Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-02
The Football Match Between the
Middies and Cadets.
BEAUTY And FASHION At ANNAPOLIS.
AGreat Throng Of Spectators Wit
ness the Annual Struggle.
NO SCORE IN FIRST HALF
Special Dispatch TO The Evening Star.

Special Dispatch TO The Evening Star.
ANNAPOLIS, Nd, Dec. ..
This usually quiet old town Is today gay
and bright with people and crowded to its
farthest limit by those who have come
down to see the great game between An
napoiis and West Point. The rivalry be-
tween these two academies is never 50
marked as 1t is when their respective
eisvens line up on the big gridiron to bat
tie for the championship. The result was
that the game today drew together a large
audience that was divided in It's loyalty
to the two teams. AS was to be expected,
the adherents of the middies largely out
numbered those who were on hand TO cheer
for the future generals. Many came on
this morning from Baltimore to see the
sport. but an even larger crowd came down
from Washington on the special trains.
Crowds Gather.
The Army and Navy Club sent down a
large contingent of members, representing
In about equal proportions the army and
the navy. There were many men who are
prominent In official and social life at the
capital. and judging by the appearance OF
the field this afternoon, it would seem as
though there could not be many younger
officers in either branch OF the service left
at their desks at the War and Navy De-
partments.
The special trains reached here between
i and O'Clock and brought a large number
OF the fair sex, all OF whom were decked
out either with the blue and gold of the
navy or the black and gray of West Point
1t IL perfect day for foot ball game
the field Is In the finest sort of condition
and all signs point to sharp and interest
ing game. Opinions as TO the relative
merits OF the two teams vary about as the
colors that are worn. for both contingents
are loyal to their own sides. though the
fine showing that the Pointers made in
their game with Princeton has made them
rather the favorites with outsiders. Com
paratively little betting has been done this
afternoon. though many wagers have been
laid by army and navy officers in quiet
corners on the club before they came down.
ANNAPOLIS, Nd. Dec. 1.-The West
Point foot ball eleven, with it's substitutes,
stopped over night In Baltimore. and ar
rived here at 10 o'clock this morning look
ing fresh and vigorous for the encounter
with the middies. and great determination
depicted on their countenances to leaye the
field victorious or die in the attempt. They
are attended by Trainers Laurie Bliss,
Graves. Williams and Corbin, with a large
delegation of the admirers of the boys in
gray from the vicinity of West Point. Mr..
Bliss said In Baltimore last evening that
the men have shown great improvement
since he began to train them. and that
while they are not confident of defeating
the 'middies' they are going to Annapolis
for that purpose. The team is a much
better one than that which represented
West Point last year." he continued ''and
II would be better still II we had more time
TO practice 1t is balanced very well. the
line and the backs being Of uniform
strength. 1 have been teaching the men
the Yale game as far as have been able,
and We will have a number Of good tricks
IN lYr ha
ordinary methods do not avail. The best
men on the team are probably Stacey. Car
son, Ames and Harbeson."
With the army boys came a host of
friends. and large crowds went to Annapo-
lis. Admiral Gherardi of the United States
Atlantic squadron, with headquarters at
Brooklyn, Is an ardent admirer OF foot ball,
and has come expressly TO see today's con-
test. OF course 1 expect our boys to win"
said he That's just what we have come
down for. After the game 1 will return 20
New York direct"
Our Weather Perfect
Had the weather been made to order 1t
could not possibly have been more perfect
Tor chasing the pigskin. The game to be
played here this afternoon is the fourth an
nual game played between the Naval Acade-
my and the West Point Military Academy.
the cadets having been beaten twice on
their own grounds and the "middies'' once
at Annapolis, leaving the games two to
one in favor of Annapolis Every effort
has been made this year by the Army
Athletic Association to put the bows in gray
in such shape that they would be able to
cope with their antagonists in blue. Former
witnesses Of the contests between West
Foint and Annapolis who were not present
today Will md little difficulty in pictur-
ing the scene on the grounds. During the
early morning hours and throughout the
forenoon friends and admirers Of both
teams were arriving and a steady current
OF enthusiastic humanity flowed toward
the grounds There was not vacant seat
left among the three thousand reserved for
members OF the army and navy and their
friends and fully 1900 people will have to
be content with standing room around the
ropes to witness the battle between the
students OF Uncle Sans two great military
educational Institutions.
Annapolis is in holiday attire. Business
Is almost suspended and the day given
over 10 the great game. The magnificent
decorations OF blue and gold on every hand,
from the railroad depot TO the academy
grounds, the academy buildings draped in
one mass Of bunting. formed a striking
contrast to the somber gray OF the stone
buildings or the Military Academy at West
Point
brilliant Scene.
The steady stream of visitors vending
their way toward the scene of the coming
encounter. the enthusiasm of the friends
Of the gallant naval cadets, the ladies gaily
bedecked with Annapolis coIors, formed a
scene which the usually quiet, undemOn-
strative people of the historic town of An
napolis will not soon forget. Every one
had some token OF his or her sympathies
and notwithstanding the fact that the sym
pathy was largely with Annapolis, and its
admirers far outnumbered those of the
cadets, when the cadet team and followers
appeared upon the ground, headed by cool
beaded Capt. Kit" Carson wearing
mascot on his left breast in the shape
Of a rabbits foot. bedecked with the col
lege colors. blue and gray ribbon. a mighty
cheer went up from the excited throng
and Q thousand voices sang:
boom -da-aye,
Where are now the boys in gray?
They are on the top today;
Rah-tat-tat-da-b oOm-de-aye
And as the echoes died away in the dis
lance, from as many more throats rang
cut the war cry of the boys in gray:
"Rah-rah-ray-bang
West Point, West Point. army"
Washington Arrivals.
AT 10 O'Clock salute was fired upon the
arrival of Assistant Secretary McAdoo. The
crowd was considerably augmented at l
O'Clock by the arrival OF two special trains
from Washington Forty West Point army
officers and a number of ladies OF the post
also reached here this morning. The air
u deafening turmoil caused by the graf