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Pageantry and a solemn presence. That would be the best way to describe Navy
Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, home of the Navy Midshipmen football program in
Annapolis , Maryland .
The stadium is located pretty close to the U.S. Naval Academy. Opened in 1959, the
venue seats approximately 34,000 for football, although an expansive lawn seating
area in the open north end zone can easily accommodate another 4,000 or so
additional spectators.
What makes this stadium so unique is that it is almost a living museum to this entire
branch of the United States armed forces. One will not find banners or retired numbers
or a wall of fame of the best of the best players who have participated in the school’s
football program. Nor are there any championship banners. Instead the ring of honor
is reserved for the names of military campaigns which the Navy has fought in
throughout this country’s history. The wall along the field as well as the sideline
balcony walls call out the list, offering a poignant reminder of who the real heroes are.
Also not to be missed is the park and walkway in the north end zone, where the arches
further display and tell the story of conflicts at sea and the Navy’s participation in these
conflicts.
Navy cadets are dressed in their fine looking unis on game day, and are hard to miss,
taking up most of the lower seating deck on the west sidelines. Each time the home
team scores, a bevy of students fly onto the end zone sidelines, performing the
requisite number of pushups depending on how many points Navy has scored to that
point. One of the trivia questions asked on the video board was how many total
pushups were done in a recent 73-6 stomping by the Midshipmen. It was something
like 479. Crazy.
Great sightlines. Energetic atmosphere. The word “Navy” is stenciled into the upper
seats, yellow chairs enmenshed with the blue seats top give the stadium its signature
look. Amidst a pretty colorful tailgate scene, an intimate venue for football, a visit here
is worth more than a passing look. Unfortunate that it has never hosted an Army-Navy
game. Or for that matter one of their independent rivals, Notre Dame. This was,
however, a host venue for the 1984 Summer Olympics, as soccer was played here
during that time.
Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, home of the Navy Midshipmen football program in
Annapolis , Maryland .
The stadium is located pretty close to the U.S. Naval Academy. Opened in 1959, the
venue seats approximately 34,000 for football, although an expansive lawn seating
area in the open north end zone can easily accommodate another 4,000 or so
additional spectators.
What makes this stadium so unique is that it is almost a living museum to this entire
branch of the United States armed forces. One will not find banners or retired numbers
or a wall of fame of the best of the best players who have participated in the school’s
football program. Nor are there any championship banners. Instead the ring of honor
is reserved for the names of military campaigns which the Navy has fought in
throughout this country’s history. The wall along the field as well as the sideline
balcony walls call out the list, offering a poignant reminder of who the real heroes are.
Also not to be missed is the park and walkway in the north end zone, where the arches
further display and tell the story of conflicts at sea and the Navy’s participation in these
conflicts.
Navy cadets are dressed in their fine looking unis on game day, and are hard to miss,
taking up most of the lower seating deck on the west sidelines. Each time the home
team scores, a bevy of students fly onto the end zone sidelines, performing the
requisite number of pushups depending on how many points Navy has scored to that
point. One of the trivia questions asked on the video board was how many total
pushups were done in a recent 73-6 stomping by the Midshipmen. It was something
like 479. Crazy.
Great sightlines. Energetic atmosphere. The word “Navy” is stenciled into the upper
seats, yellow chairs enmenshed with the blue seats top give the stadium its signature
look. Amidst a pretty colorful tailgate scene, an intimate venue for football, a visit here
is worth more than a passing look. Unfortunate that it has never hosted an Army-Navy
game. Or for that matter one of their independent rivals, Notre Dame. This was,
however, a host venue for the 1984 Summer Olympics, as soccer was played here
during that time.
NAVY -
MARINE
CORPS
MEMORIAL
STADIUM
Annapolis,
Maryland
November
20, 2010
Arkansas
State
at
Navy
MARINE
CORPS
MEMORIAL
STADIUM
Annapolis,
Maryland
November
20, 2010
Arkansas
State
at
Navy
| Annapolis, Maryland |
Navy-Marine Corps Mem Stadium
