REAL PEOPLE/A MATCH FOR THE AGES
Collegians Versus Retirees
Byron Lee’s croquet team plays opponents more than 70 years his junior
CAMARADERIE was drilled into me at the United States Naval Academy, and I’ve played group sports all my life. So when I moved to a retirement community in Annapolis, Maryland, 15 years ago, I was pleased to learn they had a croquet team. Croquet is a sport that’s blind to age. It’s a game of skill, strategy and patience. You can always refine your grip or your swing, but no number of push-ups will make you a better player.
I’m our team’s longest-serving member. We cohost the Maryland Senior Olympics croquet event, and I’ve ventured to Florida and Philadelphia for tournaments. But my favorite competition might be our annual matches against two local colleges.
Every year since 1983—except for two pandemic years—USNA and the nearby liberal arts college, St. John’s, have played each other for croquet’s prestigious Annapolis Cup. It’s a wonderful day, when one of the campuses fills with spectators in white linen and straw hats. Some even don Victorian-era costumes, a tribute to the sport’s heyday. (This year’s match is scheduled for April 15.)
In advance of that annual rivalry, though, my team challenges the collegians on our turf. Over the course of two spring days, we play heated matches—one day with Navy, one day with St. John’s. We’re in equal parts their rivals and mentors. St. John’s currently has a slight edge over us in total matches won over the past 25 years, but we’ve got a lead over Navy.
Today’s midshipmen remind me of my classmates from the class of 1950. They’re well mannered and respectful. But all the students we meet are wonderful people. Vast stretches of adventure lie ahead for them, whether in military or civilian life. My biggest adventures may be behind me. But winning never gets old. —As told to Niamh Rowe
Byron Lee, 95, a retired U.S. Navy captain and nuclear engineer, is a member of the croquet team at Ginger Cove in Annapolis, Maryland.