Jump to content

WWI AEF Football Memorabilia


trenchbuff
 Share

Recommended Posts

This is a little group came from that period following the Armistice when soldiers of the AEF waited to return home. Football was one of the more popular sports of the AEF games and the teams came from the armies and units of the AEF. The play-offs featured teams representing the 1st Army (36th Division), 2nd Army (7th Division), 3rd Army (89th Division) and the SOS (St. Nazaire). The championship was played on 29 March 1919 in Paris and matched up the 89th and 36th Division. The game was close but the 89th came out victorious. I've always been facinated with the memorabilia that was generated during the period following the Armistice since it represents the Doughboy at his most creative, i.e. painted helmets and gasmasks and shoulder patches!

post-944-1217896489.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unknown team photo. Also, that should be championship medal in the previous photo. (I'm not sure what a membal is???)

post-944-1217897069.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Croix de Guerre

AWESOME! Great stuff! I love that stuff! The post Armistice period must've been interesting because like you said a whole lot of great memorobilia came out of that time period. Keep it coming!

 

77th Division football! Man that is cool!

 

w00t.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

GREAT STUFF! I love AEF sports!

 

I hope you don't mind me adding this! These are closeups from a 10th Aero Squadron roll photo.

 

post-203-1217899696.jpg

 

And from the same image, their baseball pennant.

 

post-203-1217899735.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

AWESOME! Great stuff! I love that stuff! The post Armistice period must've been interesting because like you said a whole lot of great memorobilia came out of that time period. Keep it coming!

 

77th Division football! Man that is cool!

 

w00t.gif

Croix,

 

Thanks. The ball came out of a garage sale in Seattle about 25 years ago!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interesting info.

I became interested in sports when I received a photo from a WW2 veteran. Then I found references to games played while at Rest Camps and was curious about how well organized these teams and games were. The Monthly Operational Reports made mention of games.

 

WW2 Photo of a team. May have been taken in the States but not sure.

Football.jpg

 

I have obtained a brochure of the Spaghetti Bowl that was played between the 5th Army and 15th Air Force in Florence on 1st January 1945.

Would like to know more about these games.

 

Steve

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...
Manchu Warrior

WWII Football program I also have one played between the 101st Airborne and another division in Germany right after the end of the war and I will see if I can find it.

post-1412-1260637076.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks to everyone who added the neat new items to the post. Some really fantastic additions. The trophy is quite an amazing piece!

 

Mark

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here is a sterling silver 4 inch table medal for the winners of the LeMans AEF City League in 1919. The winners were the Repair Unit, 309th Motor Transport Corps. The sport is not identified.

post-2256-1260679821.jpg

post-2256-1260679794.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...

I just found this thread while searching for other remotely related content. I had to add this photo, taken by my uncle when his unit was in France (1918-19). I am wondering if there is any connection to these pieces?

 

3677699212_d1b4f7e512_b.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The National WWI Museum '"Liberty Memorial" in Kansas City, Missouri is currently hosting through March of 1913, a special exhibit titled "World War I All-Stars: Sports & the Inter-Allied Games" The focus is on the games that were held in Paris in June of 1919 between teems from the allied nations. It is a very impressive display. http://www.theworldwar.org/s/110/new/index...1&pgid=1233 (Heck, it is a very impressive museum. Well worth a trip to KC. I go probably twice a year as the collection is so extensive they rotate some exhibits.) Gary Bachman

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mark-

 

Here's a picture from the sidelines of that football game! Note the football players in the background...

 

Note also the specialized armband being worn by the Inter-Allied Games personnel at far right (M.P. with German Shepherd). This neat picture was featured in Al Barnes' book on the 3rd Army.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

''67rally" -

 

Your photo reminds me of a football game held at Colombey-les-Belles on Thanksgiving Day 1918. I need to research that one further...

 

-Chuck

post-518-1348974384.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...