Rose Parade 2019: Amazing but true stories behind the New Year’s Day event

Horses, floats and marching bands! That’s the Tournament of Roses Parade; however, it is the history of the iconic New Year’s Day celebration and its memorable moments — even occasional mishaps — that have secured its place in the annals of beloved American institutions.

I still remember the thrill of my first Rose Parade — sitting on my father’s lap in a third-floor window of the Star-News building, as Grand Marshal Shirley Temple, in a white fur coat and cap, with a matching rose-trimmed muff, waved up to us from her float. Although I have been a parade-goer for decades, I admit I still get goosebumps when the drum roll and tantara of trumpets herald the start of the parade on Jan. 1.

There are the prancing horses, pretty girls and fabulous floats, but whether it’s the beat of John Philip Sousa, John Williams or Chaka Khan, it’s the music that makes the parade. Marching in the Rose Parade is a fantastic experience that band members treasure for a lifetime.

Tens of thousands of musicians have participated in the years since the Monrovia Town Band became the first Rose Parade band in 1891. Some 5,000 band members have high-stepped, twirled and danced down Colorado Boulevard each year. Millions around the world do not only see them, but they also have the added perks of posing for a band photo in front of the Rose Bowl and performing in a two-day, three-show Bandfest staged at Pasadena City College’s Jackie and Mack Robinson Stadium.

Only the crème de la crème of marching bands are invited to compete for a spot in the parade, including top high school, college and organizational ensembles. In addition, the tournament is committed to some bands based on tradition and early allegiance to the Tournament.

The Salvation Army Band has been a staple of the parade since 1920, and the U.S. Marine Corps West Coast Composite Band has been greeted by cheering crowds since 1950. PCC’s Tournament of Roses Honor Band marches along with the McDonald’s All-American Band and the L.A. Unified School District All-City Honor Band — all of whom are selected by audition the previ- ous autumn.

University marching bands from the two schools competing in the Rose Bowl Game are regulars in the parade and typically accompany the float that represents their school and conference.

This 130-year-old spectacle is all about preparation and precision. It requires more than musicianship for a band member to make the 5.5-mile trip down Colorado Boulevard. It demands the commitment of an Olympics aspirant — hours of practice plus a mandatory exercise regimen to build up stamina to play without interruption for the entire two-hour and 10-minute duration of the parade.

With television cameras trained on the corner of Colorado and Orange Grove boulevards, the 8 a.m. start of the parade entails timing akin to the Normandy invasion.

Not according to script

There have been some glitches over the years, of course. A disabled float or a spooked horse has caused many a delay. One of the most memorable gaffes was back in 1964 when the grand marshal, former President Dwight D. Eisenhower, made a stop in the Tournament House bathroom before the parade. The doorknob came off in his hand, and the start of the parade had to be delayed until the WWII Supreme Allied Commander was liberated from the loo. To this day, that small powder room below the stairs is known as “Ike’s bathroom.”

Former Star-News Editor Larry Wilson remembers the story of his late grandfather, Elmer Wilson, the 1955 Tournament president who also happened to be president of the Republican Club at the time.

Wilson invited Earl Warren to serve as his grand marshal.

“It had poured rain throughout the parade,” Larry said. “So Elmer suggested that they stop by a friend’s house for a drink or two to warm up and dry off. By the time they arrived for the traditional pre-game lunch at Brookside, the FBI, Secret Service and Tournament officials were already on swarm to track down the chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. I’m told Elmer heard about that!”

Warren and Wilson weren’t the only MIAs that day. The West Point Band got confused during the downpour and didn’t finish the parade route.

Bands are chosen 18 months in advance because the biggest challenge is bankrolling the trip to Pasadena. This means staging countless fundraisers, including bake sales and car washes, to seeking support from boosters.

Along with the instrumentalists, there is the necessary entourage of flag bearers, baton twirlers, a drum major, directors and chaperones.

The Marching Koalas traveled last year from Australia for their fourth appearance, at a cost of $475,000.

“Getting there was a massive effort as we had no major sponsors supporting us, so fundraising events and personal costs provided most of the funds,” recalls Geoff Lynch, the Koalas’ retired band manager. “Timewise, the trip from Newcastle to our final destination in Arcadia was 22 hours. It was worth it!”

One year, when a flotilla of buses transported a band from Conroe, Texas, a police escort led them all the way. The 389 members from Hawaii’s Pearl City High School Band made the trip twice. In 1987, the Royal Jordanian Armed Forces Band, a Gojinjo-Daiko  band from Japan, and Michigan’s Holland High School Band — wearing wooden shoes — were the big crowd-pleasers.

In 1998, the Washington Township High School Band was the first group to decorate its ranks with fresh flowers.

The Salvation Army timbrelists are always my favorite. Playing their tambou- rines, the ladies march the entire route in black pumps with 1-1⁄2 inch heels.

This past year, Tournament President Gerald Freeny has paid personal visits to the 2019 marching bands in Washington, Texas, Tennessee, Illinois and Costa Rica. Bands also are coming from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Ohio, the Mid-Atlantic region, Japan, Puerto Rico, Canada and Sweden.

Dedicated volunteers

Let’s not forget the behind-the-scenes heroes, the amazing cadres known as “white suiters.” They are the 935 volunteers on 30 committees who oversee every facet of the parade and game.

The TofR Association welcomes all candidates who are willing to give their time as well as participate in other Tournament activities. A new member usually devotes about 40 hours annually on committee work, mostly during the last few weeks of the year.

Joining requires a long-term commitment. A membership application requires two letters of reference and a personal interview. The applicant must be between the ages of 21 and 66, live or work within 15 miles of Pasadena City Hall (100 Garfield Ave.), purchase a white suit and accessories, pay yearly dues of $55 to $75, attend committee meetings throughout the year and, most important, be available every year, on or around Jan. 1.

With an eye to the future, the Tournament now offers a college intern program to students, 18 and older, with a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA who carry at least six units. They too must reside, work or attend schools within 15 miles of City Hall, submit an application and one reference letter by Oct. 1, and appear for an interview.

“Serving on the music committee is the most fun and the most rewarding,” said Gene Smith, 2019 music chair and a white suiter for 17 years. “To observe the excitement on the faces of those young band members as they make that turn off South Orange Grove Boulevard onto Colorado Boulevard and look downhill at thousands of people as far as the eye can see, you know it is a moment they will remember all their lives. There’s nothing quite like the Rose Parade.”

Many thanks to Kirk Myers of the Pasadena Museum of History who provided a wealth of archival material authored by Michael K. Riffey, Laura A. Adams, Rick Hamlin, Joe Hendrickson and Maxwell Stiles. Email pattdiroll@charter.net