The Washington herald., 1917-10-25
both ARMY and NAVY
ARE HOPING To PLAY.
Service Elevens Are Holding No
vember "a Open for Game
on Polo Grounds

New York, Oct. 24-Ail West Point
is hoping for an A-my-Navy game.
All Annapolis is hoping for the
same thing.
The latest official word in regard
to the big event of the football sea-
son was that the game would be on
this year. Accepting official rulings
in good grace is one Of the duties of
persons in both arms of the service,
and this ruling, disappointing though
! IL must have been. was taken in the
usual way. There was no complaint
! from either Annapolis or West Point,
no tendency to protest against the
order The officials took the usual
stand that there was nothing more
to be said or done. The Army-Navy
game was of.
However, the belief persists in both
| West Point and Annapolis that a
game will be played. Each coach is
shaping his campaign so as to be
ready for a game II word is flashed
later in the season that the ban has
been lifted. Before the war brought
about the cancellation of the football
schedules at both West Point and
! Annapolis a decision had been reach
ed to play the annual game at the
| fOlO On ENOECluoCT WHICH
the order against football at the SER
vice school was rescinded. new sche-
dulles were arranged, but with No
vember "a open. Neither of these
rivals has arranged a game for this
date which each is holding open for
the other and it is understood that
no other teams can get the Polo
Grounds for this date except with
| the understanding that it must be
surrendered in the event Of an Army
Navy game.
At West Point Saturday the cadets
sang numerous songs about the navy.
songs that they hope to sing at the
/ Polo Grounds on November "a. That
old familiar Good Night. Navy"
echoed over the plains while the cadets
were moving down the Tufts eleven,
and one of the big battle cries this
seas son at the reservation up the Hud-
son is Five straight! Five straight!
Five straight" Inquiry as to its
meaning brought out the Information
that the army now has a record OF
four straight over the navy at foot
ball and this year the cadets are yell
| ing for the fifth straight victory. In
every song which the cadet corps sang
Saturday. and they sang several, there
was some reference to the swamping
of the navy.
The wording of the songs reflects
| the optimism that prevails all through
West Point. 1t Is simply a hunch,
one West Pointer expressed it. but
every last cadet seems to have the
same idea. The team is pointing for
game with the navy and the other
/ cadets are more than hoping for such
81,
at Annapolis the midshipmen feel the
same way, and the team is going
ahead with the idea that 1t must be
ready in case the ban of the officials
is lifted.
This appears to be an ideal year
for a game between the Army and
Navy elevens. AS a benefit for some
war organization it could hardly be
surpassed, as it would be possible to
sell almost 10000 seats at Sc per
| ticket. The Polo Grounds have been
arranged to accommodate this num-
Der at recent Army Navy games
| here. As both the cadets and the
midshipmen are playing out a COM
plete schedule. even with this game
out of the reckoning. such a con-
test would involve no additional
work for either squad. and no loss
of time that would otherwise be
devoted to more serious business.
Football was never allowed to in
terfere with routine work at either
academy and is not interfering this
year. II the cadets and midshipmen
cannot meet each other on Novem-
Der "a each will arrange a game
with some other team.
Hence the situation offers a real
reason for game. and no real rea-
son why the service teams cannot
meet. With the Red Cross or some
army and navy organizations bene-
hting from the games many thou
sands of dollars could be realized.
With no football at New Haven or
Princeton this year. New Workers
would easily grasp the opportunity Of
seeing the Army and Navy clash.
Each has the material for an un-
usually strong team, and this year
more than any other these teams
can perform a real service. May
the cadets and midshipmen realize
the hopes that now prevail in re-
gard to the annual game!