Fralinger owned the last decade

THE FRALINGER String Band broke decisively into the winner's circle of the Mummers Parade in January 2003, after a 16-year drought, with the help of aliens and a

spaceship.

The rain-postponed parade featured the usual duel with archrival Quaker City, launching Fralinger on a string of eight wins in the highly competitive String Band Division.

Fralinger and Quaker City came in first and second, respectively, from 2003 to 2009. Fralinger won in 2010, and Joseph A. Ferko came in second.

Fralinger dropped to fourth place in January 2011, and Quaker City took the win.

Fralinger fell to fifth last year. Quaker City placed second to the Woodland String Band, winners for the first time in its 87-year history.