Throughout 2020, the United States Naval Academy has celebrated its 175th Anniversary after it opened its doors on October 10, 1845. The year-long celebration culminates on Saturday, December 12 at the 121st Army-Navy Game presented by USAA. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. from Michie Stadium in West Point, N.Y. and will be televised nationally by CBS.
Navy and Under Armour have partnered once again to continue to highlight the leadership, service and tradition the Naval Academy has showcased over the past 175 years.
The Naval Academy is steeped in tradition and through its mission has produced a President of the United States, two Cabinet members, 16 Ambassadors, 24 Members of Congress, five State Governors, five Secretaries of the Navy, one Secretary of the Air Force, two Nobel Prize Winners, 73 Medal of Honor Recipients, 54 Astronauts and much more.
The tradition of the Naval Academy has also been featured on the gridiron with the Navy football program that began in 1879. The Midshipmen have seen their program collect a National Championship in 1926, Heisman Trophies from Joe Bellino (1960) and Roger Staubach (1963), numerous NCAA records, which includes career and season marks from recent graduates Keenan Reynolds and Malcolm Perry.
Throughout the 175 years at the Naval Academy, Navy has played three games against Army on its home turf and the Black Knights are set to host the Army-Navy game this December. The Midshipmen have won all three games at West Point with the last game coming in 1943, during World War II, where Navy earned a 13-0 victory. The Midshipmen also won the inaugural Army-Navy game in 1890, beating the Black Knights 24-0 in West Point.
This year’s Army-Navy uniform pays tribute to the Naval Academy with numerous special features as seen on the Yard with the first being the blue and white marble pattern of the helmet and shoulders. The stone is a prominent accent on the Naval Academy grounds and can be seen in the crypt of John Paul Jones and within Bancroft Hall. Jones – who has been laid to rest in the Naval Academy Chapel – is the Father of the American Navy. Bancroft Hall – the largest dormitory in the country – is named after George Bancroft who founded the Naval Academy during his time as Secretary of the Navy.
Navy football honors both the Navy and Marine Corps with its home field of Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium that was dedicated on Sept. 26, 1959, and was christened with a 29-2 Navy win over William & Mary on that day. The Midshipmen continue to honor the tradition of both as the original six frigates of the Navy are remembered in each facet of the uniform and the Marine Corps emblem is embroidered on the pants of this year’s uniform.
The Naval Academy Seal, which was established on January 25, 1899, and designed by Park Benjamin (Class of 1867), takes center stage in gold on the shoulders and gloves of the uniform. The seal is featured throughout the Yard on buildings, flags and uniforms and represents the Academy’s mission, “to develop midshipmen morally, mentally and physically and to imbue them with the highest ideals of duty, honor and loyalty in order to graduate leaders who are dedicated to a career of naval service and have potential for future development in mind and character to assume the highest responsibilities of command, citizenship and government.”
Navy Blue & Gold is entrenched throughout this year’s uniform just as is the leadership, service and tradition and, “have proved the sailor’s right to wear the Navy Blue & Gold.”
To see what the Black Knights will be sporting on the gridiron, have a look!
