Because the 2025 bowl season heats up, the Rose Bowl stays the granddaddy of all of them. However 107 years in the past, the sport practically vanished amid World Battle I. With faculty rosters depleted by enlistments and drafts, conventional East-West matchups had been inconceivable. Journey restrictions and the battle effort threatened to cancel the New Yr’s Day custom. Match of Roses officers appealed to President Woodrow Wilson, who gave his blessing to proceed for the sake of nationwide morale. The answer: a service group showdown between the undefeated Mare Island Marines and the Camp Lewis Army squad.
The Groups: Marines vs. Troopers
The Mare Island Marines, stationed on the naval base close to Vallejo, California, entered the sport with an 8-0 document in 1917. Coached by Hugo Bezdek, they dominated opponents, outscoring them 200-10 total. Key wins included shutouts of Oregon (27-0), USC (34-0), and California (26-0). The group featured former faculty stars like Hollis Huntington and John Beckett.
Camp Lewis, the 91st Division group from Washington, completed 5-2-1. They misplaced each conferences to Mare Island, together with a 13-0 regular-season defeat in November. Whereas respectable, Camp Lewis was not favored in opposition to the Marines’ powerhouse lineup.
The Recreation – January 1, 1918
A crowd of 25,000 crammed Match Park in Pasadena for the matchup. Mare Island struck first with a second-quarter area objective from Keith Ambrose. Camp Lewis answered with a landing run by Dick Romney (a former Utah star), taking a 7-3 lead at halftime.
The Marines took management after the break. An extended drive ended with a Walter Brown landing run to reclaim the lead. Within the fourth quarter, Huntington scored on a brief plunge, and Ambrose added a area objective. The ultimate rating: Mare Island Marines 19, Camp Lewis 7.
A quote from from the particular “Match of Roses” version of the Pasadena Star-News sums up the Marines’ domination of the military properly:
“The 19 to 7 rating, in favor of the Mare Island Marines, tells the true story of the soccer sport at Match park the afternoon of New Yr’s day. The winners had been nearly as superior to their opponents, the sturdy Camp Lewis group, as the ultimate rely signifies.”
From the Area to the Entrance Traces
Most gamers from each groups shipped abroad quickly after. Of the 17 Mare Island gamers in uniform, 9 served in Europe throughout World Battle I. A number of noticed fight in later conflicts, together with World Battle II and Korea; 5 rose to normal. For Camp Lewis, 14 of 24 gamers deployed to France or Belgium. One died in motion, and others had been wounded. The matchup gave these males one final little bit of residence aspect camaraderie earlier than delivery out to battle.
“Pity the Germans!”
The above quote from the Vallejo Night Chronicle, recapping the sport, captured the indominable spirit of the troopers and Marines as they made ultimate preparations to deploy to battle.
The Legacy of Marine Corps Soccer
The Mare Island victory marked the beginning of a proud Marine soccer custom. Packages like Quantico’s Marines carried it ahead, competing in opposition to schools and different companies. The varsity Quantico group, lively from 1919 till 1972, racked up 355 wins and showcased Marine grit in opposition to high opponents on the gridiron. For extra on this historical past, see the detailed account by Robert Billard.
The 2026 Rose Bowl will happen on January 1, 2026, and can function Indiana versus Alabama.
