Another big change was the move to a new American Legion sponsor, the Billy Caldwell Legion Post. Their generosity included the use of their Post Home for practices and storage of all of the Corps equipment, including the equipment truck. The Corps had never had such a luxury as this and it was a big help to the success of the Corps in these years.
In the early 1960s there was a new surge for the Corps. Stronger management and better planning were introduced by Corps Manager Bob Briske, (who would later go on to significant work with Drum Corps International-DCI) and Business Manager Don Dennstaedt. Rick Maass followed as Corps director from 1964 to 1967. Instruction staff included Rick Maass, Dick Brown, Brian Pennington, Gary Czapinski and Bill Strauts.
During the 1950s, the Corps uniforms often consisted of maroon, gold and silver/white satin shirts with maroon pants, and shakos as headgear. In 1962, the Corps purchased new "battle jacket" uniforms of maroon and white with gold highlights, with maroon pants with a white stripe. These were a striking change and added a dramatic new look to the Corps.
Drum corps activity in Illinois flourished during the 1960s, with at least 30 drum corps attending the VFW and American Legion State Competitions each year. Contemporary corps were the Chicago Cavaliers, Belleville Black Knights, Skokie Vanguard, Chicago Royal Airs, Rockford Phantom Regiment, a host of smaller Illinois corps, and the Wisconsin powers just over the border, including the Madison Scouts, Racine Kilties and Racine Scouts. There were many well-attended and strongly contested corps contests in the Midwest each summer!
The Imperials continued to place well in state, regional and national competition, but titles eluded them during the 1960s.
In 1963, the Corps decided to forego national competition and instead attend the prestigious National Dream Invitational contest in Bayonne, New Jersey. They competed in a contest in Selden, Long Island, New York the day before, then at the Dream contest on August 18, 1963.
Dave Borck adds: "It was a great thrill to be included in the Dream Contest, along with the St. Kevin's Emerald Knights (Boston), the Blessed Sacrament Golden Knights (Newark, New Jersey) and the Garfield Cadets (Garfield, New Jersey). It was great fun to watch them and then to perform before the 26,000 fans in the stadium. They were really great drum corps fans too! They gave us a great reception. But the tension was probably too much for us, and our show was really 'off' due to nerves. Too bad that we were so new to this level of corps activity!"
This was one of the few times in the Corps history that the Corps had male drum majors. Others were in 1953, George Clark; late 1960s, Jack (Alphabet) Niedwieski; 1969 to 70, Paul Zimny; and in the early 1970s, Gary Wigman.
Typical of their music in the 1960s were: Jealousy, Dancero and How High the Moon (1960); A String of Pearls, Moonlight Serenade, Song of the Volga Boatmen (Glenn Miller medley) and Queen of Sheba March (1962); God Bless America (1962-63); Helena Polka, Harlem Nocturne, and Old Man River (1963); Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean and Night and Day (1965); On a Wonderful Day Like Today and Malaguena (1966).
Rick Maass died in December, 1988. He was posthumously inducted into the DCI Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 1989.
One of the most important people in the history of the Corps was Rick Maass, whose work with the Corps spanned almost 30 years. Rick marched in the Corps as a drummer and then as a baritone bugler, from 1940 to 1951. In 1952 and 1953, Rick assisted with the bugle line and acted as Musical Director on the field. The Musical Director could be over 21 and was allowed to direct concert. In 1953, he also served as drill instructor, and became the head M&M instructor and Corps program director by 1954. He taught the Corps until 1964, when he became the Corps manager, until 1967. His influence was felt in all aspects of the Corps and by all the members of the Corps whom he taught.
Rick became a judge as well, working for the Illinois All-American, then the Central States Judges Association. When DCI was formed, Rick became a DCI judge too, and was their first Chief Judge, in charge of ALL DCI judge selection, qualification and training. Many people knew Rick, as a fellow corps member, instructor, corps manager or judge. But most who knew him remember him best as a friend.
1960 - 7th at VFW Nationals, Detroit, score 82.15
1961 - 3rd at American Legion Nationals, Denver, score 81.86
1962 - 7th at VFW Nationals, Minneapolis, score 80.95 (5th at prelims, score 85.72)
1963 - did not attend national competition, instead placed 4th at The National Dream invitational contest, Bayonne, NJ, score 75.80
1964 - 21st at VFW Nationals, Cleveland, score 78.40
1965 - 10th at VFW Nationals, Chicago, score 77.25
1966 - 11th at VFW Nationals, New York, score 79.40 (9th at prelims, score 84.35
1967 - 9th at VFW Nationals, New Orleans, score 75.70
1968 - 12th at VFW Nationals, Detroit, score 73.75
1969 - 21st at VFW Nationals, Philadelphia