Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-02
West Point and Annapolis Cadets
Wage Foot Ball War.
CONTEST is ON FRANKLIN FIELD
First Meeting of the Two Schools
Stree 1898.
ENORMOUS. CROWD PRESENT

PHILADELPHIA, December 2-One of
the most notable foot ball games ever
played in this city began this afternoon on
Franklin Field, the home and battle ground
OF pennsylvania gridiron warriors, the con-
testants being elevens representing West
Point Military and Annapolis Naval Acade-
mics.
The game was notable in more ways than
one. 1t was the first time that elevens rep
resenting the two branches of the military
arm of the government have me. since 1898
when by mutual agreement of the Secretary
of War and the Secretary of the Navy the
annual contests were stopped because the
interest i'll them had grown 50 intense that
they interfered to some extent with the
progress of the cadets in both academies.
1t was also notable because of the prom
inent men who were here to see the battle.
Among those present were Secretary of
war Root, Secretary of Navy Long. Assist
ant Secretary of War Meikejohn, Assist
ant Secretary of the Navy Allen and long
list of officers, active and retired of the
navy and army.
A unique feature of the contest was that
no admission fee was charged, and admit
lance was by invitation only. More than
220OU invitations were issued, the two acad-
em1es each sending out 5000, and the Uni
Verslty of Pennsylvania the remaining TO-,
oOo or more. The demand for tickets was
unusually brisk and high SO was Of
tered FOR single invitation.
Arrangement of the Spectators.
The West Point contingent was seated on
the south stand and with the West Point
coiors of black, blue and gray made
pretty picture. The followers of the naval
cadets We're on the north stand their col
ors being blue and old gold. The decision
of the officers not to appear in uniform
rUDDeQ the occasion of q SDectarHlaT feat
ure
The cadets and the middles have met on
the loot ball field five times. Three times
the sailors were victorious, one game was
won by the cadets and one contest resulted
in a tie On the middies' team of '93 We're
TWO players who fell while in the service
OF their country. They were Worth Bag
ley. the dashipg, young lieutenant who lost
his life in action at CardenaS, and Merritt,
who went down, with the battle ship Maine.
The preparations made by the two teams
for todays game were elaborate. Some OF
the best college players and experts in the
country have been coaching the players.
with the result that the elevens have been
brought to high standard of foot ball ex-
cellence The rivalry has been intense and
the players for waeks have been Itching"
to get at each other.
Teams Arrived Yesterday
Both teams arrived yesterday afternoon
and were quartered in hotels as the guests
of the University of Pennsylvania. The
West Point players were in charge of Col.
A. L. Mills superintendent of the West
Point Military Academy, and the naval
cadets were under the guidance of Lieut..
Commander Hugo Osterhaus, L. S. \. The
teams rested this morning and were in
prime physical condition when the game
began. The rival contingents We're conf
dent of victory. but the betting was slightly
in favor Of the middes. The hotel CORR
doris We're crowded all morning with veter-
ans of both the army and navy. and many
good-sized bets were made on their favor
ties.
The entire corps of West Point cadets,
800 strong, in uniforms, arrived here this
morning by special train, and was escorted
to Houston Hall, on the university campus,
where luncheon was served, followed by a
reception by the University Of Pennsylya-
MIA authorities. The naval battalion, num-
bering about 800 cadets, arrived shortly
after the West Pointers, and was also
tertained al Houston Hall.
Rain fell all night but the morning broke
clear and colder, producing ideal foot bah
weather, although the field was little
soft.
The officials for todays game We're: Ref
cree. r. D. Wrenn; umpire Edgar Wright
ington timekeeper, Bert Waters, all Har-
ward graduates.