PRESIDENT WILL TAKE PASS ON ATTENDING ARMY-NAVY GAME
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On November 20, 1923, The Evening Star reports that President Calvin Coolidge has decided "he will be unable to attend the Army-Navy football game*" to be held in New York this coming Saturday.
Instead, the President plans to work on his upcoming message to the Congress of the United States.
Mr. Coolidge, who attended the Navy-Princeton game in Baltimore a few weeks back, will be represented in New York by C. Bascom Slemp**, secretary to the President.
*The Army-Navy game is an annual football contest between the Army Black Knights of West Point, NY & the Navy Midshipmen of Annapolis, MD. The 1st meeting, won by Navy 24-0, was held in 1890 & the most recent contest (2022) was won by Army 20-17 in 2 OTs. Navy leads the series 62-54-7.
**Campbell Bascom Slemp (1870-1943) was born in Turkey Cove, VA & earned his law degree at the University of Virginia. CBS served as a U.S. Congressman (R-VA) 1907-1923 & as President Coolidge's secretary 1923-1925.
JFK+50 NOTE
C. Bascom Slemp passed away of heart disease at St. Mary's Hospital in Knoxville, Tennessee. Mr. Slemp, a graduate of Virginia Military Academy, earned the highest GPA ever received at VMI. His record still stands.
President Kennedy attended both Army-Navy football games held during his presidency (1961 & 1962). He was assassinated just 15 days before the 1963 edition.
SOURCE
"Coolidge Gives Up Army-Navy Game To Finish Message," The Evening Star, Washington, D.C., November 20, 1923, Chronicling America, Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/
