A fascinating blend of military history and college football, Battles at Annapolis revisits the two Army–Navy games played on Naval Academy grounds. The focus on the 1893 and 1942 matchups highlights how tradition, leadership, and wartime realities shaped this legendary rivalry.
Title/Author:
“Battles at Annapolis: Two Remarkable Football Games in the
Army-Navy Rivalry” by David Gendell
Rating:
3 of 5 stars (okay)
Review:
David Gendell’s Battles at Annapolis explores two
rare moments when the storied Army–Navy football rivalry shifted from neutral
sites to the grounds of the Naval Academy itself. Blending military history
with college football, Gendell focuses on the 1893 and 1942 matchups—games
shaped as much by national circumstance as by the players on the field.
The 1893 contest is anchored by the compelling rise of Worth
Bagley, who became captain of the Navy squad that edged Army 6–4 in a tight,
defense‑heavy battle. Gendell’s attention to Bagley’s development and
leadership gives this section its strongest emotional pull. The 1942 game,
played in Annapolis due to wartime travel restrictions, offers a different
tone. While Navy again prevailed, 14–0, the richer material comes from
Gendell’s writing on World War II and its impact on the Cadets and
Midshipmen—young men preparing for a game while also preparing for war.
The book doesn’t dive deeply into either military history or
football strategy, but its blend of the two makes for an engaging look at a
rivalry shaped by tradition, circumstance, and service. Recommended for readers
who enjoy both military narratives and the history of college football.
I wish to thank Lyons Press for providing a copy of the book
via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.
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