Events
Croquet Factsheet
The 29th Annual Croquet Match - SJC VS. USNA
Saturday, April 30, 2011, at 1p.m.
Rain Date: Sunday, May 1, 2011, 1p.m.
Imperial Wickets 2011
2011 Players
Stats
History
The Trophy
Attire
Traditions
Etiquette
How the Game Is Played
Guidelines for Tents and Tables
Victory Record
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Imperial Wickets
St. John’s Senior Blake Myers from Santa Fe, New Mexico and Midshipman First Class Dan Abney from Oviedo, Florida
2011 Players:
Blake Myers, Imperial Wicket and Senior from Santa Fe, N.M.
John Dusenbury, Senior from Grand Junction, Col.
Thomas Myers, Senior from Ellicott City, Md.
Tex Pasley, Senior from San Antonio, Texas
Steven Monteiro, Senior from Woodstock, CT
Linus Feder, Junior from Montclair, NJ
Johnnie Fleming, Junior from Gaithersburg, Md.
Sam Frank, Junior from Kennett Square, PA
Noah Litvin, Junior from Mamaroneck, NY
Jonathan Tincher, Junior from Dunbar, W.V.
Peter White, Junior from Cary, N.C.
Luke Walkeen, Junior from Wilton, CT
Stats:
St. John’s has won the Annapolis Cup 23 out of 28 matches; the Mids have taken the trophy five times. Who will win it this year?
History:
According to legend, the rivalry began in 1982 when the commandant of the U.S. Naval Academy was speaking with St. John’s freshman Kevin Heyburn and remarked that the Mids could beat the Johnnies in any sport. “What about croquet?” was the Johnnie’s retort. He later proposed the match to a group of midshipmen in the interest of fostering better relations between the schools.-Back to top-
The Trophy:
The Annapolis Cup – which has been housed everywhere from the Little Campus to a storage closet to the front window of 49 West in Annapolis. Passersby can view it, and it is adorned with the colors of the winning team. -Back to top-
Attire:
The Midshipmen wear crisp, U.S. Croquet Association “Croquet Whites,” along with a team tie, varying from year to year. The Johnnie uniform changes every year, revealed only minutes before each match. Past years have included camouflage, tuxedoes, Viking garb, kilts, and even imitation USNA crackerjacks. Several Plebes in dress mess uniforms serve the players refreshments. -Back to top-
Traditions:
In preparation for the match, both St. John’s and the Naval Academy play the Ginger Cove Croquet Team, from the Ginger Cove retirement community. They have met a few weeks prior to the St. John’s match each year since 1992.
The day before the match, the Johnnies have lunch with the Mids at the Academy mess hall, where the Imperial Wicket for the Johnnies formally challenges the Mids to a match.
The match opens with music. The St. Johns’ freshman chorus sings and the Naval Academy Trident Brass band plays. The Johnnies emerge in their surprise uniforms. At 1 p.m., the ceremonial first ball is truck and champagne bottles pop open.
United States Croquet Association Collegiate National Championships: Both St. John’s and the Naval Academy teams compete in the United States Croquet Association Collegiate National Championships.-Back to top-
Etiquette:
Courtesy and good sportsmanship are expected of all players. No players may throw a mallet or hit a ball in protest or anger. No trash talk is allowed. -Back to top-
How the Game is Played:
How the Game is Played: The game played at the annual match is nine-wicket, or “backyard”, croquet. A full-size croquet court is a rectangle 100 feet long and 50 feet wide. Nine metal wickets and two wooden stakes are arranged in a double diamond pattern. The object of the game is to advance the balls through the course by hitting them with a mallet, scoring a point for each wicket and stake made in the correct order and direction. The winner is the first side to score 14 wicket points and 2 stake points for each of its balls. Teams can also win bonus points by “scoring” a wicket or stake or by hitting another ball. For the Annapolis Cup, each side has 10 players divided into two-person teams. -Back to top-
Guidelines for Guests:
- No grills, kegs or dogs permitted on campus.
- Alcohol containers on campus must be monitored by an adult 21 years of age or older at all times.
- Guest tents and tables may be set-up only in the designated areas (in front of the Greenfield Library).
- No tents larger than 20-by-20 feet will be permitted on campus.
- Guests will not be permitted to set up their spaces before 8 a.m. on the morning of the match.
- All tents and other personal items must be removed from the front campus by 8 p.m. on the day of the match or they will become the property of St. John's College.
- Only lawn chairs and blankets will be permitted in the vicinity of the crouqet courts (north of the pathway to Prince George St.).
Victories
- 2011- Johnnies
- 2010- Johnnies
- 2009- Johnnies
- 2008- Johnnies
- 2007 -Johnnies
- 2006 - Johnnies
- 2005 - Mids 3-2
- 2004 - Johnnies 4-1
- 2003 - Johnnies
- 2002 - Johnnies
- 2001 - Mids
- 2000 - Johnnies 5-0
- 1999 - Johnnies 5-0
- 1998 - Johnnies 4-1
- 1997 - Johnnies 5-0
- 1996 - Johnnies
- 1995 - Johnnies
- 1994 - Johnnies
- 1993 - Johnnies
- 1992 - Johnnies
- 1991 - Mids
- 1990 - Johnnies
- 1989 - Johnnies
- 1988 - Johnnies
- 1987 - Mids
- 1986 - Johnnies
- 1985 - Mids
- 1984 - Johnnies
- 1983 - Johnnies