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1926 Army–Navy Game
Program cover
Navy Midshipmen Army Cadets
(9–0–0) (7–1–0)
independent independent
21 21
Head coach: 
Bill Ingram		 Head coach: 
Biff Jones
1234 Total
Navy 7707 21
Army 01470 21
DateNovember 27, 1926
Season1926
StadiumSoldier Field
LocationChicago
Attendance110,000+
Army–Navy Game
 < 1925  1927 > 
photograph of Soldier Field during the game

The game has been described by numerous sources as the greatest Army–Navy Game ever played.


[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11]


[12]

https://newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org/Army-vs-Navy-A-Clash-for-the-Ages https://tiptop25.com/champ1926.html https://www.army.mil/article/179134/the_army_navy_game_13_historical_facts_you_probably_dont_know

https://time.com/archive/6656061/football-dec-6-1926/

Background

[edit]
Group portrait of the 1926 Army Cadets football team
Group portrait of the 1926 Navy Midshipmen football team

Rivalry

[edit]
Further information: Army–Navy Game

[13]

1926 season

[edit]
Further information: 1926 college football season, 1926 Army Cadets football team, and 1926 Navy Midshipmen football season

1926 was the first season where efforts were made to name a single national champion. Both Army and Navy arose among contenders to be named the season's champion. Navy entered the game undefeated, while Army had lost a single game (against Notre Dame). As a result, it became widely understood that the game would have an impact in deciding whether one of them would be named the national champion, and this importance meant that the game received immense advance hype beyond even that typical of the rivalry.

Indicative of how significant an event the game was anticipated to be was the attendance of Knute Rockne, coach of the Notre Dame football team (one of the top teams of the 1926 college football season). Rockne found the game at Soldier Field important enough an event to warrant him being absent from Notre Dame's game that same day versus Carnegie Tech (a game that a previously undefeated Notre Dame team lost in what ESPN later ranked as the fourth-greatest upset in college football history).


[14][15]


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Sportswriter Paul Gallico noted that the 1926 game took on an importance well beyond the traditional rivalry, writing, ______[16]

Predictions

[edit]

Army was regarded to be the slightly-favored team. The New York Times reported the betting market favoring Army over Navy by 6–5 odds.[17] The Associated Press reported that in the lead up to the game, expert opinions had largely favored an Army win; but that by the morning of the game there had been "an over-night drift in sentiment toward the prospect of a Navy victory".[18]

On the morning of the game, the New York Daily News calculated a 7–7 tie as the consensus prediction of its sports staff. It also published individual sports staff predictions in which Paul Gallico predicted Navy winning 14–7, Jack Farrell predicted Army winning 10–7, Will Murphy predicted Army winning 14–7, Grant Powers predicted Navy winning 14–0, Walter Ryan predicted Army winning 12–0, Harry Schumacher predicted Army winning 7–6.[19]

Logistics

[edit]

Site selection

[edit]
Soldier Field stadium, circa 1926
Edward Joseph Kelly (at right, Chicago's South Park Commission) spectating the game alongside Curtis D. Wilbur (at left, secretary of the Navy)

The 1926 game was the first instance in which the Army–Navy Game had been played in a location outside of the East Coast. It was additionally the first time either of the academies had played any game outside of the East Coast.[20]

At a cost of $10 million, Chicago had constructed a stadium intended to be a memorial to the city's war dead from World War I.[20]

Chicago invited the military academies to stage their rivalry game at Soldier Field.[21] This was originally a long-shot effort, as Chicago was roughly 1,000 miles (1,600 km) from either school, whom had in the past been strongly disinterested in holding the game any major distance from their campuses. In the past several strong lobbying efforts in the past (by cities including Hibbing, Minnesota; Reno, Nevada; and Tucson, Arizona) to lure the game outside of the East Coast, but none had succeeded. Superintendents of both academies routinely declined invitations to hold the game in cities outside of the East Coast. The academies were initially uninterested in holding the game in Chicago. However, around the end of 1925, it was reported in newspapers that President Calvin Coolidge had expressed a desire to see it awarded to a midwest city if feasible to stage there, which motivated the academy superintendents to drop their usual objections to a non-East Coast host city.[21]

As a site, Chicago held advantages over a number of East Coast cities that were considered as possible hosts for the game. Soldier Field had a much higher seating capacity than the Polo Grounds, where the game had staged before when held in New York City. Chicago had better transportation logistics at Soldier Field than Baltimore had at its stadium. The size of the crowds at the 1924 Army–Navy Game in the had placed severe crowding on the transit lines to the stadium, and spectators had had consequentially to endure a several hour in order to depart the stadium by public transit.[21]

While the superintendents were no longer opposed to holding the game in the midwest, Chicago still had to vie to be selected. The final decision on a site rested with President Coolidge, Secretary of War Dwight Filley Davis Sr., and Secretary of the Navy Curtis D. Wilbur. Chicago was not the only city with a strong desire to host the game. Philadelphia very much wanted to host the 1926 game, which its municipal boosters believed would be a natural addition the festivities at the Sesquicentennial Exposition.[21]

Congressman Frederick A. Britten played a key role in Chicago's successful effort to attract the game.[22]

The superintendents of the military academies jointly agreed to award Chicago the game, with a stipulation that it would be held there for the exceptional circumstance of serving as a dedicatory event for the stadium as a soldiers memorial, and that the hosting of the game in Chicago was not to serve as precedent for the locations of their rivalry game in future years. On January 22, 1926, it was announced that Chicago would be awarded the opportunity to host the year's game, and that Chicago organizers had agreed to entirely pay for the related arrangements to transport, feed, and lodge the student regiments of each school.[23]

In addition to Chicago, organizers from Baltimore and Philadelphia had also had mounted competing bids to host the game. On the same day that Chicago was announced as host, it was also announced that Navy would be hosting its October 30 game against Michigan at Baltimore Stadium.[23]

Preparations

[edit]

[17]


Chicago's South Park Board, which operated the stadium where the game was held and played a key role in the arrangements for the game, had in the years leading up to the game had faced public scrutiny for its dealings, with the Chicago Journal of Commerce observing, "before the game, the south park board was park board was probably as roundly denounced as any official body in Chicago had been in many years. The park board was between the devil and the deep sea."[22]

Travel logistics

[edit]
decorated automobiles greet the Navy team's arrival at the Englewood Union Station
Army players arriving in Chicago at Central Station
Commandant of Cadets Campbell B. Hodges was in charge of the movement of West Point cadets

______team transport trains

Numerous special trains transported students from the two service academies to Chicago to spectate the game.[20] The New York Central transported 1,200 cadets and a 100 member band from West Point[24] aboard ten special trains.[20] The first train from West Point departed New York at 7 AM local time on November 25, with the rest of the trains departing at ten minute intervals thereafter. Commandant of Cadets Campbell B. Hodges was in charge of the movement of West Point cadets.[24] The Baltimore and Ohio and the Pennsylvania Railroad[20] transported 1,700 midshipmen[25] from Annapolis in ten trains (with each of the two railroads operating five special trains).[25] Both academies' student bodies arrived on November 26th, with trains scheduled for arrival at approximately 9 AM local time in Chicago.[20]

Both teams had live animal mascots at the game. Navy transported its campus mascot Bill the Goat. Rather than transporting the mule that normally served as the Army Mule, West Point instead opted to borrow a mule from Fort Sheridan for the game.[20]

Organizers in Chicago had agreed to pay for the cost of transporting the student regiments of each academy.[23]

Cost of student travel_____[26] [27]

Lodging accommodations

[edit]
Army players pose for a photograph at the Hotel Windermere

Chicago organizers agreed to pay for hotel accommodation and dinning in Chicago for both of the academies' student regiments.[23]

Team practices

[edit]
Army players unwinding at the South Shore Country Club on November 25 after practicing at Soldier Field that afternoon
Navy's team departs Soldier Field on November 26 after finding its field too muddy to practice on

[28]

[edit]

Earlier in the month, the stadium was formally rededicated as "Soldier Field" in a ceremony held on on November 11 (Armistice Day).[29] That same day, the stadium also played host to its first professional football game, in which the NFL's Chicago Bears (who would decades later make the stadium their home venue) defeated the Chicago Cardinals[30] in a game that was attended by a crowd of 10,000 spectators.[31]

On the eve of the game, despite rain and snow, the streets of downtown Chicago were filled with immense activity related to the game.[32] After the student bodies both arrived in the city in Chicago that day, they marched in a parade to their hotels. Following this (at approximately noon), Marshall Field and Company hosted a 1,000 luncheon for the Military Academy.[20]

illustration of the November 26 stadium dedication ceremony, illustrated by John T. McCutcheon for the Chicago Tribune

In the afternoon of April 26, both schools' student bodies participated in a parade down Michigan Boulevard and into the stadium in order to kick-off a rededication ceremony for the stadium. While a ceremony had previously been held on Armistice Day to officially rename the stadium,[29] the November 26 ceremony on the eve of the game provided the rededication with an even grander ceremony. The ceremony included the performance of a history pageant, followed by main remarks by Vice President Charles G. Dawes.[3][29] https://www.newspapers.com/image/243236382

After the November 26, stadium rededication ceremony, the student bodies of both academies were hosted at a reception organized by the Union League. That same night, a ball was held for the student bodies at the Drake Hotel, with hundred of young women from Chicago and elsewhere in the nation invited to attend and dance with the academy students. The ball ended with a midnight show.[20]

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Attendance and ticket sales

[edit]
photograph of Soldier Field during the game
Front and backsides of a ticket

More than 110,000 spectators attended the game.[22][33] Many sources considered this to have set a new single-game attendance record for American football.[22] Attendance in excess of 100,000 was anticipated prior to the game. The game was believed to first in American football attended by a crowd in excess of 100,00. The game was also believed to have been the second-largest sports attendance in all of United States sports history up to that point, behind only the Gene Tunney–Jack Dempsey boxing match held earlier that year in Philadelphia.[20]

When Chicago was awarded the opportunity to host, plans were to allot 80,000 of the tickets to the game. Of these, the Navy and Army sports programs were to each be allotted 30,000 tickets to distribute, and were each to receive the revenue generated by the sale of a further 10,000 tickets. 20,000 tickets were to be allotted for Chicago to repurchase.[23]

The South Parks Board were responsible for the 20,000 tickets allotted for Chicago to repurchase and freely distribute. Due to the high demand for tickets, the Chicago Journal of Commerce observed that members of the South Parks Board "undoubtedly...made many enemies by the necessity for turning down hundred snd perhaps thousands of personal requests [for tickets]"[22] Illinois Congressman John J. Gorman lodged concerns how the board was distributing its tickets, complaining that he had received only 100 tickets to personally distribute while having gotten than 5,000 requests from friends wanting tickets. Kelly publicly dismissed Gorman's complaints, noting that 12,000 of tickets it could freely distribute were given to United States congressmen across the nation. Kelly also declared that the board might be losing money from its coffers on the hosting of the game, rather than receiving a net profit.[34] Including these, the South Parks Board handled 46,000 of the tickets sold for the game.[35]

Advance estimates placed likely official ticket revenue around $800,000[20][32] later growing to expectations of more $1 million as high ticket demand led to higher prices being charged.[17] This meant the event was expected to set new receipts record for the sport of American football,[20] which had never before seen a game draw more than $500,000 in receipets. Around that time, ticket sales for Major League Baseball's World Series often grossed $1 million across all games of a series.[17]

ticket prices https://www.newspapers.com/image/768530574

Reports described the crowd's cheers as having been immensely energetic.[36]

Attendance, ticket, and receipts statistics (per Chicago Tribune)[35]
Attendance 111,000
Receipts $840,000
Division of tickets (per Chicago Tribune)[35]
Ticket type Number
Seats sold 106,000
Distributed to ushers 1,500
Distributed to police 1,000
Distributed to press and photographers 500
Distributed to workmen 800
Distributed to medical corps 50
Distributed to ticket experts 50
Miscellaneous other 1,100
Receipts (per Chicago Tribune)[35]
Ticket type Number of tickets Receipts
Tickets sold by South Park Board 46,000 $630,000
Tickets distributed by the military academies 60,000 $210,000

Dignitaries in attendance

[edit]
Louis McCoy Nulton (at left, superintendent of the United States Naval Academy) and Charles G. Dawes (U.S. vice president) attend the game with their wives, Minnie and Caro

Among the notable government figures who attended the game and other related functions in Chicago were the Vice President Dawes and Secretary of the Navy Wilbur; governors Al Smith of New York, Richie of Maryland, and Blaine of Wisconsin; U.S. House Speaker Nicholas Longworth; Mayor Jimmy Walker of New York City and Frank Hague of Jersey City; Will Hays (motion picture head and former postmaster general); former U.S. senator Tom Taggart; as well as numerous incumbent U.S. senators and congressmembers.[20]


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Considerations for potential presidential attendance https://www.newspapers.com/image/666066958 business prevented, listened to radio instead. https://www.newspapers.com/image/768566768 https://www.newspapers.com/image/604274938 , box auction after president declined https://www.newspapers.com/image/562810541

The program for the game included portrait illustrations of both President Coolidge and Vice President Dawes.[37]

In addition to the president, many West Point academy officials were similarly unable to attend the game, and were also left listening to the radio broadcast.[24]

Crowd control

[edit]

The game was attended by an enthusiastic crowd[22] of what was believed to be then-record size for an American football game.[20] The Chicago Journal of Commerce hailed the success of crowd control at the game,

As remarkable as the crowd was the handling of the crowd. Here were 111,000 people –the largest number who had ever gathered on such an occasion; and there was no pushing, no trampling, no breaking of police lines. Thoroughly, efficient work was accomplished by the police, the Legionnaires, the [Naval Station] Great Lakes sailors, and the others who did duty at and near the gates.[22]

With advance expectation of attendance in excess of 100,000, the game required 10,000 police, concessionaires, and ushers working in and around the stadium.[20]

Radio broadcast

[edit]

The game was also broadcast nationally on radio, a notable early use of the rising medium.

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stations https://www.newspapers.com/image/411393232

Stations broadcasting the game included:[38]

Radio broadcasts were played in the Washington, D.C. offices of both the Navy and Army departments. The Naval Department played the broadcast in a mess hall, where thousands listened to the game. A crowd of officers also listened to the radio broadcast in the office of the Secretary of War.[39]

Pre-game ceremonies and halftime performances

[edit]

https://www.newspapers.com/image/373449304/?match=1

[40]

Players in game

[edit]
newspaper graphic with photographs of ends (top L–R: Army ends Charles Born and Norris B. Harbold; bottom L–R: Navy ends Russell "Whitey" Lloyd and Hank Hardwick

[41]

Starting lineup

[edit]
Army Position Position Navy
Bud Sprague LT Frank Wickhorst
Ernest G. Schmidt LG Johnny Cross
Maurice F. Daly C Herbert L. Hoerner
Lyle Seeman RG Arthur S. Born
LaVerne G. Saunders RT Daniel Thomas Eddy
Arthur W. Meehan QB Ned Hannegan
Joseph H. Gilbreth
and
Thomas J. H. Trapnell[d] 		LH Tom Hamilton
RH Jim Schuber
Clyde A. Dahl FB Howard Caldwell

Army players

[edit]

Army Head Coach Biff Jones had made a heavily-scrutinized decision to start the game with a backfield starting roster featuring only second-string players.[44] His strategy was to use his second team to tire-out Navy's first-string starters, before subbing-in his own first-string players.[45] This meant that Army's starting lineup featured 7 string players, including the entirety of its backfield.[46]

Army's captain, Orville Hewitt, was benched for the game, not being played as a starter and ultimately being un-needed as a substitute.[17] Hewitt was considered to be an alternate for the 1926 team.[18]

Position Player started
in game[42][43]		 Pre-game predictions for starters Player(s)
subbed-in during game[42][43]		 Position players on team who did not play[42][47]
Expected lineup
listed in game
program[47] 		NY Daily News
prediction[48] 		Associated Press
prediction[18]
Quarterback Arthur W. Meehan Neil B. Harding Neil B. Harding Neil B. Harding Neil B. Harding W. F. Hall; C. W. Piper; D. Z. Zimmerman
Center Maurice F. Daly Maurice F. Daly Maurice F. Daly Maurice F. Daly — E. A. Kenny; B. R. Wimer
Fullback Clyde A. Dahl Orville Hewitt John H. Murrell John H. Murrell John H. Murell J.L. Bryson; J. K. Cunningham; A. E. Harris; Orville Hewitt; R. C. Hutchinson; K. M. Landon; E. O'Donnel
Left halfback Joseph H. Gilbreth
and
Thomas J. H. Trapnell[e] 		Chris Cagle Harry Wilson Chris Cagle Chris Cagle
and
Harry Wilson[f]
Right halfback Harry Wilson Thomas J. H. Trapnell Harry Wilson
Left end Garrison H. Davidson Norris B. Harbold Charles Born Norris B. Harbold Norris B. Harbold F. L. Anderson; G. E. Fletcher; H. L. Flood; W. L. Nave; S. I. Simonton; C. B. Tobin
Right end Samuel Brenthall Charles Born Norris B. Harbold Charles Born Charles Born
Left guard Ernest G. Schmidt Ernest G. Schmidt Ernest G. Schmidt Ernest G. Schmidt — J. Dibb; T. R. Lynch; A. W. Schermacker; F. G. Waldrop
Right guard Lyle Seeman Louis A. Hammack Louis A. Hammack Louis A. Hammack Louis A. Hammack
Left tackle Bud Sprague Bud Sprague Bud Sprague Bud Sprague P. Elias Howard G. Bunker; F. B. Connor; B. C. Muse
Right tackle LaVerne G. Saunders George W. Perry LaVerne G. Saunders LaVerne G. Saunders George W. Perry

Writeups of the game considered Army right halfback Harry Wilson to have put forward the most impressive performance of any player from either team. Stanford coach Pop Warner described him as the "individual star" of the game.[49] Wilson was described by The Associated Press as the "ace" of his team "who had shared the brunt of the attack" during the game.[36] Knute Rockne described him as Army's "ace in the hole".[50] Navy's head coach, Bill Ingram, hailed Wilson's performance in the game as having been "the greatest halfback performance" he had ever seen.[44]

Knute Rockne wrote of the Army's roster's performance during the game,

The Army ends, Harbold and Born, were great and did everything that an end ought to do....[Center] Daly was no so good at first and was fooled a few times. After he got warmed up he diagnosed plays keendly and made tackles even beyond the line of scrimmage.[50]

[edit]

While Ned Hannegan played nearly the entire game at quarterback, it was disclosed the day after the game that he had been playing with a broken shoulder suffered two weeks prior in the team's game against Georgetown. He played the game with a shoulder brace, and was uinable to use his right arm. Coach Ingram, after the game, faulted this injury with failures by Hannegan to tackle either Cagle or Wilson on long runs on which those players scored touchdowns for Army.[51]

[17]

Position Player started
in game[42]		 Pre-game predictions for starters Player(s)
subbed-in during game[42][43]		 Position players on team who did not play[42][47][52]
Expected lineup
listed in game
program[47] 		NY Daily News
prediction[48] 		Associated Press
prediction[18]
Quarterback Ned Hannegan Ned Hannegan Maurice E. Goudge Maurice E. Goudge Maurice E. Goudge —
Center Herbert L. Hoerner H.C. Warren Wendell G. Osborne Herbert L. Hoerner H.C. Warren; Wendell G. Osborne —
Fullback Howard Caldwell Howard Ransford Howard Caldwell Howard Caldwell Howard Ransford; Maurice E. Goudge; William J. Millican E. M Condra; F. R. Hubert–Jones; R. V. Hull; J. A. Lucier; L. T. Morse; H. R. Nieman; D. E. O'Neil; Elliott W. Parish Jr.
Left halfback Tom Hamilton Tom Hamilton Alan Shapley Tom Hamilton —
Right halfback Jim Schuber Jim Schuber Tom Hamilton Ned Hannegan Alan Shapley
Left end Whitey Lloyd Michael Peter Bagdanovich Whitey Lloyd Whitey Lloyd Michael Peter Bagdonovich ; J. Marginnis; W. T. McGarry; W. T. McGarry; W. Allen Taylor; Delbert Fred Williamson
Right end Hank Hardwick Hank Hardwick Hank Hardwick Hank Hardwick —
Left guard Johnny Cross Johnny Cross Frank Wickhorst Arthur S. Born Edward Burke A. M. Aichel; H. H. Brockman; Wilson T. Dodge; C. H. DuBerg; Francis R. Duborg; C. J. Zondorak
Right guard Arthur S. Born Arthur S. Born Arthur S. Born Johnny Cross R. A. Pierce
Left tackle Frank Wickhorst Frank Wickhorst Johnny Cross Frank Wickhorst — Carl Emil Giese, E. Olsen, C. F. Stillman, Afred R. Truslow Jr.; Thomas R. Wilson. B. L. Woerner
Right tackle Daniel Thomas Eddy Daniel Thomas Eddy Daniel Thomas Eddy Daniel Thomas Eddy —

Knute Rockne wrote of the Navy roster's performance during the game,

The Navy Centers, Horner and Warren, passed faultlessly. Their mastery of this art was superb. They were big cogs in the Navy defense. Ruthless and unmistakable in their charge, they were a continuous stone wall to the Army plunges. [Navy ends] Lloyd and Hardwick were circled by Wilson and Cagle, the Army's wide sweeps. In the last quarter, when it counted most however, both Loyd and Harwick faded wide quickly and the Army's most effective play was partially nullified.
....The Navy wingbacks were more effective on the tackle than Army.[50]

The Associated Press dubbed Alan Shapley, who was playing his final game for Navy after four varsity seasons with the team, to have been the "hero" of the game, writing,

[Having been] rushed into the game as the [Navy] forces seemed [to be] tiring under the impact of the Army attack, Shapley rallied the Navy with his brilliant running and passing.[36]

Game officials

[edit]

The officials for the game were:[42][43]

Gameplay

[edit]
Chicago Tribune chart, illustrating gameplay
Photograph of the field as Navy's Hamilton made a dropkick

The game was considered to have exceeded its advance hype, being regarded as highly-exciting and competitive.[22] It ended in a 21–21 tie. The Associated Press described the game as unfolding, "in as throbbing, sensation a struggle as any gridiron has ever seen."[36]

Walter Eckersdall (who officiated the game as umpire)[42] wrote that the game was, "one of the greatest football games ever played" and was witnessed by "the largest crowd that ever saw a football game in this country".[53]

The Chicago Journal of Commerce wrote that it was the most exciting football game of the 1926 season, observing,

Perhaps special credit should go to the Navy for the valiant spirit and cool ability it demonstrating in tying the score in the last quarter. A team which has established an early lead is psychologically handicapped if that lead is later surpassed by the opposing team. It is easier to come from behind if one has been behind all the time than it is to come from behind if one has been in the lead but has dropped back. Yet this psychological handicap was overcome by Navy.
It was overcome by a team which averaged a shorter football experience than the opposing eleven. Although both service schools accept students at an age beyond the average collegiate freshman, and the graduates of the service schools are more mature than college graduates, the Navy comes closer than the army in maintaining college standards. It is noteworthy that the new army captain, now in his third year at West Point, had three previous years of varsity football.
The Navy, coming from behind to tie the score accomplished the result that the crowd wanted to see. Except for the students themselves, practically all of the 111,000 spectators were not only pleased but overjoyed that the game ended in a tie. The crowd was in a singular mood of exuberant kindliness in which the defeat of either team would have been painful. The 21 to 21 score was regarded as a victory for both elevens.[22]

A 2001 writeup by the Naval Academy library recounted that with the 1926 game, "for once the game lived up to all of the pre-game hoop-la."[37]


[54]

Notre Dame head coach Knute Rockne opined that the teams were well-matched by each other, but that Navy had a stronger performance by his estimation,[50] writing,

I should say that as a whole, the Navy line had a little the better of the great argument. Wilson's great work gave the Army first backfield a slight shade. A fair analysis shows that [Navy] excelled by far in their passing game and also had a more consistent line attack. The army's ace in the hole was its wide sweep and a crossbuck by Wilson. Both teams showed an excellent kicking game. The kicker was always well protected and had the end on both teams covered like a blanket. The Navy had a very effective screen pass from kick formation, but numb fingers several times resulted in incompletions. Both teams showed more attack than defense. This is as it should be.[50]

Rockne observed of offensive play strategies by the two teams, "on offense, the Army line charged always shoulder to shoulder. The Navy forwards, using four or two at the point of attack, utilized the quick open method of line attack." Rockne also opined of Navy's execution of the wingback formation, "the timing was accurate and the deception was perfect".[50]

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Army received a worse amount of penalties than Navy. Army received several motion-related penalties. Navy received a 15 yard penalty from holding.[53] Rockne observed in his report on the game, ________

First quarter

[edit]

Ahead of the first quarter, Navy's Captain Wickhorst (left tackle) won the pre-game coin toss and chose for Navy to begin the game on defense, defending the north goal.[46]

Army, having started with a lineup of string players, opted to kick on the first play, with Seeman (Army right guard) kicking off. Navy's Caldwell (fullback) then returned fifteen yards, advancing to Navy's own 25-yard line. Caldwell then gained a further two yards through his right tackle, repeating this to gain an additional five yards. He then punted to Meehan (Army quarterback) on Army's 30-yard line. On the first play, Army received an offside penalty[46]

Next, Dahl (Army fullback) gained 3 yards around left end. On the second down, Dahl punted to Hannegan (Navy quarterback) who returned five yards to Navy's 44 yard line.[46]

Schruber (Navy right halfback) attempted a pass, which was incomplete. The ball was given to Navy on Army's 45 yard line due to a n interference penalty. Navy was also penalized five yards for a "backs in motion" penalty. With the next play beginning with Navy in possession, Hamilton (Navy left halfback) started around the left end, then cut back through tackle to gain nine yards. He then passed the ball to Hardwick for a further three yards gain. Schuber completed an impressive pass to Hardwick to then ran the ball to Army's 1 yard line. On first down, Caldwell only managed to gain a foot. However, on the second play, he he scored a touchdown.[46] After the touchdown, Hamilton earned Navy an extra-point via a drop kick.[42]

Next, Dahl (Army fullback) kicked off and Hannegan (Navy quarterback) gained

[46]

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Knute Rockne observed, "[in the game] Born stopped the Navy's effective, weak side fake plunge by rushing in with abandon. In the first quarter, this play worked like a charm."[50]

Second quarter

[edit]
Photograph of the field as Army fullback Caldwall carried the ball during the second quarter
Photograph of the field as Army's quarterback Hannegan drove through Army's line in the second quarter

Schuber (Navy right halfback) scored a second touchdown for Navy. After the touchdown, Hamilton (left halfback) earned Navy an extra-point via a drop kick.[42]

With Navy having jumped to a 14–0 lead while facing Army's second-string, Army coach Jones subbed-in his first-string players. Army soon made tied the score 14–14 after Harry Wilson (left halfback) and Norris B. "Skip" Harbold (right end) scored touchdowns.[45] During the quarter, Caldwell (Navy fullback) suffered an injury that left him unable to play for the remainder of the game. This was a blow to Navy, with The Associated Press having considered Caldwell the "most formidable [Navy] ball carrier".[36]

The play that led up to Harbold's touchdown was referred by the Associated Press as being "the costliest and only outstanding 'break' of the game". This play began with Ransford (Navy fullback who had been subbed-in following Caldwell's injury) fumbling a punt, and Harbold taking possession and converting it into a score-evening touchdown for Army.[36] After the touchdown, Wilson (Army right halfback) earned Army an extra-point via a drop kick.[42]

[46]

Third quarter

[edit]
[46]

________Cagle[36] After Cagle's touchdown, Wilson (right halfback) earned Army an extra-point via a drop kick.[42]

Navy took possesion of the ball towards the end of the third quarter.[53]

Fourth quarter

[edit]

After being substituted into the game, Shapley (Navy right halfback) reenergized a Navy team that had been seemingly waning as Army took the lead. Shapley played a major role in a Navy advance that saw the team gain fifty-five yards altogether to score a touchdown. The Associated Press wrote that in this advance, "Shapley figure in nearly every play, knifing his way forward for slashing gains, mixed with successful passes, and finally carrying the ball over the Army line on a seventh end spurt." After this touchdown, Navy received an additional point from a drop kick by Hamilton (left halfback).[36][42]

After Navy tied the score, Army spent the final minutes of the game attempting to regain a lead. Wilson led Army's effort to carry the ball to towards the endzone, managing a series of dashes that allowed Army to gain yardage until it was near the Navy endzone. However, Navy held Army eighteen yards from the endzone, and then proceeded to force Navy into a retreat further from the Navy endzone.[36]

In a final effort by Army to break the tie, Wilson attempted a field goal from the twenty-five-yard mark. The kick was taken with Harding holding the ball. The kick missed, going wide of the goalposts.[36] _________Wilson [44]

After Wilson's missed field goal attempt, Army gained possession and advanced a small distance around the midfield. Army was then forced to punt. Merrell (Army Fullback) intercepted a forward pass deep into Navy territory. However, the quarter-end whistle was blown right as Merrell was tacked on the thirty-five-yard line.[36]

At the conclusion of the fourth quarter, game had to end in a tie, as the sun was fast setting and there were no floodlights at stadium, preventing overtime play.[55]


[46]

Box score

[edit]
1926 Army–Navy Game: Army Black Knights 21, Navy Midshipmen 21
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Army 0 14 7021
Navy 7 7 0721

at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois

  • Date: November 27, 1926
  • Game attendance: 110,000+
Scoring summary
Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score
Plays Yards TOP Army Navy
1 — — —
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football.

Game statistics

[edit]

General statistics

[edit]
Game statistics[56]
Statistic Army Navy
First downs 9 12
Downs from rushes 8 5
Downs from passes 1 5
Downs from penalty 0 2
Number of rushes 47 52
Yards gained by rushes 247 267
Yards lost by rushes 14 10
Passes attempted 2 17
Passes completed 2 10
Passes intercepted 0 2
Passes grounded 0 5
Yards gained by passes 17 110
Number of penalties 9 11
Yards lost by penalties 55 65
Fumbles (punt) 0 1
Fumbles recovered 1 0
Number of punts 10 8
Average distance 35 35
Yard punts returned 0 10

https://armynavygame.com/the-rivalry

https://www.newspapers.com/image/373449304/?match=1 https://www.newspapers.com/image/604274938

Record of carried balls (Army)

[edit]
Record of carried balls (Army)[56]
Player Carried ball Yards gained Note(s)
Dahl 4 9
Trapnell 2 9
Wilson 17 121
Cagle 13 80
Murrell 18 35

Record of carried balls (Navy)

[edit]
Record of carried balls (Navy)[56]
Player Carried ball Yards gained Note(s)
Caldwell 16 63
Hamilton 5 17
Hardwick 3 50 carried from a pass
Schuber 14 72
Shapley 10 72
Ransford 11 53
Lloyd 2 14 carried from a pass
Bagdonovitch 1 3 carried from a pass
Hannegan 2 5

Aftermath

[edit]

The tie result was widely seen as destroying Navy's chances at being named the national champion. https://www.newspapers.com/image/768566768

Had Navy beaten Army, it likely would have become the front-runner for the eastern title (especially due to Notre Dame's unexpected defeat the same day), and would have been in a strong position to be named the consensus national champion. Navy's failure to defeat Army, as well as Brown's tie in its game against Colgate the same day left Lafayette as a the sole remaining undefeated eastern college football team. This Lafayette as the East Coast team with the strongest odds of becoming the consensus champion, with the Sanford and Alabama (respectively the Pacific and southern champions) also remaining as contenders (with it seen as possible that one would be eliminated from contention by the other in the 1927 Rose Bowl, in which they were set to face each other). https://www.newspapers.com/image/604274938


_______ However, the _____ retrospectively ranked

Navy has displayed a championship plaque for the 1926 season in a trophy case at Rickets Hall.[37]

After the game, Army players selected Wilson to be their captain for the following season, and Army plyaers selected E. A. Hannegan to be their's.[44]

Legacy

[edit]

More than a decade after the game, the readers of Esquire magazine voted the game to have been the best football game of all time. Even recently, many have revered it as the greatest Army-Navy game ever played.

In 2023 and 2024 articles, CBS Sports ranked the game as the greatest in Army–Navy history, and noted that it is considered by many to be among the greatest games in the entire history of college football.[57] In 2018, Bleacher Report writer John Patton ranked it as the second-greatest in Army–Navy history, behind only the 1944 game.[58] In a 2022 article published by We Are The Mighty, writer Eric Milzarski ranked the game the third-greatest in Army–Navy history, behind only the 1973 and 2016 games.[59] In 2017, the outlet HERO Sports named the game among the "biggest and most notable" in Army–Navy history.[60]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ simulcast of WEAF[38]
  2. ^ simulcast of WEAF[38]
  3. ^ simulcast of WEAF[38]
  4. ^ Gilbreth and Trapnell were started as halfbacks for Navy, though sources differ as to which was started as left halfback and which was started as right halfback[42][43]
  5. ^ Gilbreth and Trapnell were started as halfbacks for Navy, though sources differ as to which was started as left halfback and which was started as right halfback[42][43]
  6. ^ Cagle and Wilson were subbed-in as halfbacks for Navy, though sources differ as to which was started as left halfback and which was started as right halfback[42][43]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Tech's Greatest Victory". carnegiemellontoday.com. Archived from the original on March 17, 2008. Retrieved February 18, 2008.
  2. ^ "Upset special: With Rockne gone, Irish took a Michigan-like tumble". ESPN. Retrieved February 18, 2008.
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference stadiumanditscity was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Images was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference pridmore was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference choose was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ "City Dedicates Soldiers Field". Chicago American. Chicago. November 11, 1925.
  8. ^ Schoor, Gene (1989). Army-Navy Football: A Pictorial History of America's Most Colorful and Competitive Sports Rivalry. New York City: Henry Holt & Co. pp. 74–76.
  9. ^ O'Donnell Bennett, James (November 27, 1926). "110,000 to See Game Today". Chicago Daily Tribune.
  10. ^ "Chicago Happy As Army-Navy Game Is landed". Chicago Daily Tribune. January 23, 1926.
  11. ^ "Bond Fight on Stadium Perils Cadets' Game". Chicago Daily Tribune. April 20, 1926.
  12. ^ "Snappy Chicago Weather Freezes Army Mule and Chills Navy Goat". Lincoln Star. November 27, 1926.
  13. ^ "Stage Set for Army-Navy Title Battle". Progress-Bulletin. 26 November 1926. p. 12.
  14. ^ Vaughan, Irving (November 26, 1926). "Army, Navy Flank Custodians Fast, Aggressive, and Smart". Chicago Daily News. The Associated Press. Retrieved 16 April 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Backfield Makes Army Favorite Over Navy : Chicago Is Gay on Eve of Contest". Evening star. 26 November 1926. p. 36.
  16. ^ Gallico, Paul (November 27, 1926). "It Means Something Today". Daily News (New York). p. 22. Retrieved August 1, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ a b c d e f "Army-Navy Elevens Ready For Battle; Cadets Rule a 6 to 5 Favorite on Eve of Football Game in Chicago. Rush Continues For Seats Prices Soar as the Demand Increases With Record Receipts of $1,000,000 in View. Clear Day For Spectacle Weather Man Says Snow Will Cease Falling Before Morning -- Interest Extends Round the World". The New York Times. November 27, 1926. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
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  27. ^ "Officer to Attend Army-Navy Game". Star Tribune. 17 October 1926. p. 18.
  28. ^ "Secret Drill Held By Army, Navy Team". Chicago Daily News. November 26, 1926. p. 23. Retrieved 16 April 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference ChiTrib2023 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  30. ^ Korman, Joey (November 12, 2015). "Throwback Thursday: The Bears Played Their First Game At Soldier Field Over 89 Years Ago". Bears Wire (USA Today Sports). Retrieved July 31, 2025.
  31. ^ "Chicago Cardinals at Chicago Bears - November 11th, 1926". Pro-Football-Reference. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
  32. ^ a b Murphy, Will (November 27, 1926). "Chicago Blizzards On Battle Eve". Daily News (New York). p. 22. Retrieved August 1, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  33. ^ Hirsley, Michael (January 15, 1996). "If Bears Go, So May Soldier Field". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
  34. ^ "K.H.S. Breaks Deadlock To Win; Army-Navy Game May Be Flop". The Knoxville Sentinel. The Associated Press. November 20, 1926. p. 5. Retrieved August 1, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  35. ^ a b c d O'Donnell Bennett, James (September 28, 1926). "111,000 Watch Warriors Fight See-Saw Battle". Chicago Tribune. p. 1. Retrieved August 19, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  36. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Army Starts Reserves; Navy Off to Two-Touchdown Lead Before Regulars Rushed to Beach; Cadets Quickly Score Thrice and Go Ahead; Middies Come Back With Grand Rush for Tying Touchdown – One Navy Break Fumble Punt Robs Team of Brilliant Victory". The Chattanooga Times. November 28, 1926. p. 14. Retrieved 19 August 2025 – via The Associated Press.
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  38. ^ a b c d "To Broadcast Game". The North Adams Transcript. The Associated Press. Nov 27, 1926. p. 1. Retrieved August 1, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  39. ^ "Army and NAvy Drop Tasks, Crowd Radio To Listen In On Game". Chicago Tribune. September 28, 1926. p. 1. Retrieved August 19, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  40. ^ "Gay Uniforms Thrill Crowds At Spectacle; Military Pomp and Glamour Precedes Thrilling Contest; No Such Cheering Ever Heard Before; Perfect Day as Setting for Colorful Marching Legions– Goat and Mule Furnish Touch of Comedy". The Chattanooga Times. The Associated Press. November 28, 1926. p. 14. Retrieved 19 August 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  41. ^ Schmidt, Ray (December 12, 2007). "1926 Football Team". For What They Gave on Saturday Afternoon. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
  42. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Army-Navy Line-Ups". The Chattanooga Times. The Associated Press. November 28, 1926. p. 14. Retrieved 30 July 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
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  49. ^ Warner, Glenn (November 28, 1926). "Mule Started Slowly; First Team Outsped at Start Just as Easily as Second-String Men; Navy Plays Deceptive; Army Has More Power; Middies Clever Fakes and Double Passes Put Panic Into Cadets in Early Minutes– Wide Formation Puzzling– Wilson Individual Star". The Chattanooga Times. p. 14. Retrieved 19 August 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
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  53. ^ a b c {{cite news |last=Eckersall |first=Walter| title=Score 21 to 21; Story or Game by Eckersall |publisher=Chicago Tribune |access-date=August 19, 2025 |pages=1 and 4 |language=en |date=September 28, 1926}
  54. ^ Jones, Tad (November 28, 1926). "Both Elevens Display Great Power of Attack". The Chattanooga Times. p. 14. Retrieved 19 August 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
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  57. ^ Multiple sources:
  58. ^ Patton, John (June 7, 2018). "Army vs. Navy: 10 Greatest Games in the History of the Rivalry". Bleacher Report. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
  59. ^ Milzarski, Eric (December 10, 2021). "These Are The Top 5 Army-Navy Games In The Rivalry's History". We Are The Mighty. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
  60. ^ "Army-Navy Game: Biggest and Most Notable Games From the 127-Year-Old Rivalry". HERO Sports. December 5, 2017. Retrieved July 31, 2025.

Category:Army–Navy Game Army–Navy Game Army–Navy Game Army–Navy Game Category:Events at Soldier Field Category:American football in Chicago Army–Navy Game

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