David Robinson was called the Admiral because of his service at Annapolis. (and he was 7’ 0”!)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Robinson_%28basketball%29
Robinson was 6 ft. 8 in. when he was admitted to the Naval Academy, two inches above the height limit, but received a waiver from the Superintendent of the Academy. Robinson considered leaving the academy after his second year, before incurring an obligation to serve in active duty. He decided to stay after discussing with the Superintendent the likelihood that his height would prevent serving at sea as an unrestricted line officer, hurting his naval career, and might make it impossible for him to be commissioned at all. As a compromise, Secretary of the Navy John Lehman allowed Robinson to train for and receive his commission as a staff officer in the Civil Engineer Corps community. As a result, Robinson was commissioned in the Naval Reserves and only had to serve an initial active-duty obligation for two years. After graduating from the Naval Academy, Robinson became a civil engineering officer at the Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay in Georgia. He was regularly featured in recruiting materials for the service. Despite the nickname “Admiral”, Robinson’s actual rank upon fulfilling his service commitment was Lieutenant, Junior Grade.
How intersting. Perhaps my neighbor’s disallowment was just a story his parents told the neighbors. At the time, the Army was not the favored branch of service. We had a draft, and many young fellows opted to join the Navy first to avoid service in the Army. Frankly, I don’t remember that kid serving in anything, after he flunked out of West Point. He became a druggie, a fact well hidden from the neighbors until many years later. He’d been a promising kid — smart, athletic, handsome — and he became a bum. What do do expect from Berkeley?