Hi! My name is Dick Papot, and I played with the Sunrisers from 1964-1968, and in 1972, playing soprano (just how well I really won't say).

I joined the Sunrisers with Frank Cevasco at the Jamaica Armory in the Fall of 1964, after Frank and I caught the Sunrisers in a Daily News sponsored contest at Shea Stadium. My life has never been the same since. 1965 was my first season competing and I still remember my first show in Stratford, CT, hosted by the Stateliners. I had never really seen any Senior Drum Corps until that show the previous summer, and when I heard Hawthorne and even the Marksmen warming up, I thought we'd be dead meat! Well, I was wrong (as I usually am) - we placed second by a comfortable margin with only the Caballeros edging us out (as they did all season).

It's great to see this website up (as a matter of fact, web design is my occupation). I noticed that Ron Newsam wanted to see more of his era represented on this site, so here I am. As a side note, Ron, you lasted until the '66 season. Are you still as tall?