Vintage Baton Blog
The Vintage Baton Blog is the comprehensive collection of all posts on this site. A team manages the site. Consequently, we publish posts quite frequently. These include photo essays and single, iconic images; original interviews; memoirs; testimonials; tributes; memorials; obituaries and more. In addition, all posts have an overarching category, the link for which appears in the dateline of each post. At the end of each post are tags. These are much more specific to the post. For example, “1940s” is a category while “World War II” is a tag. Basically, users can explore content by clicking on various categories and tags. Have fun exploring!
Lincoln School Majorettes
Lincoln School Majorettes including Jeanne and Liz Logan, Springfield, Missouri, 1954. Lincoln School Majorettes, 1953 Lincoln School Marching Band, 1953 Lincoln School Marching Band, 1949 Lincoln School Marching Band,...
Chinese Moon Festival, 1941
The Chinese Moon Festival, also known as the Mid-Autumn Festival, featured majorettes marching in the Moon Festival Parade, August 1941. The festival was reportedly held in Hollywood or L.A's Chinatown or both. It was one of the first fundraisers for United China...
Davey the Majorette, 1938
Davey (or possibly "Hazelwood") was photographed with her baton, cape and Garrison hat by Los Angeles studio photographer Dick Whittington in 1938. A client's name on the envelope holding the black and white negative was noted "Miss Hazelwood Park." Sounds more like...
1940s Majorette Pictures at Menard & Tabery
These photos of 1940s majorettes were taken by Dick Whittington at Menard and Tabery, a home improvement store in Los Angeles. It appears they were form different schools and/or colleges and were part of a holiday promotional shoot. Source: Los Angeles County Public...
Diane Remy Baton Twirlers – Sheboygan, Wisconsin (1981)
Students from the Diane Remy School of Dance and Baton stand in front of a wood-paneled station wagon before the Memorial Day Parade, Sheboygan, Wisconsin, 1981. Diane Remy (1938-2024) Obituary Diana Veronica Remy (Diane Remy), age 85, passed away at her home on May...
Grambling State Bayou Classic, 1989
Check out this wonderful footage featuring Grambling State University twirlers at the Bayou Classic, 1989. The majorettes twirl flags, batons and knives during their halftime performance. We compiled cuts of these performances and published it to music for our...
NFL Baton Twirlers Remembered (Detroit Lions)
In case you missed it, WXYZ Detroit aired a feature story on the Detroit Lions baton twirlers. Click here to read the story by reporter Christiana Ford. Twirlers made their debut in Tiger Stadium in 1957. According to Ford, they continued in some form through 2002....
Bicentennial-Era Majorette
These 1977 photos of a Bicentennial-Era majorette are reminiscent of 200th Birthday of the United States. As anyone who lived during that time knows, everything was red, white and blue. Even the fire hydrants across America were painted to look like Minutemen. If you...
Baton Twirler – Brookefield, Illinois (1950)
A baton twirler perfoms on a baseball diamond at the Kiwanis Park in Brookefiled, Illinois. The year was 1950. She was not identified by the curator. Posted with permission. Source: Brookefiled Historical Society Here is another archive from the Brookefield Historical...
Fairy Tale Parade | Portland, Oregon (November 1958)
Judy Elsenbach was a majorette at Franklink High School, Portland Oregon. On November 28, 1958, she marched in the Fairy Tale Parade. Baton high over head she wore ear muffs and fur-trimmed boots and skirt. Nancy Gilbertson wore a Frosty the Snowman costume as she...
Hollywood Santa Claus Christmas Parade
A majorette sporting a band hat with a large plume marches in the Hollywood Santa Claus Christmas Parade. Exact date is unknown, but it appears the photo was taken during the 1960s. It is part of the Security Pacific National Bank Collection.
W.A. Thomason, North Carolina State Drum Major (1940)
Walter Aldine "W.A." Thomason, was a talented drum major, twirler and tumbler for North Carolina State University. His earliest recorded performance at the University was in 1940. According to Ancestry.com, Thomason was born in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1920 and...
Eastern Kentucky University Majorette Marches in Christmas Parade, 1970s
An unidentified Eastern Kentucky University majorette marches in a Christmas parade, 1970s. We love the old fur-trimmed majorette costumes, which have remained popular over the years. Click here to see a few more via past posts.
The Firettes at Engine Company 8, Nashville, Tennessee (1960s)
The Firettes was a group of championship baton twirlers in Nashville, Tennessee. They won the World Baton Twirling Championship of 1964. These photos were taken at Nashville Engine Company No. 8, circa July 1965. If you know anything about the Firettes please contact...
Armistice Day Parade, 1941
A drum majorette leads an Armistice Day parade in Kentucky, 1941. Armistice Day is an international holiday observed each year on November 11 to commemorate the end of World War I.
Child Twirlers March at Adlai Stevenson Rally (1956)
68 Years Ago Today Child baton twirlers march at a Democratic party campaign parade during a political rally for Adlai Stevenson, Chicago Stadium, November 3, 1956. Source: University of Chicago
Vintage Brown University Band, 1942
Brown University students Robert Hackett (1919-2003), Class of 1941, and Kenneth M. Greene (1920-2021), Class of 1942, pose with guest majorette Betty Brown Lee, 1942. Brown was an Ice Capades star. Photo Source: Brown University Alumni Magazine. Photo published with...
Majorettes Practicing Formation, 1962
Woodward High School majorettes, Toledo, Ohio, practice formation for a half-time show, 1962. Source: Ohio Historical Society