Forget football. Forget lacrosse. In Annapolis, the most iconic rivalry isn’t settled on a field - it’s on the lawn, with mallets. Every April, St. John’s College and the U.S. Naval Academy trade cannonballs for croquet balls in a tradition that’s as preppy as it is petty. At Crew Dog, we live for school spirit in its most unexpected forms - and nothing says chaotic academia like a blazer-clad turf war played at two miles per hour.
For most Americans, Annapolis conjures the image of a serene waterfront dotted with sailing yachts and midshipmen parading in the backdrop. But once a year, the city stows away its maritime identity and pulls out the wickets for a genteel showdown on the grass: the Annapolis Cup.
Since 1983, the Annapolis Cup features a croquet match between neighboring St. John’s College and the U.S. Naval Academy. The first meeting between the two teams started when the academy’s Commandant boasted to a St. John’s freshman that the “Johnnies” would lose to the midshipmen in any sport. The freshman retorted that perhaps not in a game of croquet.
Now four decades later, St. John’s can brag its superiority to the midshipmen in this Irish sport, having won 32 out of the previous 41 encounters. Over time, the match has evolved into a spectacle larger than a friendly competition. In fact, 2025 witnessed PNC Bank sponsoring the match for a second consecutive year and over 4,000 attendees.
The event has evoked a culture of vintage, Victorian-like attire, with the midshipmen sporting pristine U.S. Croquet whites and black bowties every year, while St. John’s surprises its fans with a new wardrobe selection each year. In 2022, the Johnnies wore striped, garment-quality blazers gifted by Rowing Blazers, with previous editions featuring Waldo red-and-white uniforms and colorful Hawaiian shirts.
Despite the event’s spontaneity and its comedic origins, the match consistently represents decorum and dedication to its history. The event specifically calls out for no mallet throwing or smashing of a ball in protest or anger. We expect none such behavior next year either.
