.
7. 63.005 Barringer Walker
June 17 , 1961 Bristol, CT
1. 82.4 St. Raphael's
2. 76.01 St. Rocco's
3. 72.11 New Britain Gren.
4. 72.08 Fletcher Raiders
5. 64.61 Leicester
6. 63.5 Bristol Kingsmen
8 July 1961 Wilmington DE
1. 80.30 St Raphaels Buccaneers
2. 79.42 Our Lady Of Lourdes Cadets
3. 76.86 St Catherines Marionettes
4. 75.72 Dumont Police Cadets
5. 70.40 Bronx Kingsmen
6. 46.83 Barringer Walker Cadets
The Championship of the Yankee Circuit was held in West hartford Ct, the day after the Buccaneers returned from Florida's VFW Nationals. The afternoon show was HOT, with temperatures breaking the ninety degree mark by early afternoon. The Gatesmen of South Boston were declared Champion in "Class A", closely followed by the Bridgeport PAL Cadets & St. Raphael's Buccaneers. This show was the only time in 1961 that the two Bridgeport rivals met on the same contest field.
August 27, 1961 W. Hartford, CT
Yankee Championship
1. 85.7 Gatesmen
2. 85.216 PAL-Bridgeport
3. 84.75 St. Raphael's
4. 83.383 St. Rocco's
5. 83.033 Fletcher Raiders
6. 79.616 New Britain Gren.
7. 71.316 Manhattanaires
8. 70.8 Leicester
9. 60.933 Worcester Crusaders
August 23, 1961 Miami, FL
VFW Nationals prelims
1. 89.75 Cavaliers
2. 88.45 St. Kevin's
3. 88.05 Royal Airs
4. 87.8 Garfield
5. 87.65 Blessed Sacrament
6. 85.3 Black Knights
7. 85.1 Cambridge Cabs
8. 85.1 Madison
9. 83.8 Majestic Knights
10. 82.8 St. Vincent's
11. 82.25 Skokie Vanguard
12. 81.85 Racine Kilties
13. 80.15 Vasella
14. 78.7 Miami Vanguard
15. 77.7 Blue Rock
16. 77.45 St. Raphael's
17. 77.05 Presidents
18. 76.3 Haddon Hts. Vags
19. 76 St. Patrick's-NJ
20. 72.6 Lionettes
21. 70.8 St. Nicholas Girls
22. 70.55 New Britain Gren.
23. 67.8 Southernaires
24. 62.3 Jacksonville Bucs
25. 59.2 Flamingos
The 1961 Championship of GNY was held at Jamaica Plain NY, in
their National Guard Armory, in October. The floor was too small
to acomodate a full field show drill, so the corps were allowed to
"relocate" after the 'concert' number. St Raphaels placed second
to the defending champion, Our lady of Lourdes Cadets, winning
high M & M.
October 2, 1961 Jainaica, NY
Greater New York
Championship
1. 82.333 Our Lady/Lourdes
2. 80.972 St. Raphael's
3. 77.532 Blue Rock
4. 75.261 Dumont Cadets
5. 74.761 Kingsmen
6. 73.35 St. Cath. Marian.
7. 70.311 Grenadiers
8. 64.861 Smithtown Freelancers
9. 51.577 Barringer Walker
Randalls Island, NY
1. 83.28 Our Lady of Lourdes Cadets
2. 82.19 St Raphaels
3. 76.51 Blue Rock
4. 75.98 Irwin Kingsmen
5. 75.11 Dumont Police Cadets
6. 71.97 New Britian Grenidiers
6. 58.83 Barringer Walker Cadets
