As the 2025 bowl season heats up, the Rose Bowl remains the granddaddy of them all. But 107 years ago, the game nearly vanished amid World War I. With college rosters depleted by enlistments and drafts, traditional East-West matchups were impossible. Travel restrictions and the war effort threatened to cancel the New Year’s Day tradition. Tournament of Roses officials appealed to President Woodrow Wilson, who gave his blessing to proceed for the sake of national morale. The solution: a service team showdown between the undefeated Mare Island Marines and the Camp Lewis Army squad.
The Teams: Marines vs. Soldiers
The Mare Island Marines, stationed at the naval base near Vallejo, California, entered the game with an 8-0 record in 1917. Coached by Hugo Bezdek, they dominated opponents, outscoring them 200-10 overall. Key wins included shutouts of Oregon (27-0), USC (34-0), and California (26-0). The team featured former college stars like Hollis Huntington and John Beckett.
Camp Lewis, the 91st Division team from Washington, finished 5-2-1. They lost both meetings to Mare Island, including a 13-0 regular-season defeat in November. While respectable, Camp Lewis was not favored against the Marines’ powerhouse lineup.
The Game – January 1, 1918
A crowd of 25,000 filled Tournament Park in Pasadena for the matchup. Mare Island struck first with a second-quarter field goal from Keith Ambrose. Camp Lewis answered with a touchdown run by Dick Romney (a former Utah star), taking a 7-3 lead at halftime.
The Marines took control after the break. A long drive ended with a Walter Brown touchdown run to reclaim the lead. In the fourth quarter, Huntington scored on a short plunge, and Ambrose added a field goal. The final score: Mare Island Marines 19, Camp Lewis 7.
A quote from from the special “Tournament of Roses” edition of the Pasadena Star-News sums up the Marines’ domination of the army well:
“The 19 to 7 score, in favor of the Mare Island Marines, tells the true story of the football game at Tournament park the afternoon of New Year’s day. The winners were just about as superior to their opponents, the strong Camp Lewis organization, as the final count indicates.”
From the Field to the Front Lines
Most players from both teams shipped overseas soon after. Of the 17 Mare Island players in uniform, nine served in Europe during World War I. Several saw combat in later conflicts, including World War II and Korea; five rose to general. For Camp Lewis, 14 of 24 players deployed to France or Belgium. One died in action, and others were wounded. The matchup gave these men one last bit of home side camaraderie before shipping out to fight.
“Pity the Germans!”
The above quote from the Vallejo Evening Chronicle, recapping the game, captured the indominable spirit of the soldiers and Marines as they made final preparations to deploy to war.
The Legacy of Marine Corps Football
The Mare Island victory marked the start of a proud Marine football tradition. Programs like Quantico’s Marines carried it forward, competing against colleges and other services. The varsity Quantico team, active from 1919 until 1972, racked up 355 wins and showcased Marine grit against top opponents on the gridiron. For more on this history, see the detailed account by Robert Billard.
The 2026 Rose Bowl will take place on January 1, 2026, and will feature Indiana versus Alabama.
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