DID YOU KNOW?
First game: 1890, Navy won 24-0
Suspended: The game was put on hiatus for five years after a dispute in Annapolis between an Army brigadier general and a Navy rear admiral almost led to a duel. A decision was made to play the game at a neutral site. In 1899, the game was moved to Philadelphia.
Game balls: Army’s marathon team and Navy’s 13th company each stage their own runs — from West Point, N.Y., and Annapolis, Md., to bring their game balls to the stadium the day before the game.
Pregame: The Corps of Cadets and Brigade of Midshipmen have a march-on before the game that kicks off the pomp and pageantry that make up a series of annual traditions before kickoff.
Postgame: The losing team’s alma mater is played, with both teams at attention, followed by the winning team’s alma mater.
Presidents: Theodore Roosevelt was the first president to attend the game, in 1901; Dwight D. Eisenhower was the only president to play in the game, in 1912.
JFK: President John F. Kennedy attended the game in 1961 and 1962. He initiated the practice of having the commander in chief hold the pregame coin toss. In 1963, the game was postponed for a week at the request of first lady Jacqueline Kennedy, who believed it was important for the game to go on as a “fitting tribute” to her husband.
Trump: President-elect Donald Trump is planning to attend, sitting on Army’s side for a half and then switching to Navy’s side, per a transition team spokesperson Tuesday.
Bad omen for Army: In 10 head-to-head meetings this fall in all sports, Navy holds an 8-2 edge. Army has wins in men’s soccer and volleyball.
Head gear: In 1893, Joseph Mason Reeves commissioned an Annapolis shoemaker to make him a helmet out of leather, after a doctor told the Midshipman he could die if he took another blow to the head. Reeves is believed to be the first player to wear a helmet.
Uniforms: Army’s uniforms pay tribute to World War II paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division. Designed by Nike, the uniforms are black and gray (an homage to the dangerous night jumps) and include a camouflage-base layer, fullcolor historical unit patches and carry the “All American” nickname given to the 82nd Airborne, signifying at least one member was from every state.
Navy is wearing a style that pays tribute to its 1963 season, when quarterback Roger Staubach led the Midshipmen to a 9-2 record that included a win against Army. Navy lost to Texas in the Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Day. The style is designed by Under Armour and features an anchor on the helmet and base layer, Navy stars surrounding an N on the shoulder pads and “Beat Army” on the palms of the gloves.
Family rivalry: Navy’s Calvin Cass Jr., a senior slotback, averages 13.6 yards per game. He also had an offer to attend Army, where his father, Calvin Cass Sr., was a running back and ranks 25th on the all-time list, with 1,546 yards as a threeyear starter from 1987 to 1990.
Not just football: The game caps a week-long celebration between the two academies that includes intramurals, the Patriot Games, a debate and the Army-Navy Gala.