Ceremony to receive the 1969 Army-Navy Game Ball on October 4, 2019

West Point Sports Hall of Fame - Bill Cater

Ladies and Gentlemen, Coach Monken,

Thank you for being here this morning to share in this moment. Thank you Coach Monken, Bob Mischak, Jr., my beloved Class of 1970 classmates, wives, friends and teammates.

For a while, I have had the privilege to coordinate with Bob Beretta at West Point athletics, Lynn Moore, my team captain of the 1969 Army football team, Joe Reeder and Bob Mischak, Jr. in order to get the game football from the 1969 Army-Navy game into the West Point Sports Hall of Fame. 

Today this football will be placed in this special hall of remembrance to celebrate and memorialize the last time Navy was shutout by an Army football team, 50 years ago.

Jokingly, in various emails; Moore, Bob Jr., Reeder and I have called this the “sacred” football ceremony.

In all seriousness, what is sacred is the fellowship that is connected to this symbolic football.

What is sacred is the fellowship that began over 53 years ago with the men that entered West Point on July 1, 1966 to begin the great Class of 1970.

What is sacred is the love that is shared by these men from our shared and vastly varied life experiences.

What is sacred is the brotherhood forged with beginning a common cadet experience and a life of service to our country, our families and our communities.

Today we also get to honor Coach Bob Mischak who was presented this football by the 1969 Army football team and his offensive line. 

As a side story, after the game ended, some kid absconded with the ball and my teammate and Ranger buddy, Don DeCort, tackled the guy and retrieved the ball.

Today we celebrate a wonderful moment in time- when a team of young men, coached by a great staff, and supported by the Corps of Cadets led by our great classmates-beat Navy 27-0. The last Navy shutout that took place 50 years ago.

Today we celebrate others that have gripped hands and are waiting on the other side. Men who banged heads and sweated in the trenches of Army football: Joe Ferraro, Joe Newman, Hank Andrzejczak, Billy Jackson, Jack McGill, Steve Muse, Tony Sobels, Johnny Brenner and others.

Today we celebrate those classmates that have bravely and courageously fought and sacrificed in our nation’s wars. Men like Pete Lilly (in attendance today). Men like our silent team captain, Lynn Moore, and many, many others.

Today we celebrate our good fortune to be alive to share this moment in time; to honor those we love, to share those experiences past, present and future that have forged a fellowship that can never be adequately described with words.

So now ladies and gentlemen; it is a great honor to give you the bearer of the “football”. That young man we knew as the 11 year old Bobby when we were college seniors. The generous donor of this legacy football-Bob Mischak, Jr.