Scorecard December 15, 1997

Sailor Men in Battle Fair

The singing began shortly after the 12-car passenger train rolled slowly out of Newark last Saturday afternoon. The Army-Navy Express had originated that morning at 0715 in Washington, D.C., teeming with top brass from both services and bound for Giants Stadium and the 98th annual Army-Navy game. But after the midshipmen's 39-7 triumph, their first victory since 1991, the train heading back to Washington had the feel of a cruiser heading for R and R in Hawaii.

For nearly two hours Secretary of the Navy John Dalton stood beaming by the electric keyboard in the front car along with some of his highest ranking officers and their families, belting out Navy standards like Anchors Aweigh, Navy Blue and Gold, The Goat Is Old and Gnarly and that renowned sea chantey Margaritaville. On his side of the train, Secretary of the Army Togo West was reduced to a plaintive rendition of Second Hand Rose.

"We won the game," Dalton said, "and we're going to win the party tonight, too." Dalton also won himself a cadet bathrobe, the prize in the customary silly bet that's made among top brass.

While the official purpose of the Express is to get many of Washington's highest ranking officers to the game, its unofficial purpose is to serve as a moving bar. The train is divided between the two services with the secretaries of the Army and Navy at opposite ends; there's little mingling between branches. On Saturday soldiers and sailors outfitted in tasteful civvies served food and drink; musicians from each branch's band were stationed throughout the train; and bunting and balloons adorned the overhead luggage racks. The entire package—train, meals and game ticket—cost $228. Even the bigwigs ponied up.

No one seems exactly sure when the Express started running, though it dates back at least to the 1930s. This year's rail-riding revelers knew the rituals well enough to apply the word tradition to just about everything that happened on it, from the predeparture Bloody Marys to the presentation of the Secretary's Trophy at the end of the day.

At 1730 West made the long, long trek, passing through enemy territory, to award the trophy to Dalton. "If we had to lose the Army-Navy game," West said, "we'd just as soon lose it to you."

Keep 'Em Comin'

After Fresno State guard Chris Herren left the Bulldogs on Nov. 25 because of substance abuse, Bill McEwen, a columnist for The Fresno Bee, criticized the school's commercial relationships with beer companies. A few days later Coors and Fresno State administrators decided to remove from the court an inflatable tunnel shaped like a can of Coors's Silver Bullet beer, through which the Bulldogs made their pregame entry. Ah, but in the life-goes-on department....

The first game after Herren's departure was sponsored by Miller beer. And Fresno coach Jerry Tarkanian continues to do paid ads for Budweiser.