Commander in Chief's Trophy
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| Air Force (16) | Navy (9) | Army (6) |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 1983 1985 1987 1989 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 |
1973 1975 1978 1979 1981 2003 2004 2005 2006 |
1972 1977 1984 1986 1988 1996 |
| Shared Awards (4) | ||
| 1974 1976 1980 1993 | ||
The Commander-in-Chief's Trophy is awarded to each season's winner of the triangular college football series among the United States Military Academy (Army Black Knights), the United States Naval Academy (Navy Midshipmen), and United States Air Force Academy (Air Force Falcons). It is the only traveling college football trophy that involves more than two teams. The Navy-Air Force game is typically played in early October, the Army-Air Force game in early November, and the Army-Navy game in early December. In the event of a tie, the award is shared, but the previous winner retains possession of the trophy. Unlike many other intense college football rivalries, the competitiveness between the academies is tempered by the knowledge that the teams are playing against the soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines that will serve beside them after graduation.
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[edit] History of the trophy
First awarded in 1972, the Commander-in-Chief's trophy was the idea of Air Force General George B. Simler, the commander of Air Training Command and former Air Force Academy athletic director who felt the need for such a trophy as a means to ensure the Air Force games played against traditional rivals Army and Navy were given some meaning at least slightly more significant than all other normal collegiate opponents that those two storied programs were to play on any given Saturday. The trophy itself is jointly sponsored by the alumni associations of the three academies.
The trophy is named for the President of the United States, who acts as Commander-in-Chief of all U.S. military services. The President has personally awarded the trophy on a number of occasions. During the 1980s, for instance, President Ronald Reagan presented the award in a White House ceremony. In 1996, President Bill Clinton presented the trophy at Veterans Stadium after the Army-Navy Game. For the last four years (2003-06), President George W. Bush presented the trophy in a White House ceremony to the members of Navy's football team after those teams posted an impressive 8-0 record against the other two service academies during that span.
[edit] The trophy
The trophy itself stands 2.5 feet (0.76 m) high and weighs 170 lb (77.1 kg). The design consists of three silver footballs in a pyramid like arrangement, set on a circular base, with three arc-shaped sections cut out--one for each academy. In each of the cut-out areas stands a silver figurine of the mascot of one of the academies, in front of small, engraved plates denoting which years the respective academy has won the trophy. Beneath each of the three silver footballs is the crest of one of the three academies. For instance, on the side highlighting Navy, “United States Naval Academy” stands boldly just below the pyramid of footballs. Then, each year the Midshipmen have won or shared the trophy is listed just below the name. Finally, the Goat (known as Bill) is on display so that the viewer sees that this is Navy.
When Navy has possession of the trophy, it is displayed in a glass case in Bancroft Hall, the Midshipmen's dormitory. When Air Force has it, it is displayed in a glass case inside the Cadet Fieldhouse, the indoor sports complex of the academy.
[edit] Winners of the trophy
Air Force victories are shown in ██ blue, Army victories in ██ black, Navy victories in ██ gold. Tied games or shared awards are shown in ██ silver.
| Season | Winner | Air Force-Army score | Air Force-Navy score | Army-Navy score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Navy | 43-7 | 24-17 | 26-14 |
| 2005 | Navy | 27-24 | 27-24 | 42-23 |
| 2004 | Navy | 31-22 | 24-21 | 34-6 |
| 2003 | Navy | 31-3 | 28-25 | 42-13 |
| 2002 | Air Force | 49-30 | 48-7 | 58-12 |
| 2001 | Air Force | 34-24 | 24-18 | 26-17 |
| 2000 | Air Force | 41-27 | 27-13 | 30-28 |
| 1999 | Air Force | 28-0 | 19-14 | 19-9 |
| 1998 | Air Force | 35-7 | 49-7 | 34-30 |
| 1997 | Air Force | 24-0 | 10-7 | 39-7 |
| 1996 | Army | 23-7 | 20-17 | 28-24 |
| 1995 | Air Force | 38-20 | 30-20 | 14-13 |
| 1994 | Air Force | 10-6 | 43-21 | 22-20 |
| 1993 | Shared | 25-6 | 28-24 | 16-14 |
| 1992 | Air Force | 7-3 | 18-16 | 25-24 |
| 1991 | Air Force | 25-0 | 46-6 | 24-3 |
| 1990 | Air Force | 15-3 | 24-7 | 30-20 |
| 1989 | Air Force | 29-3 | 35-7 | 19-17 |
| 1988 | Army | 28-15 | 34-24 | 20-15 |
| 1987 | Air Force | 27-10 | 23-13 | 17-3 |
| 1986 | Army | 21-11 | 40-6 | 27-7 |
| 1985 | Air Force | 45-7 | 24-7 | 17-7 |
| 1984 | Army | 24-12 | 29-22 | 28-11 |
| 1983 | Air Force | 41-20 | 44-17 | 42-13 |
| 1982 | Air Force | 27-9 | 24-21 | 24-7 |
| 1981 | Navy | 7-3 | 30-13 | 3-3 |
| 1980 | Shared | 47-24 | 21-20 | 33-6 |
| 1979 | Navy | 28-7 | 13-9 | 31-7 |
| 1978 | Navy | 28-14 | 37-8 | 28-0 |
| 1977 | Army | 31-6 | 10-7 | 17-14 |
| 1976 | Shared | 24-7 | 13-3 | 38-10 |
| 1975 | Navy | 33-3 | 17-0 | 30-6 |
| 1974 | Shared | 17-16 | 19-16 | 19-0 |
| 1973 | Navy | 43-10 | 42-6 | 51-0 |
| 1972 | Army | 17-14 | 21-17 | 23-15 |
