Legends

In the fall of 1888, a carload of cavalry horses arrived at PMC and Colonel Charles Hyatt announced cavalry drill as a new line of military training. Instruction was to be similar to that at West Point and quickly became popular with cadets. In 1894, PMC’s Cavalry Squad performed at the Philadelphia Horse Show and the local newspapers proclaimed “It was probably the finest exhibition of drilling on horseback ever seen in Philadelphia.” For many years the Cavalry Squad continued to make public appearances

Perhaps the most challenging and entertaining activity of the Cavalry Squad was the yearly competition for the John G. Bergfels Cavalry Medal. This competition signaled the start of commencement activities and was often witnessed by hundreds of spectators. The events typically included “a walk and trot, canter, right pass and left pass, back jumping, changing leads, mount and dismount, changing mounts, vaulting, vaulting with face to the rear” and performance over jumps and lasted approximately three hours.  The judges were often visiting military dignitaries or well-known horsemen.

The Bergfels Cavalry Medal was beautifully designed and made of 14 carat gold with two small diamonds on the saber grips. It was a donation from Julius Bergfels, a renowned jeweler from Newark, N.J., in 1897 to honor the memory of his younger brother John G. Bergfels. He served as first sergeant of the Van Reypen’s Unattached Company, First New Jersey Cavalry. During his career as a cavalryman, he took part in as many as eighty skirmishes and engagements, including the Battle of Second Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg and Gettysburg. During the Battle of the Wilderness, Sergeant Bergfels was mortally wounded at Todd’s Tavern in 1864.

In 1932 the PMC football team traveled to Atlantic City to play Delaware in the Convention Hall for the first time. This was one of the earliest indoor football games played. The game itself was well attended, but, despite outplaying Delaware, PMC was unable to carry “the ball across the goal stripe.” The final score was Delaware 7 PMC 6. These yearly match-ups continued until 1940.

PMC first played the United States Merchant Marine Academy (Kings Point) at Homecoming in 1960. In 1961, the game was moved to the Atlantic City Convention Hall and became known as the “Little Army-Navy Game. This post-season game became an annual matchup lasting 8 years between PMC and Kings Point. The series in Atlantic City ended in 1967. In fall 1968, PMC played the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in the Boardwalk Bowl. In the fall of 1969 and 1970, PMC played Lebanon Valley in Convention Hall and the event was renamed the Atlantic City Classic.
From its beginning, area newspapers, as well as those from New Mexico, Michigan, West Virginia, Oklahoma, Texas, Ohio, Massachusetts and Florida, along with Philadelphia TV stations carried stories about the “Little Army-Navy” game. For PMC, the importance of a victory in this game instilled pride and strengthened the loyalty of everyone involved with the school. These games put PMC on the national stage.

Within five years of its introduction, PMC Polo teams had become a dominant force on the collegiate level. They regularly defeated their opponents, whether they were colleges, universities or area clubs. The 1935 team distinguished itself for its unselfish and honorable actions.

The PMC team, consisting of seniors Jack Young ’30 and Frank Kaiser ’30 and freshman Walter Jones, were playing the Ridgewood Riding Club (NJ). Victory would earn the team the title Eastern Junior Polo champions and make them eligible to play the Detroit Riding Club in the Junior East-West Championship tournament. The very talented Eckford Rufner, a 17 year old, led the Ridgewood team. During the second period, Rufner’s pony lost its balance and he was crushed under the fallen horse. The score at that time was 3 ½ – 2 in favor of PMC Ridgewood did not have a substitute and the title was awarded to P.MC.

The cadets requested that the Eastern Junior Championship be transferred to Ridgewood. The U.S. Polo Association ruled that the accident was unavoidable and PMC must retain the title. The school withdrew from the East-West Championship Tournament. As a final token of their respect, the polo team and the entire Senior Class attended the funeral of Rufner. Colonel Hyatt, Lieutenant Comfort and Captain Schaubel ’30 were also present.

The first college football game was played in 1869 between Rutgers University and Princeton University. Rutgers won by a score of 6 to 4. By the 1890s football was recognized as a major college sport. In the early days, football was uncomplicated. The plays were simple and the strategy was elementary. Tackling below the waist was not allowed and running backs used the straight arm most effectively.

In 1888, PMC fielded a very talented team. They played well as a team and experienced no serious injuries during the season. As important, the Corps of Cadets and their friends attended many of the games. These factors contributed to the cadet squad going undefeated and untied, and even more impressive, no opponent crossed its goal line during the entire 9 game schedule.

PMC continued to field competitive teams. In 1933, under the direction of Coach “Jud” Timm and the play of “Reds” Pollack, the football team was again undefeated. The only team to score on the PMC eleven was West Point. During that game, the Cadets held the undefeated and untied Army eleven to two last quarter touchdowns in what some call the finest football game played by the school.

The PMC Polo team originated when Colonel Frank K. Hyatt, then a captain directing the mounted activities at PMC, envisioned the possibilities of the game becoming a major intercollegiate sport. The cadets played both an indoor and outdoor schedule from 1923 to 1948. By 1928, the PMC team was a dominant force in Intercollegiate Polo Association, which included Yale, Harvard, Princeton, University of Pennsylvania, West Point, Cornell and PMC. That same year, the cadets won the Intercollegiate Polo Championship (national championship), defeating Harvard, Princeton, Yale, and West Point.

1940 was one of the greatest years for polo at PMC. Under the tutelage of Coach Carl Schaubel, ’30, considered by many to be the best polo coach in the country, the team excelled. Led by Buddy Maloney ’41 the team of Jim Spurrier ’40, Buck Wagnon and Emory Hickman ’40 formed one the best combinations in the East. After completing a successful season, the team once again found itself playing in the Intercollegiate Tournament. They beat the Harvard team 12 to 11, in a hard fought match and then faced West Point. After defeating West Point decisively (11 to 7), PMC faced Princeton in the final round of the tournament. Unfortunately, PMC was defeated by Princeton, 14 to 7.

By 1943 it was clear that continuing polo at PMC. was no longer possible. The reasons were the cost, including the equipment, horses, and transportation for players and horses, coupled with the loss of a home playing field due to World War II.

Although polo was only played a relatively short time at PMC, the superior coaching and talent of its teams earned the school a place of respect in the history of the game.

The war years presented PMC with both challenges and opportunities. In 1943, the junior and senior classes were called to active duty. Most of the juniors were near completion of their studies in an accelerated program and graduated with special “War Diplomas.” In June, 325 soldiers reported to PMC for Army Specialized Training.

In 1944, Colonel Frank K. Hyatt reported that the Corps consisted of 100 cadets, about two-thirds of which were preparatory students. The 1944 Commencement exercises were cancelled that year so that PMC could prepare for the arrival of a group of 225 Reserve students. By that time, the cadets had been trained as instructors. The next graduation was held in August 1945, and 1946 witnessed a mid-year graduation for cadets George E. Pranis and Norman J. Stein along with 47 ASTP students. After passage of the G.I. Bill in 1946, PMC began to enroll veterans as day and boarding students.

The first units assigned to PMC in 1943 were offered a standard college curriculum leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science in engineering and chemistry. All ASPT students participated in physical training and military instruction, which followed basic R.O.T.C. course.