The next year the game was played with wild jubilation because just a few months earlier the war had ended and the victorious Americans were in a celebrating mood. The 1945 game was moved to another large venue – this time back to Philadelphia’s Municipal Stadium with its 100,000 plus seating capacity. Army again was #1 in the nation, not having lost a single game in two seasons, with two Heisman Trophy winners in its backfield, namely Doc Blanchard and Glenn Davis. In fact, for the only time in college football history, an entire team was selected as All Americans! Army deservedly won the game 32-13. But that was just what was happening on the field. President Harry S. Truman was there and brought the entire Cabinet with him, along with a huge entourage of war heroes including Generals George C. Marshall, Omar Bradley, Jimmy Doolittle, and Admirals Chester Nimitz and William (Bull) Halsey, to name a few. Never has a game seen so much “top brass” in any one place. And NBC, for the first time, televised a sporting event from one city (Philadelphia) to another (New York).
Never Again
The accomplishments and sacrifices during these incredible years will never be repeated. College football will continue to have many great days to be sure but nothing will ever equal the unique times that existed during the World War II years, particularly as they affected two small schools located at West Point, New York, and Annapolis, Maryland.