Are you a fan of any or all of these great quartets?
Sundowners, Pacificaires, Vaudeville, Roaring 20’s, Bank Street, 139th Street Quartet, Standing Room Only, BSQ, Uptown Sound, Metropolis, Flipside, State Line Grocery, Musical Island Boys, Forefront, or the Crush.
If so, you might enjoy a look at “OC Cash's Crystal Ball” and see what might have been,,, if only one rule had remained in affect: “ONCE A CHAMP, ALWAYS A CHAMP”.
If it had stayed in place, all our favorite quartets listed above would have been crowed International Champions. As we look into the crystal ball, we all realize that there are a lot of variables that would have taken place if the rule had remained in place.
We fully realize that the biggest variable (if this were played out in “real” life) would be the argument that without Mo being eligible, the Mark IV would probably have taken 1969 off and returned to compete the next year with C.O. Crawford as their bass. Also, no one would believe that with talent like Tony DeRosa, Gary Lewis, Jim Henry, and Alan Gordon, that they would not have won somehow with alternative personnel [and that, too, would have probably changed history even more].
So, with fun in mind and no barbed wire intended, here is what would have happened had the Society kept the SPEBSQSA rule: “ONCE A CHAMP, ALWAYS A CHAMP” in tact and not changed its rules to allow multiple gold medals by an individual singer. From 1938 through 1968, there were 30 gold medal quartet winners, and 120 individual quartet members that were inducted into what is now called the Association of International Champions (AIC).
In 1969, when Mo Rector, bass of the 1958 Champion Gaynotes, won his second gold medal as the bass of the Mark IV quartet, it changed the history of barbershop quartet singing.
In one case, we had to go back to 7th place, in the actual contest, to find a winner with no prior gold medals! Also taken into account is the fact that with some gold medalists becoming champs [who never were, in real life], it then voids their later championships with other quartets -- e.g., Rick Taylor, who would have won gold [in this exercise] with BSQ in 1997, negated what would have been a later gold medal with Riptide.
Quartets highlighted in green bold print are quartets that WOULD have won.
Quartets highlighted in black bold print would have won their gold medals EARLIER
[had the SPEBSQSA: “ONCE A CHAMP, ALWAYS A CHAMP RULE” remained in tact.”]
And the NEW “O.C. Cash Crystal Ball”
International Quartet Champions...
1938-1987 Same results hold either way
1968 Western Continentals (FWD)
1969* GOLDEN STATERS (FWD)
1970 Oriole Four (MAD)
1971* SUNDOWNERS (ILL)
1972* Pacificaires (FWD)
1973 Dealer's Choice (SWD)
1974 Regents (MAD)
1975 Happiness Emporium (LOL)
1976 Innsiders (SWD)
1977 Most Happy Fellows (EVG)
1978 Bluegrass Student Union (CAR)
1979 Grandma's Boys (ILL)
1980 Boston Common (NED)
1981* Classic Collection (RMD)
1982* Vaudeville (MAD)
1983* Roaring 20's (JAD)
1984 Rapscallions (JAD)
1985* Interstate Rivals (CAR)
1986 Rural Route 4 (CSD)
1987* Second Edition (CAR)
1988 Chiefs of Staff (ILL)
1989* Bank Street (RMD)
1990* 139th Street Quartet (FWD)
1991 The Ritz (JAD)
1992* Joker's Wild (JAD)
1993* Nightlife (FWD)
1994* Yesteryear (JAD)
1995* Standing Room Only (FWD)
1996* FRED (DIX)
1997* BSQ (MAD)
1998 Revival (FWD)
1999* Michigan Jake (CAR)
2000* Uptown Sound (JAD)
2001* Four Voices (DIX)
2002* Power Play (PIO
2003* Metropolis (FWD)
2004* Flipside (DIX)
2005 Realtime (EVG)
2006 Vocal Spectrum (CSD)
2007 OC Times (FWD)
2008* State Line Grocery (RMD)
2009* Storm Front (DIX)
2010* RINGMASTERS (SNOBS)
2011* MUSICAL ISLAND BOYS (NZABS)
2012 * Forefront (JAD)
2013 * The Crush (FWD)
Offical SPEBSQSA/BHS International Quartet Champions
1968 Western Continentals (FWD)
1969 Mark IV
1970 Oriole Four (MAD)
1971 Gentleman’s Agree
1972 Golden Staters FWD)
1973 Dealer's Choice (SWD)
1974 Regents (MAD)
1975 Happiness Emporium (LOL)
1976 Innsiders (SWD)
1977 Most Happy Fellows (EVG)
1978 Bluegrass Student Union (CAR)
1979 Grandma's Boys (ILL)
1980 Boston Common (NED)
1981 Chicago News (ILL)
1982 Classic Collection (RMD)
1983 Side Street Ramblers (SWD_
1984 Rapscallions (JAD)
1985 New Tradition (FWD)
1986 Rural Route 4 (CSD)
1987 Interstate Rivals (CAR)
1988 Chiefs of Staff (ILL)
1989 Second Edition (CAR)
1990 Acoustix (SWD)
1991 The Ritz (JAD)
1992 Keepsake (SUN)
1993 Gas House Gang (CSD)
1994 Joker’s Wild (JAD)
1995 Marquis (JAD)
1996 Nightlife (FWD)
1997 Yesteryear (JAD)
1998 Revival (FWD)
1999 FRED (DIX)
2000 PLATINUM (SUN)
2001 Michigan Jake (CAR)
2002 Four Voices (DIX)
2003 Power Play (PIO)
2004 Gotcha! (FWD)
2005 Realtime (EVG)
2006 Vocal Spectrum (CSD)
2007 MAX Q (SWD)
2008 OC Times (FWD)
2009 Crossroads (CSD)
2010 Storm Front (RMD)
2011 Old School (MAD)
2012 Ringmasters (SNOBS)
2013 Masterpiece (FWD)
Sundowners, Pacificaires, Vaudeville, Roaring 20’s, Bank Street, 139th Street Quartet, Standing Room Only, BSQ, Uptown Sound, Metropolis, Flipside, State Line Grocery, Musical Island Boys, Forefront, or the Crush.
If so, you might enjoy a look at “OC Cash's Crystal Ball” and see what might have been,,, if only one rule had remained in affect: “ONCE A CHAMP, ALWAYS A CHAMP”.
If it had stayed in place, all our favorite quartets listed above would have been crowed International Champions. As we look into the crystal ball, we all realize that there are a lot of variables that would have taken place if the rule had remained in place.
We fully realize that the biggest variable (if this were played out in “real” life) would be the argument that without Mo being eligible, the Mark IV would probably have taken 1969 off and returned to compete the next year with C.O. Crawford as their bass. Also, no one would believe that with talent like Tony DeRosa, Gary Lewis, Jim Henry, and Alan Gordon, that they would not have won somehow with alternative personnel [and that, too, would have probably changed history even more].
So, with fun in mind and no barbed wire intended, here is what would have happened had the Society kept the SPEBSQSA rule: “ONCE A CHAMP, ALWAYS A CHAMP” in tact and not changed its rules to allow multiple gold medals by an individual singer. From 1938 through 1968, there were 30 gold medal quartet winners, and 120 individual quartet members that were inducted into what is now called the Association of International Champions (AIC).
In 1969, when Mo Rector, bass of the 1958 Champion Gaynotes, won his second gold medal as the bass of the Mark IV quartet, it changed the history of barbershop quartet singing.
In one case, we had to go back to 7th place, in the actual contest, to find a winner with no prior gold medals! Also taken into account is the fact that with some gold medalists becoming champs [who never were, in real life], it then voids their later championships with other quartets -- e.g., Rick Taylor, who would have won gold [in this exercise] with BSQ in 1997, negated what would have been a later gold medal with Riptide.
Quartets highlighted in green bold print are quartets that WOULD have won.
Quartets highlighted in black bold print would have won their gold medals EARLIER
[had the SPEBSQSA: “ONCE A CHAMP, ALWAYS A CHAMP RULE” remained in tact.”]
And the NEW “O.C. Cash Crystal Ball”
International Quartet Champions...
1938-1987 Same results hold either way
1968 Western Continentals (FWD)
1969* GOLDEN STATERS (FWD)
1970 Oriole Four (MAD)
1971* SUNDOWNERS (ILL)
1972* Pacificaires (FWD)
1973 Dealer's Choice (SWD)
1974 Regents (MAD)
1975 Happiness Emporium (LOL)
1976 Innsiders (SWD)
1977 Most Happy Fellows (EVG)
1978 Bluegrass Student Union (CAR)
1979 Grandma's Boys (ILL)
1980 Boston Common (NED)
1981* Classic Collection (RMD)
1982* Vaudeville (MAD)
1983* Roaring 20's (JAD)
1984 Rapscallions (JAD)
1985* Interstate Rivals (CAR)
1986 Rural Route 4 (CSD)
1987* Second Edition (CAR)
1988 Chiefs of Staff (ILL)
1989* Bank Street (RMD)
1990* 139th Street Quartet (FWD)
1991 The Ritz (JAD)
1992* Joker's Wild (JAD)
1993* Nightlife (FWD)
1994* Yesteryear (JAD)
1995* Standing Room Only (FWD)
1996* FRED (DIX)
1997* BSQ (MAD)
1998 Revival (FWD)
1999* Michigan Jake (CAR)
2000* Uptown Sound (JAD)
2001* Four Voices (DIX)
2002* Power Play (PIO
2003* Metropolis (FWD)
2004* Flipside (DIX)
2005 Realtime (EVG)
2006 Vocal Spectrum (CSD)
2007 OC Times (FWD)
2008* State Line Grocery (RMD)
2009* Storm Front (DIX)
2010* RINGMASTERS (SNOBS)
2011* MUSICAL ISLAND BOYS (NZABS)
2012 * Forefront (JAD)
2013 * The Crush (FWD)
Offical SPEBSQSA/BHS International Quartet Champions
1968 Western Continentals (FWD)
1969 Mark IV
1970 Oriole Four (MAD)
1971 Gentleman’s Agree
1972 Golden Staters FWD)
1973 Dealer's Choice (SWD)
1974 Regents (MAD)
1975 Happiness Emporium (LOL)
1976 Innsiders (SWD)
1977 Most Happy Fellows (EVG)
1978 Bluegrass Student Union (CAR)
1979 Grandma's Boys (ILL)
1980 Boston Common (NED)
1981 Chicago News (ILL)
1982 Classic Collection (RMD)
1983 Side Street Ramblers (SWD_
1984 Rapscallions (JAD)
1985 New Tradition (FWD)
1986 Rural Route 4 (CSD)
1987 Interstate Rivals (CAR)
1988 Chiefs of Staff (ILL)
1989 Second Edition (CAR)
1990 Acoustix (SWD)
1991 The Ritz (JAD)
1992 Keepsake (SUN)
1993 Gas House Gang (CSD)
1994 Joker’s Wild (JAD)
1995 Marquis (JAD)
1996 Nightlife (FWD)
1997 Yesteryear (JAD)
1998 Revival (FWD)
1999 FRED (DIX)
2000 PLATINUM (SUN)
2001 Michigan Jake (CAR)
2002 Four Voices (DIX)
2003 Power Play (PIO)
2004 Gotcha! (FWD)
2005 Realtime (EVG)
2006 Vocal Spectrum (CSD)
2007 MAX Q (SWD)
2008 OC Times (FWD)
2009 Crossroads (CSD)
2010 Storm Front (RMD)
2011 Old School (MAD)
2012 Ringmasters (SNOBS)
2013 Masterpiece (FWD)