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Brief History

In 1946 the former traffic court located at 495 Gates Ave. in Brooklyn, N.Y. was transformed into a community recreational center “Wynn Center” under the operation of the N.Y.C. Police Athletic League. Mr. Sidney E. Austin, a young man fresh from the military, got busy teaching local youth the art of recreational teamwork, discipline and self-esteem. Due to his military training, Mr. Austin got the brilliant idea to use military techniques to instill motivation and discipline in the local youth. He taught them marching techniques that captured their imagination and interest. From that experience was born a group known as the “Silver Buckles”. The Silver Buckles were the forerunners to the “Toppers”. With the advent of bugles and drums, the organization became a full-fledged Drum & Bugle Corps and began to enter competitions against other units in the city. The year was 1953. They won every stand still competition that they entered. In June 1991 former members of the Toppers Drum & Bugle Corps got together after over twenty years to revitalize the Brooklyn Day Parade, this was billed as the “Ultimate Reunion”, The Toppers are still an important part of that parade to this day The spirit of Mr. Sidney E. Austin and co-founder Mr. Joseph Tucker has been able to continue on to this day through the work of the Toppers Alumni Association, Toppers Association, Inc and now the Wynn Center Toppers, Inc whose activities are inspired by their teachings. We Are Still Marching.