In my notes, I have that Jim Sims, Col., USMC and a graduate, was part of the start of the team, as I believe he was stationed there in 1969-71. But what follows is a history that predates the late 60s....
From Frank Corah: "I found Prof. Buffum's history [see below after all the pictures] fascinating because those of us who had the privilege of playing in the sport he instigated at the academy had no idea of his struggle to make it happen. I can add some details and photos."
From Bob Andretta: "All of the photos are from the spring set periods of each year. There was no "spring football practice" back then, so lots of guys on the football team would come out for spring Rugby, edging some of us lesser folk out of the mix for playing against teams from out of the yard. And: the next photo looks to be an intramural team. We did play our intramural matches just in company intramural shirts, but I believe this was actually the team that played Baltimore in our first ever match against a regular club. I remember that match really well; I nearly got my ear torn off. Since one had to play on back then, rather than getting subbed, some tape was wrapped around my head to hold my ear in place until I could go to sick bay after the match. This was the first time my parents saw me play Rugby!"
First match vs Baltimore 1963. Standing:?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?
Sitting: ?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?
Team shot of the first "Exhibition Rugby Team" in 1963 which beat the Brits from Dartmouth June week of 63.
Kneeling, L to R: Bob Friedrick, Judd Halenza, Jay Fyfe, Louis Adriasola (team captain from Chile), ???, and John aka JJ O’Dwyer,
Standing, L to R: Lt. Paul Fournier, Frank Corah, ???, ???, ???, ???, ???, ???, Don Bonsper, Ron Bancroft, Prof. William Buffum, Paul Revak
Frank Corah contesting the ball against the Baltimore Rugby Club May 5, 1963. On the right giving chase is Bob Friedrick. We hung in there for the first half trailing by 10-5, but lost 28-5 when their superior kicking game wore us out.
Don Bonsper, number 40, in the same game with scrum half Judd Halenza trying to clear the ball. That year we also played the Washington Rugby Club on May 12, 1963 winning 23-3.
Sitting, L-R: Mr. Duckworth, ???, Frank Corah, ???, ???, ???, Judd Halenza, Bob Friedrick, and JJ O’Dwyer,
Kneeling, L-R: ???, ???, ???, ???, Jay Fyfe, ???, ???, ???, ???, and ???,
Standing, L-R: Lt. Paul Fournier, ???, ???, ???, ???, ???, ???, ???, ???, Ron Bancroft, Don Bonsper, Lt, Paul Revak, and Prof. William Buffum
Spring 1964 and NEW uniforms;
Kneeling, L-R: JJ O’Dwyer, Jay Fyfe, Jimmy Pender, Judd Halenza, ???, Bob Friedrick, and ???,
Standing, L-R: Lt. Paul Fournier, Prof. William Buffum, Frank Corah, ???, Ron Bancroft, ???, Tom Lynch (captain of '63 football team ranked #2 nationally and later USNA Superintendent), Bruce Davidson (bandana), ???, Don Bonsper, and Lt. Paul Revak.
Sitting, L-R: Jay Fyfe, ???, Bob Friedrick, (maybe) Bill Erickson, JJ O’Dwyer, ???, and ???,
Kneeling, L-R: Judd Halenza, ???, ???, ???, ???, ???, ???, and ???,
Standing, L-R: Prof. William Buffum, Dee Burrows, Bruce Davidson, Ron Bancroft, (maybe) Dick Piatt, ??? (maybe Sted Garber), ??? (maybe Tim Kelly), ???, ???, ???, ???, and ???
# 10 Bonsper, #2 Frank Corah, At the back of the lineout is Ron Bancroft
#10 looks like Bonsper, Corah is to the far right, and Halenza is heeling the ball from the ruck. #3 in the ruck looks like it may be Jay Fyfe and at the opposite side of the ruck in the picture, with the white tape around his head, is Bruce Davidson (in an offside position-smile)
Comments from Bob Andretta: " I did get to play in the match against the Royal Navy Midshipmen who visited while on their summer cruise, but that might be just because I had helped arrange the match. And BTW, as to that, I am pretty certain that we beat them rather handily; rather than having lost to them. After all, we were mostly older and bigger, and we had been playing all academic year before their visit. Most of them had never played Rugby, much less ever having played it together. They were very good sports about it all, and we enjoyed hosting them to shower and change in our rooms and accompany us to evening meal, then out to Crab Town. "
Bob Andretta modeling the uniform that was scraped together for the Royal Navy Midshipmen match; a hand-me-down varsity soccer shirt with leather thong lace up (really cool), regular USNA PT shorts, all-purpose shoes, and socks also from the soccer team.
