Today's Tidbit... Battling For The President's Cup

Football developed mainly in academic settings, but the U.S. military also played a role in the game's spread, especially outside the U.S. For example, the first gridiron football game played in Europe occurred when the U.S.S. Minnesota and U.S.S. Kansas played in Nice, France, in 1909 (see here). Likewise, Army, Navy, and Marine teams first exposed China and other locations to the game played by crazy Americans.

It is not surprising that the military, with many healthy young men, played this role. Before WWI, Navy battleships had crews approaching 1,100, outnumbering the enrollment of many state universities, so plenty of talent was available, with a few officers who likely played at the academy. Tournaments between ships' crews to determine port championships were among football's first playoff games.

c. 1910 U.S.S. Vermont football team. Note the Naval Academy letterman standing on the left. (Personal collection)