Traditions abound over 40 years of Annapolis Cup croquet match

The rivalry is fierce, yet it’s still a friendly croquet match between two unlikely opponents.

The match between the U.S. Naval Academy, a rigorous military institution, and St. John’s College, a private liberal arts college, serves as more than just a surprising spectacle on the green: it upholds a decades-long tradition of fostering connections between the schools, separated by King George Street, and the surrounding community.

Held on the front lawn of St. John’s College nearly every year since 1983, the neighboring schools have faced off in a quest to win the coveted Annapolis Cup, hoping to be crowned as the supreme croquet team.

“I don’t think anybody could have imagined when we started and 50 people showed up to watch the first match — it was hardly a large crowd, that 40 years later it would still be going and going as strong as it is,” said John Ertle, the imperial wicket emeritus, or former team captain, of the St. John’s croquet team. “It’s just such a great spring event for both colleges.”

The long-standing rivalry, according to legend, dates back to 1982 when the Naval Academy’s then-commandant told St. John’s freshman Kevin Heyburn, a reporter for the college’s newspaper, that the midshipmen could beat the Johnnies at any sport.

“What about croquet?” Heyburn replied.

Heyburn proposed the match to a group of midshipmen, and from there, a tradition was born.

On Saturday, the Mids and the Johnnies kicked off the 40th game between the schools. Heyburn’s retort appears to hold some truth. With 31 wins in the last 39 matches, including the year the midshipmen competed against themselves, the Johnnies may indeed be better at croquet than their Division I counterparts.

For players on St. John’s squad, that means there’s a tradition of excellence to maintain.

“It does feel like there’s a little bit more to play for as somebody from St. John’s,” said Peter Boersema, a senior at the private college. “It’s kind of expected that you’re going to win, whereas if the Naval Academy goes out and loses, it’s fine for them, that’s kind of not out of the ordinary.”

To mark 40 years of the tradition, the college is producing a documentary, to be released sometime after this year’s match.

“We take our croquet seriously,” said Sara Luell, senior director of communications and operations at St. John’s. A 2009 alumna of the college, Luell is no stranger to the matches. To her, it’s an unofficial homecoming.

The match is equally as important to the Navy. In commencing the game on Saturday, Naval Academy Superintendent Vice Adm. Yvette Davids, a 1989 graduate of the academy, said she was pleased to maintain the relationship between the two schools.

“Coming back here and seeing the incredible tradition that continues is not just so beautiful to see, but exceptionally important as symbolic as a relationship with the United States Naval Academy has with St. John’s,” she said. “Together, we can do so much.”

More traditions abound leading up to and during the match, some dating back decades.

The founding generation, according to St. John’s, was known for its pranks. Navy’s midshipmen would coat the college’s now-felled Liberty Tree in shaving cream before the match, though no one still knows why. The Johnnies would often heckle the midshipmen as they took their turns — today, no trash talk is allowed. And at one point, Bill the Navy goat was stolen and brought to the match.

The Friday before the cup, the Johnnies formally challenge Mids to the match over lunch at the academy’s mess hall. Though this year’s ask was met with a chorus of boos from the midshipmen, according to Boersema, the challenge was readily accepted.

Despite the rivalry, a jovial spirit remains at today’s matches.

For the midshipmen, their uniforms — crisp croquet whites and a sweater emblazoned with a yellow “N” to represent the academy — have stood the test of time for the most part, save for a tie that varies year to year. The Johnnies, however, unveil a different uniform minutes before the match. In past years, the team has sported a bit of everything: camouflage, tuxedos, “Where’s Waldo” costumes and Viking clothing.

Last year, the croquet-playing Johnnies poked some fun at their well-dressed comrades. The seniors on the team, led by 2023 imperial wicket Mia Kobylski, donned imitation black and orange Midshipmen uniforms, complete with a handmade “J” affixed to their sweaters.

“I think we all looked pretty good that year,” she said of her favorite costume.

While both teams practice beforehand, sometimes even playing in the rain or snow or at night, their preparations for the long-awaited match picked up intensity in the decade following its founding when the two teams began facing off against yet another unlikely challenger: the nearby Ginger Cove retirement community’s croquet team.

Though its players range in age from 75 to 95 years old, the Ginger Cove team has proven to be a tough opponent for the collegiate croquet players over the last three decades, playing each on a Saturday in March before the yearly cup and having lunch afterward, according to Barbara Copper, Ginger Cove’s former imperial wicket.

“I think they really love it when the students visit, whether it’s from Navy or St. John’s,” Kobylski said. “I think that connecting with them again over something that’s a shared interest, across generations, across experiences, is really exciting, and it was a lovely time.”

The retirement community’s team keeps meticulous records of their matches on a plaque and trophy bowl — the Generation Gap Trophy, Copper said. As of last year, St. Johns had won 17 out of 26 matches. Navy has kept the scores closer, though they also fall short to Ginger Cove’s team, which dominates with 16 wins over Navy’s 13. The two have tied several times, including the match in preparation for the 40th Cup.

The seniors look forward to the challenge, too. Though the schools’ players may be decades younger, Ginger Cove enjoys playing with those who respect the game just like them, said Russell Smith, the community’s current imperial wicket.

“It’s not just an old folks game by any means,” Smith, 87, said. “It’s an enjoyment of competing and trying to outwit your opponent … but if you can focus, concentrate, think ahead, you can compete with the young men and women, and we often do.”