Army-Navy Game 1963
12.05.2019

FORGED BY HISTORY, BOUND BY BROTHERHOOD

Under Armour and Navy Unveil 1960s Era Throwback Uniforms For Highly Anticipated Army-Navy Game

The 150th season of college football has excited fans across the country all season long and the action continues on Saturday, Dec. 14 with one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports, the Army-Navy game presented by USAA. Kickoff is set for 3:00 PM at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

 

In their 120th meeting, which stretches back to 1890, the Army-Navy game is a college football tradition like no other, so it is only right that Under Armour rise to the occasion and outfit such a historical powerhouse like Navy in uniforms that pay homage to the program’s storied past.

 

This year’s Army-Navy game will be one for the ages. The Midshipmen enter the game ranked #23 in the country and are looking for their 10th win of the season, and to return the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy back to Annapolis. To help the team prepare for game day, Under Armour and Navy joined forces to create a uniform that channels the greatness of Navy’s past legends. 

 

With 139 years of college football history, there are few programs in the country who boast richer traditions than Navy, yet the 1960s era of Navy football in particular sticks out. From 1960-63, Navy posted a 30-12 record, went 4-0 against Army, was ranked as high as No. 2 in the country and played in both the Orange and Sugar Bowls.  Navy produced two Heisman Trophy winners during that time with Joe Bellino winning the award in 1960 and Roger Staubach in 1963. 

 

The uniforms they wore featured a traditional navy blue contrasted with brilliant gold accents, a brilliant look for some of the best teams in the nation during their respective seasons. This era provided the appropriate inspiration needed to outfit the current Midshipmen squad for Saturday’s rivalry game. 

 

Jim Bellino in 1960 (© Navy Academy Athletics)

Jim Bellino in 1960 (© Navy Academy Athletics)

Roger Staubach in 1963 (© Navy Academy Athletics)

Roger Staubach in 1963 (© Navy Academy Athletics)

The Navy Midshipmen will sport throwback uniforms on game day that pay tribute to the Navy football greats of the 60’s and their Heisman-winning ways. The uniform combination mimics the traditional navy blue base with golden shoulder stripes and pants, but features subtle differences to both modernize and pay homage to the greats. Notably, the helmets each Navy player will don is a nod to both Heisman winners of the early 1960s as the design takes a cue from the actual Heisman trophy Bellino and Staubach themselves hoisted. 

 

A burnished coat of bronze paint wraps each helmet and lays beneath Navy’s iconic anchor logo that serves as a call to the Naval Academy’s roots at sea, while the two Heisman winner’s uniform numbers are front and center. Each ‘Heisman helmet’ represents a manifestation of the on-field excellence of the Academy’s forebears, as they attempt to steamroll an Army team and extend the dominance of Go Navy, Beat Army. 

 

For more information on Navy's uniform and history, visit the Navy Athletics site.