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