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Mare Island is located in Vallejo, California along San Pablo Bay, the northern extension of San Francisco Bay. It was the training station for all Marine recruits that enlisted at locations west of the Mississippi during WWI.
The Marines shared Mare Island with a large naval base and shipyard, but there were only 500 Marines there when the 1917 team was formed and the number of Marines at Mare Island never exceeded 2,700 during the war. However, the Marines took active steps to recruit college football players into their ranks.
Mare Island finished the 1917 season with an 8-0 record, including a victory in the 1918 Rose Bowl. Their game results follow:
9/15/17 | Mare Island 27 | California 0 | @ California Field, Berkeley
9/29/17 | Mare Island 26 | California 0 | @ California Field, Berkeley
10/10/17 | Mare Island 27 | San Francisco Olympic AC 3 | @Mare Island
10/21/17 | Mare Island 27 | St. Mary's 0 | @ Ewing Field, Oakland
11/3/17 | Mare Island 27 | Oregon 0 | @ Multnomah Field, Portland
11/10/17 | Mare Island 13 | Camp Lewis 0 | @ Tacoma Stadium
11/24/17 | Mare Island 34 | USC 0 |@ Washington Park, Los Angeles
The roster of Marines that played in games or practiced with the team follows.
Ambrose, Keith Kapp | LE | Montana State â06-â07
Bailey, Edward Flint | RT | Oregon â09-â12
Beckett, John Wesley | LT | Oregon â13-â16
Brown, Walter Vernon âJapâ | QB | Wisconsin Frosh â14, Washington State â16
Buss, William Kenneth | E | Nebraska â10-â11
Cocks, Jr., James | C | Redlands AC boxing
Coshow, John Milton | B | Oregon Frosh â12, Oregon basketball â14
Craig, Gerald Allen | B | USC â15-â16
Cushman, Thomas Jackson | C | Washington â14, '16
Gardner, Clinton Perry âMarkâ | End | Utah â15-â16
Gardner, Darrell | RHB | Utah â15-â16
Kirkman, Goodyear Wycherly | UNK | California '14, Oregon '16
Hall, Elmer Edwards | RG | Oregon â10, â12-'13
Hobson, Cloy St. Claire | RE | Nebraska â14-â15
MacMillan, Donald George | B | Yosemite Club â09-â13
McGregor, John Maurice | G | Washington State â15-â16
Miszewski (Mace), Arelius Harry | G | Minnesota Frosh â16
Mitchell, Clifford L. âBrickâ | RE | Oregon â15-â16
Molthen, Frederick Theodore âDutchâ | B | Montana â16
Parker, John Merrel âMerrillâ or âMelâ | B | North Carolina â13 -â15
Purdy, Irving Breward | G/T | Minnesota Frosh â15
Ridderhoff, Stanley Emanuel | LG | Occidental '16
Sanderson, Lawson Harry McPherson | LHB | Montana '14-'16
Shields, Henry Donald | T | Michigan â14-â15
Teberg, Lawrence Earl | C | Minnesota â16, â20-â21
Wilson, Robert Harold | G | Michigan â14-â17
Zuver, George W. | End | Minnesota '14-'16
A profile of each player is in the book, Fields of Friendly Strife.