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The reigning national croquet champions from St. John's...
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<p>Excuse me while I wipe my drink off my keyboard and monitor... :D</p>
<p>^^^^
LOL! pass the rag when you are done!!!!</p>
<p>Hey, this is big. One of the 6th Batt companies, 28 I think, plays this match against St Johns every year. The drags dress up, champagne, strawberries and cream, etc. A very big to-do on the company social calendar. My kid was on the team and one had to be a firstie with pull to make it. I went one year. It was a hoot.</p>
<p>Zap, I actually bet that it dates back to your era. It just wasn't as big and you didn't hear of it.</p>
<p>Google first, post last. Google first, post last. Someday, I will get that figured out:</p>
<p>Sorry Zap, didn't commence until 1983.</p>
<p>It is St John's only recognized organized intercollegiate sport. They train during the spring in Pinehurst, NC.</p>
<p>Actually, the annual game is this weekend. I am sure hotel space is at a premium but, perhaps, one can still attend. Great excuse to start drinking in the morning.</p>
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It is St John's only recognized organized intercollegiate sport.
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<p>nah.... I think they have added crew now.... ;)</p>
<p>This is just a mom thought, but they look so darn cute!</p>
<p>What's next, badminton?</p>
<p>Hey, badminton is an amazing sport. Watched a US Olympic team demo once. Makes tennis look like a wussy sport. I think the shuttlecock routinely travels up to 200 mph on serves and volleys. The guys are quick.</p>
<p>^^^^ Saw it at '96 olympics...it is wickedly fun to watch! Became an Olympic Sport in '92 I believe.</p>
<p>Sheesh....</p>
<p>Ok then, what's next, tiddlewinks?!?!</p>
<p>As long as their uniforms are as cute as the croquet team's. :D</p>
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<p>Sheesh....</p>
<p>Ok then, what's next, tiddlewinks?!?!
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<p>Keep trying, I'm sure eventually you will come up with something.</p>
<p>Is there some regulation up on the Hudson that prohibits cadets from having a little fun, blowing off steam, and broadening their horizons? We're not just a little bit jealous, are we?</p>
<p>Gotta luv it!</p>
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As long as their uniforms are as cute as the croquet team's.
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<p>almost afraid to admit it...but....</p>
<p>on one of trips down to USNA very early on in the process (?10th grade?) we acutally stumbled "into" the croquet match...literally... </p>
<p>anyway, there was USNA looking like they stepped right out of the Great Gatsby, with the johnnies in full army camies.... face paint and all! Battle royal!!
(if i remember correctly, Navy took the trophy home that year!!!)</p>
<p>Jealousy, well had they been wearing knickers there might have been some jealosy, but under the circumstances no.</p>
<p>Perhaps Navy would do better if they challenged Saint John's to Extreme Croquet. From Wickapedia: "Taking the principles of backyard croquet to the next level results in the phenomenon of eXtreme Croquet. This variant shuns the serene settings of traditional croquet for more challenging terrain including those that contain trees, roots, hills, sand, mud, or moving or still water. eXtreme Croquet uses the traditional English figure-eight standard layout, but several additional rules, rules that vary from location to location, are also employed."</p>
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<p>The johnnies, each year, keep their uniforms top secret until game time. Supposedly they try to do somehing to rattle the mids, up to and including one year dresssing up like gays in hot pants. One has to be familiar with the johnnie culture to really appreciate army cammies and face paint.</p>
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<p>Maybe not. Let me throw out another theory. Many moons ago my son and I showed up at the NAB Little Creek golf course one Saturday morning. We were asked to join another pair. The younger of the two men called me aside and explained that his partner was in a very foul mood and had just had his two pickups impounded that very morning pursuant to a nasty on-going divorce and that he would probably drink less on the golf course than he would were he allowed to stay home. No problem. We teed off. Casual conversation revealed that they were both SEALs, the younger a CPO and the older a Master Chief. It was a very quiet foursome. About the fourth hole, the Master Chief teed up, waggled a few times, and then, in his inebriated state, very carefully bent over, laid his ball on the ground, picked up his tee, and placed it about 6" from my nose. In a very alcohol-laden breath he informed me; "It takes a real man to play with a pink tee." Again, just as carefully, he bent over, replaced the tee, placed his ball back atop of it, picked back up his driver, stood up, and approached the ball a second time. After a few waggles, he stopped, backed off, and turned to face me again and stated "And it takes an even bigger man to say something about it." I suddenly remembered that I had to mow the yard that morning. However, my favorite dress shirt is now pink. </p>
<p>Perhaps the reason that there is not a croquet team at WP is because it takes real men to play croquet.</p>
<p>"Perhaps the reason that there is not a croquet team at WP is because it takes real men to play croquet."</p>
<p>With all due respect to your detailed analyses, I doubt very much that that is the reason cadets don't play croquet. But I'm sure it's a lovely game....</p>
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Zap, I actually bet that it dates back to your era. It just wasn't as big and you didn't hear of it.
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<p>Oh, yes! It did and I did!</p>
<p>You have not heard King Hall erupt in catcalls and jeering derision until you've heard the announcement of this match. Our team is sent off with all kinds of fanfare and support (and a good bit of well-meant ribbing), but to say that St. John's is held in complete contempt by 99.9% of the Brigade would be an understatement. The Brigade has not forgotten their antics during Vietnam. :mad:</p>