American Legion (AL)
National AL Snare Contest Scores
Some years are missing, some years have incomplete data.
Although the American Legion National Drum Corps competitions started in 1921, the first year for AL hosting individual competitions was in 1925.
1920s: 1925 • 1926 • 1929
1930s: 1930 • 1932 • 1933 • 1934 • 1935 • 1936 • 1937
1940s: 1940 • 1949
1950s: 1950 • 1951 • 1952 • 1953
AL Snare Champions Through The Years: Junior Snare • Senior Snare
Data compiled by Rick Beckham, with help from various people.
If you notice any errors or have additional information to add, please send a message through the Contact page.
1920s
1925 AL Snare Individuals
Omaha, NE
| 1925 AL Senior Snare Individuals (Incomplete – Winner Only) |
| Place |
Contestant |
Corps/From |
Score |
| 1
| George Powers
| St. Paul Post #8
| ? |
1926 AL Snare Individuals
Philadelphia, PA
| 1926 Senior Snare Snare Individuals (Incomplete – Winner Only) |
| Place |
Contestant |
Corps/From |
Score |
| 1
| C.O. Robinson
| St. Petersburg Post #14
| ? |
1929 AL Snare Individuals
Louisville, KY
| 1929 Senior Snare Snare Individuals (Incomplete – Top 3 Only) |
| Place |
Contestant |
Corps/From |
Score |
| 1
| Malcolm Gerlach
| Pittsburg, Pa
| ? |
| 2
| William Flowers
| Chicago Evening Post
| ? |
| 3
| Lowell Walsh
| Red Wing Drum Corps
| ? |
1930s
1930 AL Snare Individuals
Boston, MA
| 1930 AL Senior Snare Individuals (Incomplete – Top 3) |
| Place |
Contestant |
Corps/From |
Score |
| 1
| Malcolm Gerlach
| Pittsburg, Pa
| ? |
| 2
| William Flowers
| Chicago Evening Post
| ? |
| 3
| Charles F. Parker
| Burlington, Vt
| ? |
1932 AL Snare Individuals
Portland, OR
| 1932 AL Senior Snare Individuals (Incomplete – Winner Only) |
| Place |
Contestant |
Corps/From |
Score |
| 1
| Joe Hathaway
| ?
| ? |
1933 AL Snare Individuals
Chicago, IL
| 1933 AL Senior Snare Individuals (Incomplete – Top 3) |
| Place |
Contestant |
Corps/From |
Score |
| 1
| Malcolm Gerlach
| Pittsburg, Pa
| 98.60 |
| 2
| James Whitelaw
| Miami, Fl
| 98.15 |
| 3
| J. Walker
| Glendale. Ca
| 97.70 |
1934 AL Snare Individuals
Miami, FL
| 1934 AL Senior Snare Individuals (Incomplete – Top 3) |
| Place |
Contestant |
Corps/From |
Score |
| 1
| Joe Hathaway
| Board of Trade Post, Chicago
| ? |
| 2
| John H. Fay
| Morristown, NJ
| ? |
| 3
| Vincent Mott
| Jersey City, NJ
| ? |
1935 AL Snare Individuals
St. Louis, MO
| 1935 AL Senior Snare Individuals (Incomplete – Top 3) |
| Place |
Contestant |
Corps/From |
Score |
| 1
| James Whitelaw
| Harvey Seeds Post 29
| 93.13 |
| 2
| Emile Cote
| Biddeford, Me
| ? |
| 3
| James Todd
| Chicago, Il
| ? |
1936 AL Snare Individuals
Cleveland, OH
| 1936 AL Senior Snare Individuals (Incomplete, there were 21 entries) |
| Place |
Contestant |
Corps/From |
Score |
| 1
| Vincent L. Mott
| Patterson, NJ
| 96.85 |
| 2
| Lynn M. Smyser
| Chicago, Il
| 96.35 |
| 3
| Harrison C. Young
| Stratford, Ct
| 95.25 |
| 4
| George Reveri
| Hackensack, NJ
| 95.15 |
| 5
| Emile Cote
| Old Orchard, Me
| 95.05 |
| 6
| ?
| ?
| ? |
| 7
| ?
| ?
| ? |
| 8
| Brownie Batchelder
| La Porte, In
| ? |
| 9
| J. Sailey
| Fairfield Cty, Ct
| 93.95 |
| 10
| Don Alexander
| Morristown, NJ
| 93.07 |
1937 AL Snare Individuals
New York, NY
| 1937 AL Senior Snare Individuals (Incomplete – Top 3) |
| Place |
Contestant |
Corps/From |
Score |
| 1
| Robert Von Deck
| Chas. T. Kirk F&D
| 97.60 |
| 2
| Edward Pierce
| Hackensack, NJ
| 95.60 |
| 3
| Lynn Smyser
| Commonwealth Edison Post/Chicago, Il
| 92.25 |
1940 AL Snare Individuals
Boston, MA
| 1940 AL/NARD Junior Snare Individuals (Incomplete – Top 5) |
| Place |
Contestant |
Corps/From |
Score |
| 1
| Bobby Redican
| Meriden, CT
| 98.75 |
| 2
| Michael Stefanowicz
| Imperial Cadets
| ? |
| 3
| James Ryan
| Yalesville F&DC
| ? |
| 4
| Sig Trybus
| Seymour
| ? |
| 5
| Frank Arsenault
| Imperial Cadets
| ? |
| 1940 AL/NARD Senior Snare Individuals (Incomplete – Winner Only) |
| Place |
Contestant |
Corps/From |
Score |
| 1
| Vincent Mott
| Paterson, NJ
| ? |
1949 AL Snare Individuals
Philadelphia, PA
| 1949 AL Senior Snare Individuals (Incomplete – Winner Only) |
| Place |
Contestant |
Corps/From |
Score |
| 1
| John Mazarakos
| Skyliners
| ? |
1950 AL Snare Individuals
Los Angeles, CA
| 1950 AL Junior Veteran Snare Individuals |
| Place |
Contestant |
Corps/From |
Score |
| 1
| John Mazarakos
| Gabarina Memorial Post 1523
| 89.73 |
| 2
| Jack Manning
| Gardena Post 187
| 89.30 |
| 3
| Forrest Clark
| Musicians Post 424
| 87.76 |
| 4
| William Jones
| Glendale Post 127
| 83.85 |
| 5
| Arthur LaPointe III
| Comm. Edison Post 118
| 82.87 |
| 6
| Elmer Nelson
| Racine Post 76
| 81.41 |
| 7
| Jack Morrison
| Auburn Post 78
| 80.45 |
| 8
| Stanley Fong
| VFW Post 78
| 80.05 |
| 1950 AL Senior Open Snare Individuals |
| Place |
Contestant |
Corps/From |
Score |
| 1
| William McCarthy
| Comm. Edison Post 118
| 88.00 |
| 2
| Harry Haworth
| San Gabriel Drum Corps
| 84.90 |
| 3
| Arthur Lowe
| Post 104
| 82.75 |
| 4
| Mickey Woodman
| Post 1, Denver
| 77.85 |
| 1950 AL Senior Veteran Snare Individuals |
| Place |
Contestant |
Corps/From |
Score |
| 1
| Lynn Smyser
| Comm. Edison Post 118
| 90.50 |
| 2
| Clarence Maciel
| San Francisco
| 80.17 |
| 3
| Frederick Burlingame
| George Washington Post 114
| 76.10 |
1951 AL Snare Individuals
Miami, FL
| 1951 AL Senior Open Snare Individuals (Incomplete – Winner only) |
| Place |
Contestant |
Corps/From |
Score |
| 1
| Frank Arsenault
| ?
| ? |
1952 AL Snare Individuals
New York, NY
| 1952 AL Junior Open Snare Individuals |
| Place |
Contestant |
Corps/From |
Score |
| 1
| Robert Strauss
| Post #45
| 91.10 |
| 2
| Vic Conte
| Brooklyn, NY
| 87.70 |
| 3
| William Bailey
| St. Francis DC
| 86.95 |
| 4
| Francis Januzzi
| Greenwich Post DC
| 84.95 |
| 5
| Alfred Merrit
| Grassy Plain DC
| 84.65 |
| 6
| Jack Corey
| Howard C. McCall DC
| 84.60 |
| 7
| Daniel O’Mara
| New Haven, Ct
| 80.55 |
| 8
| Robert Pangborn
| Kent, Oh AL Band
| 80.35 |
| 9
| Edward Wyrwa
| Blessed Sacrament DC
| 80.05 |
| 10
| Donald Stohr
| Washington Park
| 79.30 |
| 11
| Richard Simard
| Warren Indian DC
| 78.55 |
| 12
| Jimmy Borden
| Greater Miami Boys DC
| 77.85 |
| 13
| Allen Olsen
| Bayonne, NJ
| 77.60 |
| 14
| Francis Main
| Grassy Plain DC
| 77.55 |
| 15
| Frank Mathey Jr
| Greater Miami Boys DC
| 77.20 |
| 16
| William Rotella
| St. Josephs F&D
| 76.90 |
| 17
| Roger Ferria
| Johnson City Red Raiders
| 76.15 |
| 18
| Robert Marashlian
| Newark, NJ
| 80.35 |
| 19
| Brian Sauter
| Sons Of Legion Post #41
| 74.40 |
| 20
| William Meyer
| S. Wis Municipal Band
| 73.55 |
| 21
| John Alling
| Ithica HS Band
| 73.20 |
| 22
| Morgan Brenner
| York, Pa
| 69.85 |
| 23
| George Heinrich
| Nel Tierney DC
| 67.00 |
| 24
| Joseph Lovoy
| Univ Of Alabama
| 58.10 |
| 1952 AL Junior Veteran Snare Individuals |
| Place |
Contestant |
Corps/From |
Score |
| 1
| Frank Arsenault
| AL Post #42
| 96.75 |
| 2
| Howard Keannelly
| North Branford F&D
| 95.45 |
| 3
| Charles Ploeger
| Chas. T. Kirk F&D
| 91.35 |
| 4
| Buddy Nelson
| Racine AL Post #76
| 87.30 |
| 5
| John McNulty
| Garbarina-Mazarakos AL Post 1523
| 87.05 |
| 6
| Don Friesing
| Garbarina-Mazarakos AL Post 1523
| 84.85 |
| 7
| Arthur LaPointe
| Comm. Edison AL Post 118
| 77.95 |
| 8
| Henry Gates
| Gardner AL Post 129
| 73.40 |
| 9
| Ralph Lonergran Jr
| Racine AL Post #76
| 68.75 |
| 10
| Andrew Leone
| Skokie AL Post 320
| 48.40 |
| 1952 AL Senior Open Snare Individuals |
| Place |
Contestant |
Corps/From |
Score |
| 1
| Hugh Quigley
| Lancraft Fife & Drum
| 95.25 |
| 2
| Matthew Lyons
| Stratford AL Post 42
| 95.10 |
| 3
| James Nadile
| AL Post 45
| 94.60 |
| 4
| Bradford Burgher
| Johnson City Red Raiders
| 88.85 |
| 5
| Ken Hammesfahr
| Sons Of Liberty
| 87.90 |
| 6
| William McCarthy
| Comm. Edison AL Post 118
| 83.80 |
| 7
| Arthur Lowe
| VFW Post 1010
| 81.60 |
| 8
| Don Worden
| Racine Boy Scout Council
| 71.90 |
| 1952 AL Senior Veteran Snare Individuals |
| Place |
Contestant |
Corps/From |
Score |
| 1
| Frederik Burlingame
| George Washington AL Post 114
| 85.30 |
| 2
| Louis Swikert
| U.S.W.V.
| 84.10 |
1953 AL Snare Individuals
St. Louis, MO
| 1953 AL Junior Open Snare Individuals |
| Place |
Contestant |
Corps/From |
Score |
| 1
| Jack Corey
| Howard C. McCall
| 95.95 |
| 2
| Carmen Lamma
| St. Mary’s Cadets
| 92.35 |
| 3
| Ralph Magin
| Belleville, Il
| 92.00 |
| 4
| Thomas Swan
| St. Joseph’s Cadets
| 89.90 |
| 5
| Joe Pullis
| Nocona HS Band
| 89.25 |
| 6
| William McKay
| St. Joseph’s Cadets
| 88.50 |
| 7
| Rich O’Donnell
| Overland, Mo
| 88.15 |
| 8
| Rayford McClinton
| St. Louis, Mo
| 85.75 |
| 9
| John Hardy
| St. Louis, Mo
| 85.65
|
| 1953 AL Junior Veteran Snare Individuals |
| Place |
Contestant |
Corps/From |
Score |
| 1
| John Griffiths
| Sleepy Eye Post 47
| 95.65 |
| 2
| Buddy Nelson
| Racine Post 76
| 94.60 |
| 3
| Matthew Lyons
| Stratford Post
| 94.25 |
| 4
| Thomas Forstner
| Sleepy Eye Post 47
| 94.15 |
| 5
| James Shea
| Hawthorne Post
| 91.85 |
| 6
| Donald Hlinak
| St. Louis, Mo
| 88.95 |
| 1953 AL Senior Open Snare Individuals |
| Place |
Contestant |
Corps/From |
Score |
| 1
| Hugh Quigley
| Lancraft Fife & Drum
| 94.95 |
| 2
| William McCarthy
| Commonwealth Edison Post 118
| 94.20 |
| 3
| Thomas Widdicombe
| St. Louis, Mo
| 87.35 |
| 1953 AL Senior Veteran Snare Individuals |
| Place |
Contestant |
Corps/From |
Score |
| 1
| Louis Swikert
| U.S.W.V.
| 95.90 |
AL Snare Champions Through The Years
AL Junior Snare Winners
| Year |
Winner |
Corps |
Score |
Host City |
| 1939
| ?
| ?
| ?
| Chicago, Il |
| 1940
| Bobby Redican
| Meriden, CT
| 98.75
| Boston, Ma |
| 1941
| ?
| ?
| ?
| Milwaukee, Wi |
| 1946
| ?
| ?
| ?
| San Francisco, Ca |
| 1947
| ?
| ?
| ?
| New York, NY |
| 1948
| ?
| ?
| ?
| Miami, Fl |
| 1949
| ?
| ?
| ?
| Philadelphia, Pa |
| 1950 (Veteran)
| John Mazarakos
| Gabarina Memorial Post 1523
| 89.73
| Los Angeles, Ca |
| 1952 (Open)
| Robert Strauss
| Post #45
| 91.10
| New York, NY |
| 1952 (Veteran)
| Frank Arsenault
| AL Post #42
| 96.75
| New York, NY |
| 1953 (Open)
| Jack Corey
| Howard C. McCall
| 95.95
| St. Louis, Mo |
| 1953 (Veteran)
| John Griffiths
| Sleepy Eye Post 47
| 95.65
| St. Louis, Mo |
AL Senior Snare Winners
| Year |
Winner |
Corps |
Score |
Host City |
| 1921
| –
| No Individual Contest
| –
| Kansas City, Mo |
| 1922
| –
| No Individual Contest
| –
| New Orleans, La |
| 1923
| –
| No Individual Contest
| –
| San Francisco, Ca |
| 1924
| –
| No Individual Contest
| –
| St. Paul, Mn |
| 1925
| George Powers
| St. Paul Post #8
| ?
| Omaha, Ne |
| 1926
| C.O. Robinson
| St. Petersburg Post #14
| ?
| Philadelphia, Pa |
| 1927
| ?
| ?
| ?
| Paris, France |
| 1928
| ?
| ?
| ?
| Miami, Fl |
| 1929
| Malcolm Gerlach
| Pittsburg, Pa
| ?
| Louisville, Ky |
| 1930
| Malcolm Gerlach
| Pittsburg, Pa
| ?
| Boston, Ma |
| 1931
| ?
| ?
| ?
| Detroit, Mi |
| 1932
| Joe Hathaway
| ?
| ?
| Portland, Or |
| 1933
| Malcolm Gerlach
| Pittsburg, Pa
| 98.60
| Chicago, Il |
| 1934
| Joe Hathaway
| Board of Trade Post, Chicago
| ?
| Miami, Fl |
| 1935
| James Whitelaw
| Harvey Seeds Post 29
| 93.13
| St.Louis, Mo |
| 1936
| Vincent Mott
| Patterson, NJ
| 96.85
| Cleveland, Oh |
| 1937
| Robert Von Deck
| Chas. T. Kirk F&D
| 97.60
| New York, NY |
| 1938
| ?
| ?
| ?
| Los Angeles, Ca |
| 1939
| –
| No Senior Individual Contest
| –
| Chicago, Il |
| 1940
| Vincent Mott
| Paterson, NJ
| ?
| Boston, Ma |
| 1941
| ?
| ?
| ?
| Milwaukee, Wi |
| 1946
| ?
| ?
| ?
| San Francisco, Ca |
| 1947
| ?
| ?
| ?
| New York, NY |
| 1948
| ?
| ?
| ?
| Miami, Fl |
| 1949
| John Mazarakos
| Skyliners
| ?
| Philadelphia, Pa |
| 1950 (Open)
| William McCarthy
| Comm. Edison Post 118
| 88.00
| Los Angeles, Ca |
| 1950 (Veteran)
| Lynn Smyser
| Comm. Edison Post 118
| 90.50
| Los Angeles, Ca |
| 1951
| Frank Arsenault
| ?
| ?
| Miami, Fl |
| 1952 (Open)
| Hugh Quigley
| Lancraft F&D
| 95.25
| New York, NY |
| 1952 (Veteran)
| Frederik Burlingame
| George Washington AL Post 114
| 85.30
| New York, NY |
| 1953 (Open)
| Hugh Quigley
| Lancraft F&D
| 94.95
| St. Louis, Mo |
| 1953 (Veteran)
| Louis Swikert
| U.S.W.V.
| 95.90
| St. Louis, Mo |
| 1954
| ?
| ?
| ?
| Washington, DC |
| 1955
| ?
| ?
| ?
| Miami, Fl |
| 1956
| ?
| ?
| ?
| Los Angeles, Ca |
| 1957
| ?
| ?
| ?
| Atlantic City, NJ |
| 1958
| ?
| ?
| ?
| Chicago, Il |
| 1959
| ?
| ?
| ?
| Minneapolis, Mn |
| 1960
| ?
| ?
| ?
| Miami, Fl |
| 1961
| ?
| ?
| ?
| Denver, Co |
| 1962
| ?
| ?
| ?
| Las Vegas, Nv |
| 1963
| ?
| ?
| ?
| Miami, Fl |
| 1964
| ?
| ?
| ?
| Dallas, Tx |
| 1965
| ?
| ?
| ?
| Portland, Or |
| 1966
| ?
| ?
| ?
| Washington, DC |
| 1967
| ?
| ?
| ?
| Boston, Ma |
| 1968
| ?
| ?
| ?
| New Orleans, La |
| 1969
| ?
| ?
| ?
| Atlanta, Ga |
