Army-Navy Ball Run To Pass Through Harford County: Sheriff

BEL AIR, MD – Expect to see runners along US 1 in Harford County during the Friday rush hour. The athletes are participating in the Army-Navy Ball Run, a tradition that has been going on for more than 30 years.

Before the annual Army-Navy game, the Army runs its game ball from West Point, New York, and the Navy midshipmen run their ball from Annapolis. The Naval Academy started the practice in 1981.

The journey for the midshipmen is about 130 miles to this year's game, which is in Philadelphia, and the route includes Harford County.

According to the Harford County Sheriff's Office, the Army-Navy Ball Run will travel along Route 1, including the Bel Air Bypass, sometime between 3 and 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 8. The sheriff's office issued an advisory about the event Friday morning.

The Naval Academy runners are breaking up their ball run among 150 midshipmen, with each running about a 10-mile stretch of the relay, according to Runners World. Local fire departments and other agencies were reportedly notified ahead of time to provide support.

The Army team's journey spans New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Both game balls will be presented by each team's ball runners at the stadium before kickoff at the 2017 Army-Navy game on Saturday, Dec. 9, at Lincoln Financial Stadium in Philadelphia.

Photo Credit: U.S. Naval Academy.