Navy vs. Army

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  The Birmingham age-herald, Alabama, November 28, 1915, page 14

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  0liphant Responsible for All Scoring Navy Eleven Fights to Last, But to No Avail – Craig’s Tumble Opens Way to First Army Touchdown Large and Enthusiastic Crowd Sees Soldiers Battle Way to Victory New York, November 27.-The Army football eleven. showing better state of preparedness than the Navy team. tri- t1nphed over their Annapolis rivals here today, 14 to 0. Twice during the Commute battle the soldiers hurried a 42-centfmeter shell in the person of Elmer c. Olphant through the protective armor of the sail- ors’ battleship and in the gray dusk of a drizzling afternoon the midshipmen’s s craft went down with every gun working desperately but futilely. Although the middy team fought with un1iinching courage, the struggle availed it nothing against the overwhelming power of the cadets attack. The irresis- tibIe charges of the former Purdue uni versity star could nov be stopped and the West Pointers time and aagin pierced the first and second lines of defense un- til the Navy was bent and exhausted by its efforts to check defeat. Had Oliphant been injured in the open ing minutes of the conflict the midship- men might have had a chance, but the middle western footfall battering ram re- fused to heed the savage tackling that scarcely halted his mad rushes Through the line and around the ends he crashed or sprinted, hurling off tack Ter after tacl1ler until the mddies found that it required the entire eleven to stop him at times. It was not always possible to concentrate the whole squad in his flying path and his gains constituted about 70 per cent of the distance cov- cred by the Army charges. President Wilson and some 4,000 other .t,,% .4al.-Y AL rival arn’s of the service, forgetting in their enthusiasm clammy, gray mist and the occasional drizzle of rain which marred an otherwise perfect gridiron classic fought out in a setting never sur passed i’ll the history of the Army–Navy football series. The improvised grdiron was surrounded by permanent and tenn porary stands which housed for a few hours a distinguished host of government, army and navy officers, as well as prom lnent society representatives from almost every city in the country. In the midst of the eayly colored throng two spots of unusually brilliant hues stood out where the two battalions from the academies were qualIered in the side line stands. From these points of vantage the cadets and the middies hurled songs and cheers across the field, led by the blare of the rival Institution bands. The vocal uproar was terrific and sus- tanned. There was not a moment of waiting on the part of either the soldiers or the sailors. From the minute the two eleyens went into action the sound waves rolled to midfield, where they crashed over the heads of the steaming, strug- gling players who fought on apparently oblivious to the din. The break of the game came almost immediately after the kiclx-off and West Point profited. After the opening play there was an exchange of punts, inter- spersed with a few drives at the line, but neither team appeared to have a marked advantage until Craig muffed a high twisting kick from the toe of the Army fullback, Coffin. Right End Neyland was following the ball and when Craig dropped the pig skin he dived through the mud and clutched the spherod on the Navy’s To- yard line. Coffin and Ford both hurled themselves into the middies’ line, only to be repulsed without gain. Then Quarterback Gerhardt uncovered his masked battery and fired Oliphant into the sailors left side of the scrimmage line. The player from Purdue ripped everything out of his course and slid across the goal line with three middies clinging to his piston-like legs. To com plete the task. he kicked the goal and the Navy football craft began to founder OLIPHANT SCORES AGAIN The sailors stuck to their guns through out the remainder of the first and second periods without further damage, but with the beginning of the third quarter, Oli- phant was again turned loose on the Navy and for the second time found vulnerable point in the Annapolis de- fense As in the initial score, the touchdown came quickly and unexpectedly. The sol dleTS kicked off and Craig the middiaS’ quarterback, ran the ball well back be- fore he was downed. On the second line up he tried a forward pass, but McEwan reached up to the full extent of his six feet two. inches and speared the ball in mid air. He immediately sprinted for the Navy zeal and passed the 25-yard line before he was pulled down. Here Oliphant was given the ball and. slipping through a hole in the center of the sailors line, he lodged past the sec ondary defense for the Army’s second

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  New-York tribune, New York [N.Y.], November 28, 1915, page 1

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  In the Wake of the Ball as Cadets Triumphed Over Navy Oliphant the Hero, but He Was Strongly Supported at All Stages Of Game. Cuctiyc. and Colin booted to Craig. who WAS downed in his tracks on the NaFy’s 3G-yard line. Craig got three yards at the lire and Davis made il a first down on n pretty criss-cross pla”, taking the pass from Craig. Another line charge was TUNED back and Won Heimburg kicked. Inc teams exchanged punts. and with th’ Army IN possession of the ball al aeral attack was tried. One pas was successful. but Craig intercepted an other. and then :he half ended. The duel on the field was not a VIII more interesting than the duel Of the cheering sections. Rollicking songs and ringing cheers hoomed across the field. aud each side predicted terrible rnings FOR its honore1 opponent. THIRD PERIOD. Oiphant kicked the ball Off, CRAIG again making the eaten. lie plunged along like a real war lord to midield before he was stopped. One line buck failed, and Craig called for forward pass. McEwan, the Army centre. raced back and intercepted the ball and gal loped back thirty yards to the Nays 2G-yard line. Coffin rammed the line. but made scant gain. and then Oliphant proved lust why he is on the Army team. He dove into the line, running with his knees high and body low, banged his way past Gilman and zig Jagged his way down the field for the lire. Man after man hurled himself al his thrashing legs. but he went right along in his mad career like a Malay run ming amuck. until al last he crossed the goal line and touched the ball down. He also kicked the goal. and the score was: Army. “A; Navy. 0. Good Night. Navy was again in order. and the Cadets sang it with deep feeling. The tones in the lower regis tor were especially good. And the bugler seemed to be inspired as he sounded Taps The Midshipmen repiled with frenzied outburst of cheer ing, and then sang Good BY, Army Gray” Failing was thrown into the battle on the Navy side. replacing Davis. lie gathered in ELEPHANTS kickoff. and gallopod back TO the 35-yard line, where Neyland stopped him. Neyland twisted his ankle and was helped Off the field. and FULLY pranced into the battle. One line plunge failed TO gain ground. and Won Hcimburg puntcd. An Army for ward broke through. and hurried his kick The ball flew high in the air and went out OF bounds on the 50yard mark, gaining only twenty yards. An exchange Of punts followed. the ball landing with the Navy on its own 20-yard line. Won Heimburg punted to Oliphant, who was thrown at once. From the stands it seemed as though he had signalled for fair catch. but the officials ruled otherwise. Oliphant then gathered in fourteen yards. and the Mddes were penalized fifteen tack had failed to produce. 0liphant dropped back TO the 25-yard line and tried a goal from placement. The kick was blocked. but he recovered the ball AID dashed ahead to the Nays % yard mark before he was stopped. Mitchell, who replaced Ford for the Army. got four yards through the line. Another buck was smeared. and then Failing intercepted a forward pass. Won Heimburg punted az once TO Oh plant, who ran from his own 49-yard mark to the Nays 40-yard mark, but ‘hc Army was pehslized fifteen yards rrd the ball set down on the Army’s 35-yard line Mitchell smashed through for nine yards before he was stopped. This game was monument to the weak tackling of the Navy line. They Crap pied with the runner. holding about the shoulders. and actually helping him along. Oiiphant was aided in his li-yard run. being pulled along for about six yards by three tacklers Mitchell and Oliphant got twelve yards between them and another first down A touchdown would certainly be scored. II seemed. hut Westphal stopped the march when he intercepted forward pass from Olirhant just az the period ended. FOURTH PERIOD. The sombre curtain OF night was rap idly enveloping the field when the ball was placed on the Nays l7-yard line and the order 20 play was issued. Up on the -” structure the lights flashed. a dazzling patch in the fog and drizcling rain. A gray-clad cadet in back OF the press stand said that those lights were the candles at the wake Of Nays football hopes. and no one qusrrelled with him. On the first play OF the period Martin hit The line for three yards, but Craig failed TO gain at all Won Heimburg then punted to Oliphant, who fumbled but an Army man WAS on the ball After a line play had failed Craig in tercepted long pass and ran from his own 30-yard line TO the 45-yard mark. where he WAS buried under a pile OF

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  Arizona republican, November 28, 1915, page 8

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  Fortv-four Thousand See Army Win Twentieth Intel’-service Foot D all Game In New York Polo Grounds; Score 14–⁠0 Republican A. F. Leased WlreJ NEW YORK, Nov The Army football eleven, showing a better state of preparedness than the Navy team. triumphed over their Annap- olis rivals here today by a score of II, to o. Twice during the sixty minute battle between the Academies, the soldiers hurled a 42-centmeter shell in the person of Elmer Q. U-l- phant, through the protective armor of the sailors batleship and in the gray dusk of a drizzling afternoon the midshipmen craft sank with ev cry gun working. desperately but fu-‘ rlely against superior equipment ot the Army Although the Middy team fought with unflinching courage from the opening shot until the Naval Acad- cmy pennant sank from sight the struggle availed it nothing against -Ae overwhelming power of the Ca lets attack. The irresistible charges of the former Purdue University star could not be stopped by the sailors and the West Pointers time and again pierced the first and second lines of defense. until the navy was bent and exhausted by it’s efforts to check defeat. Had OHphant been injured in the CpeninS minutes of the conflict, the AIdshipmen might have had a chance. but the middle western foot Iau battering ram refused to heed the savage tackling that scarcely halted his mad rushes. Through the line and around the ends he crashed or sprinted, hurling off tackler after tackler until the Middies found that it required the entire eleven to stop him at times. Since it was pot always possible to concentrate the whole squad in his flying path his gains constituted about 70 per cent of the distance covered by the army charges. President Wilson and some 44,000 other spectators watched the battle between the rival arms of the ser vice. forgetting in their enthusiasm the mist and occasional drizzle of rain which marred an otherwise per feet CridirOn classic fought out in a setting never surpassed in the history of the Army Navy football series The improvised gridiron was surrounded hy permanent and tenn porary stands. which housed for a few hours a distinguished host o1 government army and navy officers as well as prominent social leaders from most every city in the union In the midst of the gailv coloret throng. two spots of unusually bril- liant hues stood out where the two hattalons from the Academies were chartered in the side line stands From these points of vantage thu Cadets and the Middies hurled songs and cheers across the field led hy the blare of the rival institutions bands. The vocal uproar was terrific anC sustained T~ was not a momen of waiting on part of either tn soldiers or the sailors. From tn minute the two elevens went into ac tion, the sound waves rolled to mid field where they crashed over tn heads of the steaming, strugglinj players, who fought on apparently oh livious to the hurricane of noise The Break Comes Early The break in the game came al most immediately after the kickof and it was the West Point team tha lrofited After the opening pla there was an exchange of punts in terspersed with a few drives at -h line, but neither team appeared t

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Officially, Navy leads 64–⁠55–⁠7; as played, 63–⁠55–⁠7 in the 125 games on file; the official count covers all 126 meetings, counting the 106 since this game.