VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Navy veterans, families and friends packed Shorebreak Taphouse in Virginia Beach on Saturday to watch one of college football's most storied rivalries — the annual Army-Navy game.
The Army-Navy game is more than football. The rivalry dates back to 1890 and is played every year on a neutral field, traditionally the second Saturday in December. For many, it's a tradition tied to service, sacrifice and pride. For the academies, it often caps the season and can help decide the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy.
At Shorebreak Taphouse, Navy veterans and supporters packed in early, turning a sports bar into a reunion decades in the making.
"Because it's cheer for a bunch of the grads to enjoy the game together. Except when I was at sea, and couldn't watch the game, basically the last 50 years. If the game it's it determines really whether you've had a successful season or not is where you win the army navy game," Bob Boyce said.
Boyce is a Navy veteran who has been attending the watch parties for years.
Organizers say the watch party has grown year after year, becoming a must-attend stop for Navy fans across Hampton Roads.
"This is great we we've been coming to shore break for our army Navy party for at least 10 or 12 years. This is probably the largest gathering of Navy fans anywhere. There's no place to be in Hampton Road so I can tell you that," Dick Elderly said.
Elderly helps organize the annual gathering.
For those who once took the field themselves, the meaning runs even deeper.
"Awesome the crowd always really into it. A lot of important people there doing the president so it's a good times exciting. It's real special it just reminds you how much it means to everybody, everybody get together this time every year big deal like a holiday for us at the academy," Tahj Malloy said.
Malloy played in the Army-Navy Game for Navy.
Win or lose, the message inside Shorebreak was clear — this game is about far more than the final score.
For Navy veterans and their families, the Army-Navy game is a tradition that brings generations together — one December Saturday at a time.
