Navy began taking part in organized soccer in 1879, when first-classman William John Maxwell fashioned the Naval Academy’s first group. The squad practiced earlier than reveille and after drills, in opposition to direct orders from the academy superintendent who had banned the game.
By 1890, Navy wanted the same opponent, however Army did not have a soccer group. When Navy requested a pleasant recreation, Cadet Dennis Mahan Michie satisfied West Level management to create a group.
On November 29, 1890, the groups met on the Plain at West Level for the primary time. The 271 members of the Corps of Cadets every contributed 52 cents to cowl half of Navy’s journey prices. Navy arrived by ferry and in accordance with some legends, grabbed a goat from an Army NCO’s quarters to make use of as their mascot. Different legends allege that the officers of the USS New York gifted the Midshipmen their ship’s goat mascot. Both method, Invoice the Goat grew to become Navy’s official mascot.
Navy dominated 24-0 in entrance of roughly 1,000 spectators.
Michie recruited coach Harry Williams from close by Newburgh to steer the group in apply going ahead. When Army traveled to Annapolis in 1891, the Black Knights crushed Navy 32-16. The rivalry was born.
Dennis Michie by no means noticed the rivalry develop into the legend it’s now. Captain Michie was killed throughout the Spanish-American Struggle on July 1, 1898, shot by a Spanish marksman throughout the Battle for Santiago at simply 28 years outdated.
Early Rivalries, Suspensions, and Resumptions
Within the 1893 assembly, Navy Admiral Joseph Mason Reeves made historical past by sporting what’s extensively thought to be the primary soccer helmet—a leather-based contraption made by an Annapolis shoemaker after a Navy physician warned one other head damage might trigger dying or everlasting incapacity.
After that recreation, an argument between an Army normal and a Navy admiral escalated right into a brawl between followers on each side. President Grover Cleveland intervened, issuing orders that successfully prevented the groups from taking part in one another from 1894 by means of 1898.
The sport resumed in 1899 in Philadelphia. For the primary time, Army selected the mule because the group mascot when a quartermaster officer selected a white mule to match the Navy goat. The primary “official” Army mule, Mr. Jackson, later arrived at West Level in 1936.
Navy’s 1906 victory, 10-0, grew to become probably the most historic. Percy Northcroft kicked a 43-yard discipline purpose, and Jonas Ingram caught a 20-yard landing cross to win the sport. After the win, Navy unveiled “Anchors Aweigh” which later grew to become the Navy’s official track.
In 1909, West Level Cadet Eugene Byrne sadly died from accidents sustained in an October recreation in opposition to Harvard. Army canceled the rest of its season in mourning. World Struggle I canceled the 1917 and 1918 video games. Disputes over participant eligibility guidelines canceled the 1928 and 1929 matchups.
Since 1930, the rivalry has remained unbroken for 95 consecutive years. Via 125 conferences, Navy leads 63-55-7. Although Army has received six of the final eight.
Future Generals on the Gridiron
The 1912 Army group included halfback Dwight D. Eisenhower, who began three video games earlier than a career-ending knee damage in opposition to Tufts. The New York Occasions referred to as him “probably the most promising backs in Japanese soccer.”
Omar Bradley additionally performed on that squad. Each belonged to West Level’s Class of 1915, later often called “the category the celebs fell on” for producing 59 generals. Bradley grew to become a five-star normal and the primary chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Employees.
In the course of the Battle of the Bulge, Bradley reminded Eisenhower of a lesson their coach Ernest Graves Sr. had taught them in 1912, “If issues break badly or go in opposition to you, stick with it all of the tougher.”
That 1912 group additionally included six different generals who would go on to realize nice feats in each World Wars. William Hoge, Geoffrey Keyes, Leland Hobbs, Leland Devore, Vernon Prichard, and Robert Neyland, who later grew to become a School Soccer Corridor of Fame coach at Tennessee.
Even Douglas MacArthur served as Army’s group supervisor in 1899. He graduated from West Level first in his class in 1903. He wrote that on “the fields of pleasant strife are sown the seeds that on different days, upon different fields, will bear the fruits of victory.”
Navy’s William “Bull” Halsey performed for the Midshipmen within the early 1900s earlier than directing naval operations within the Pacific throughout World Struggle II. Different well-known admirals who performed soccer for Navy embody Thomas Hamilton, John Stuffelbeem, and Don Whitmore.
Medal of Honor Recipients
Eleven service academy soccer gamers later acquired the Medal of Honor—six from Navy, 5 from Army.
Navy’s Allen Buchanan lettered in 1898 however by no means confronted Army—his taking part in years fell throughout the 1894-1898 suspension. He earned the Medal of Honor on April 21, 1914, throughout the Battle of Vera Cruz.
Two different Navy soccer gamers earned the award throughout the identical Mexican marketing campaign in April 1914, Jonas Ingram, who performed fullback from 1903 to 1906 and scored the one landing within the 1906 Army-Navy recreation, and Frederick McNair Jr.
Carlton Hutchins performed for Navy from 1922 to 1925. He acquired a peacetime Medal of Honor in 1938 after staying on the controls of his broken PBY-2 seaplane to present his crew time to parachute to security off the California coast throughout coaching.
Richard Antrim, a POW within the Dutch East Indies, saved a fellow officer’s life by taking a beating meant for him. Harold Bauer, a Marine aviator at Guadalcanal, engaged a whole Japanese squadron alone and destroyed 4 enemy planes earlier than his gas ran out.
Army’s 5 recipients included Douglas MacArthur, who acquired his Medal for defending the Philippines in World Struggle II. Robert Cole led a bayonet cost throughout open floor close to Carentan on D-Day. Leon Vance Jr. flew a crippled bomber again over the English Channel on one engine along with his foot practically severed.
Samuel Coursen engaged in hand-to-hand fight in Korea—seven enemy lifeless had been discovered within the emplacement when his physique was recovered. Frank Reasoner was killed in Vietnam working to assist his wounded radio operator beneath heavy hearth.
Medal of Honor recipients have additionally participated in pregame ceremonies. Earlier than the 2010 recreation, three Army recipients—together with Employees Sergeant Salvatore Giunta, the primary residing recipient from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan—joined three Navy recipients for the coin toss.
Presidential Attendance on the Sport
Theodore Roosevelt grew to become the primary sitting president to attend in 1901, establishing the sport as a nationwide occasion. He attended once more in 1905. Harry S. Truman set the document for attendance, watching all however one recreation from 1945 to 1952, lacking solely the 1951 matchup whereas on trip. The previous World Struggle I artillery captain understood the sport’s significance.
In complete, 10 sitting presidents have attended the sport together with Woodrow Wilson (1913), Calvin Coolidge (1924), Gerald Ford (1974), Invoice Clinton (1996), George W. Bush (2001, 2004, 2008), Barack Obama (2011), and Donald Trump (2018, 2019, 2020). Trump additionally attended as president-elect in 2016 and 2024.
John F. Kennedy was significantly keen on the rivalry. The previous PT boat commander who earned the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for heroism in World Struggle II attended the 1961 and 1962 video games. Presidents sometimes sit at midfield, alternating between the Army and Navy sides at halftime.
When Each Groups Dominated the Sport
For a lot of the primary half of the twentieth century, Army and Navy dominated school soccer. The 1926 recreation at Chicago’s Soldier Discipline drew 110,000 spectators. Each groups entered undefeated—Navy at 9-0, Army at 8-0-1.
Army coach Biff Jones began his second unit to “soften” Navy. The technique backfired as Navy jumped to a 14-0 lead. Army’s starters rallied for a 21-14 fourth-quarter lead, however Navy’s Tom Hamilton executed a reverse that allowed Alan Shapley to attain a late landing. Hamilton drop-kicked the additional level for a 21-21 tie. As a result of Army already had one tie on its document, Navy claimed a share of the 1926 nationwide championship.
Regardless of WWII, the 1944 Army group had assembled what Common MacArthur referred to as “the best of all Army groups.” Led by future Heisman winners Felix “Doc” Blanchard and Glenn Davis, the Black Knights entered ranked No. 1 whereas Navy stood at No. 2. The December 2 recreation in Baltimore drew 70,000 followers for a Struggle Bond drive that raised $58.6 million. Army received 23-7, snapping a five-game shedding streak to Navy.
In 1945, each groups once more entered undefeated, ranked No. 1 and No. 2. Army raced to a 20-0 first-quarter lead and received 32-13. These Army groups went undefeated from 1944 by means of 1946 whereas profitable three straight nationwide titles.
5 Heisman winners have performed in Army-Navy video games together with Blanchard (1945), Davis (1946), Pete Dawkins (Army-1958), Joe Bellino (Navy-1960), and Roger Staubach (Navy-1963). As school soccer advanced, each academies discovered it troublesome to compete attributable to admissions requirements and repair obligations. Since 1963, solely 5 video games have featured each groups coming into with profitable data.
The 1963 recreation grew to become probably the most poignant within the rivalry’s historical past. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, eight days earlier than the scheduled kickoff forcing each groups to ponder cancelling the sport. Jacqueline Kennedy urged each academies to proceed, feeling her husband would have wished it to occur. The sport moved to December 7—the twenty second anniversary of Pearl Harbor. Greater than 102,000 spectators stuffed Philadelphia’s Municipal Stadium.
Navy entered 9-1 behind quarterback Staubach, who had simply been named Heisman Trophy winner. Army’s opening landing drive featured the primary use of immediate replay in American tv. Navy received 21-15. Staubach served within the Navy earlier than a Corridor of Fame profession with the Dallas Cowboys. Army quarterback throughout the recreation, Rollie Stichweh, later served 5 years in Vietnam with the 173rd Airborne Brigade.
Fashionable Period Soccer Milestones
The 1964 recreation marked one other milestone when Navy sophomore Calvin Huey grew to become the primary African-American to play within the collection. Though Army received 11-8, Huey accomplished 4 passes.
Via the Nineteen Seventies, ’80s, and ’90s, the rivalry remained fierce. Army received seven of 9 video games from 1984 to 1992, however Navy answered with six consecutive victories from 1993 to 1998.
Navy dominated the trendy period with a 14-game profitable streak from 2002 to 2015, the longest in collection historical past. Led by quarterback Keenan Reynolds, who set an NCAA document with 88 speeding touchdowns, the Midshipmen received by a median margin of 25.7 factors throughout the first 9 video games. Reynolds completed fifth in Heisman voting in 2015.
Army lastly broke by means of on December 10, 2016, with a 21-17 victory. Army has since received six of eight conferences, together with a 20-17 double-overtime recreation in 2022—the primary time beyond regulation recreation within the rivalry’s historical past. Solely seven video games in all the collection have been determined by three factors or fewer.
Navy received the 2024 recreation 31-13, the one hundred and twenty fifth assembly between the academies.
Traditions of the Army-Navy Sport
The pregame march-on has each pupil our bodies enter the stadium in navy formation. Each cadet and midshipman participates. The prisoner change has develop into a practice for the reason that Service Academy Alternate Program started. Cadets spending the autumn semester at Annapolis and midshipmen learning at West Level are ceremonially launched earlier than kickoff. The USMA first captain leads the midshipmen to midfield, whereas the USNA brigade commander brings out the West Level cadets.
Navy jets conduct flyovers. When the president attends, Air Power One generally joins the formation. The Navy’s Leap Frogs and Army’s Black Knights parachute groups typically land on the sphere. Cadets and Midshipmen often convey indicators poking enjoyable at one another with witty soccer jokes and pop-culture references.
After the sport, each groups collect at midfield. They face the shedding group’s college students and sing that alma mater collectively. Then they flip to face the victors and sing the profitable faculty’s track. Inside years, many of those rivals might serve on the identical facet in fight.
Service academy alumni stay standing at consideration after different followers go away, fingers over hearts as each songs play.
Alternate Uniforms and Navy Tributes
In 2008, Nike created the primary particular uniforms for the sport. Army wore camouflage helmets and pants with “WEST POINT” stenciled down the legs, paired with a black jersey that includes camo numbers. Navy wore white jerseys with blue and gold epaulets impressed by historic Navy service uniforms. Beginning in 2011, each groups started usually unveiling elaborate alternates.
Since 2016, Army has labored with Nike and West Level’s Division of Historical past and Struggle Research to honor particular navy models such because the 82nd Airborne (2016), tenth Mountain Division (2017), 1st Infantry Division (2018), 1st Cavalry Division (2019), twenty fifth Infantry Division (2020), Particular Operations (2021), 1st Armored Division (2022), third Infantry Division (2023), and one hundred and first Airborne (2024).
Navy’s method has showcased aviation and naval warfare together with plane carriers (2015), Blue Angels (2017), NASA astronauts—54 Naval Academy graduates grew to become astronauts, greater than some other establishment (2022), submarine drive (2023), and Jolly Rogers fighter squadron (2024).
The 2025 recreation marks each companies’ 250th anniversaries. Army’s marble-patterned white uniforms match Arlington Nationwide Cemetery headstones, with purple accents referencing the Purple Coronary heart. Navy’s design honors the USS Structure with copper helmets—a nod to the ship’s copper-sheathed hulls.
The Legacy of the Army-Navy Sport
Practically 25 % of the 1,300 males who’ve worn Army’s gold and black have risen to at the very least brigadier normal. Forty Corridor of Fame gamers have performed within the recreation, together with 9 Corridor of Fame coaches. The rivalry has produced 5 Heisman Trophy winners and quite a few skilled gamers, together with Roger Staubach’s Corridor of Fame tenure with Dallas.
Navy joined the American Athletic Convention in 2015. Army adopted in 2024. The Army-Navy recreation stays an out-of-conference contest. Since 1972, the sport concludes the competitors for the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy, awarded to the service academy with one of the best document amongst Army, Navy, and Air Power.
For many gamers, the Army-Navy recreation marks their final time in pads. For the seniors, it is sometimes their closing aggressive recreation earlier than commissioning as officers. Inside months, they report back to their first responsibility stations. Some lead platoons in fight. Some command ships or fly fighter jets. Some, like Dennis Michie, make the last word sacrifice.
Tens of millions of People tune in or observe the scores to see which group will come out on prime every year, together with hundreds of service members deployed abroad who stream the sport from distant bases and even fight zones.
The rivalry has survived brawls between admirals and generals, wartime restrictions, tragic deaths, and school soccer’s evolution right into a billion-dollar trade the place service academy gamers compete with out scholarships whereas carrying full tutorial and navy coaching masses.
In 2025, the Nationwide Soccer Basis honored the Army-Navy recreation with the Distinguished American Award, recognizing it as a nationwide treasure representing braveness, dedication, and repair.
The 126th assembly is scheduled for December 13. After 135 years, Army-Navy stays America’s Sport.
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