Local sports fans can trade in their beer and baseball caps for champagne and fedoras Sunday as St. John's College plays host to the U.S. Naval Academy in their 27th annual croquet match.
In a display of sophisticated spectatorship - think The Great Gatsby meets tailgating - a crowd of 1,500 is expected to gather on St. John's campus to watch the college's croquet team play the Midshipmen from the 28th company.
The winning team is awarded the Annapolis Cup.
Jo Ann Mattson, director of alumni relations at St. John's, said audience members come to socialize and show off extravagant gowns and suits as much as for the game itself.
"They dress up and have fun, outdoing one another in creating their own spaces," she said. "We had someone hang a chandelier from a tree last year."
She added that the game serves as St. John's reunion, and the event usually draws about 400 alumni.
Mattson compares the competitive pairing to David and Goliath. The athletically inclined Naval Academy students have won five of the 26 games against St. John's, which fields one of the best croquet clubs in the country.
Senior Micah Beck, imperial wicket of St. John's croquet team, which is comparable to team captain, said he happened to visit the college during its annual match as a 19-year-old incoming student.
"I observed it, and after that my father bought a backyard [croquet] set," he said. "And the rest is history."
Beck said the usual crowd ranges from dedicated croquet fans to weekend picnickers.
"I think it's a little different for everyone. Some people come to watch the croquet matches, and some people come and never see a ball be hit," he said. "I guess in some sense it's the students who pay the least attention, because they see us out on campus all the time."
And, of course, the spectators aren't the only ones who partake in the tradition of elaborate accouterments. The Midshipmen follow United States Croquet Association code - crisp white shirts, sweaters, pants and shoes - but the Johnnies change their uniforms year to year. The outfits are revealed at the game's start.
Senior Patrick Claque, the Mids' imperial wicket, said in an e-mail that they stick to their all-white duds because it's tradition, and "the Navy loves tradition." Plus, "our uniforms look awesome!" he added.
Claque said he is looking forward to competing against the Johnnies again but also likes the opportunity to be in the limelight.
