“Plebe! From now on the first and last words out of your mouth will be Sir or Ma’am. Do you understand?”
“Yup!” I replied
It was immediately obvious that I did NOT understand.
I had barely heard of the United States Naval Academy six months before that day. Induction Day…or “I-Day” as they call it.
My path to that small desk with my paperwork and a now angry ‘detailer’ was not what most would expect of me now - a 20 year naval officer.
The detailer sitting in front of me did a double take at my response to him. I saw him sit up straighter and prepare to repeat his instructions…
A (truly) Historic Football Rivalry
110 years before my unfortunate response to an easy question, the United States Military Academy cadets played the United States Naval Academy midshipman for the first time. 1890 was the beginning of what is now one of the most classic college football games played on television today.
Cadets and midshipmen played the first Army-Navy football game on "The Plain" at West Point. Navy had been playing organized football since 1879 and defeated the newly established Army team, 24-0.
Fun Fact: The first ever leather football helmet was created and worn by a Naval Academy football player in 1893.
Joseph Mason Reeves was told by his doctor that repeated hits to the head would not have favorable long term health effects. Reeves took matters into his own hands. This improvement from the original flannel football helmet [1891] to a leather helmet was produced by the his shoemaker in Annapolis, Maryland. The padded, mushroom-shaped helmet design also transitioned to more applications other than the game of football; as the helmet design was brought back to the Navy and was worn on the heads of paratroopers in World War I.
There have been many memorable Army Navy football moments…and many football firsts.
The first leather football helmet was created and worn in 1893 by a Navy player.
Instant replay made its American debut in the 1963 Army-Navy game.
A 1973 episode of "MAS*H" referenced a fictional Army-Navy game that ended 42-36 Navy. To this day, no Army-Navy game has ended with that score.
The Rose Bowl is the only site west of the Mississippi River to host the Army-Navy game -- it did so in 1983.
Since 1901, there have been ten sitting presidents of the United States to attend the Army-Navy Game (T. Roosevelt, H. Truman, G. W. Bush, D. Trump, JFK, W. Wilson, C. Coolidge, G. Ford, B. Clinton, B. Obama)
Since 1890, there have only been 10 times the teams did not play: 1894–1898, 1909, 1917–1918 & 1928–1929
The best part?
Through the 2023 meeting, Navy leads the series 62–55–7.
Yes, I Understand You
The detailer repeated his earlier instructions.
“PLEBE! From now on the first and last words out of your mouth will be Sir or Ma’am. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?”
“Yes! I un-der-stand you!” He must not have heard me the first time.
The female detailer sitting next to the now stunned gentlemen in front of me stopped what she was doing. Slowly turning in our direction, I distinctly remember her lacing her hands together in front of her as if to say, “I’m ready to watch what is about to happen to you.”
The now VERY angry young man trying to keep his composure stood up…steam practically coming out of his ears.
“PLEBE!! From now on the FIRST and LAST words out of your mouth will be SIR or MA’AM. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!?!”
All of a sudden I understood.
Oh…no…
I must have blocked out the rest of the day because I remember very little of it…other than I started and ended EVERY sentence with Sir or Ma’am.