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Learn a little bit about some famous Aggies from Texas A&amp;M's amazing past!

Which Famous Aggie Are You?

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Earl King Gill ’24 and his commitment to his team gave birth to the tradition of the 12th Man. At the 1922 Dixie Classic, the Fightin’ Texas Aggies were playing the undefeated Centre College of Kentucky. At half time, the Aggies were winning but every player was injured except for the 11 on the field. Coach Bible remembered that E King Gill, who had stopped playing football to focus on basketball, was up in the press box identifying players. He sent for Gill and had him suit up. Gill stood next to Coach Bible for the rest of the game, ready to play if he was needed. He was never called on to play and the Aggies won the game, and King became a symbol of the Aggie Spirit. Next time you are at a sports event, be sure to stand to show your readiness to support your fellow Aggies!

E King Gill

Lawrence Sullivan “Sul” Ross was president of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas from 1891-1898 after having been governor of Texas from 1887-1891. He also served as a Texas Ranger and fought in the Civil War. As president of Texas A&M, Ross made many improvements to the school and many of the traditions we carry on today were formed during his term. The first Silver Taps was held after his death in 1898 to honor him. While he was president, he would call struggling students into his office and tutor them. He would not let them pay him, just a “penny for their thoughts”. Next time you are in Academic Plaza, continue this tradition and put a penny on Sully for good luck!

Lawrence Sullivan "Sul" Ross

James Earl Rudder ’32 was president of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas from 1959-1970, overseeing the name change to Texas A&M University. Major changes happened at the University under his presidency. Women were admitted, the school became desegregated, and the Corps of Cadets was made voluntary. Rudder is well known for his service during World War II, most notably his command of the 2nd Ranger Battalion. On D-Day, he led the attack on Pointe du Hoc, scaling the over 100 feet cliffs there to reach the German forces. Next time you walk by Rudder Tower, imagine climbing cliffs that tall and reflect on the sacrifices of those who have gone before us.

James Earl Rudder

Reveille is the official mascot of Texas A&M and is known as the First Lady of Aggieland. The first Reveille was brought by some cadets to campus in January 1931 and lived for 13 years after that. There have been a total of 8 Reveilles and the search for Reveille IX is currently underway. Reveille is the highest ranking member of the Corps of Cadets, wears five diamonds and if she is in your class and barks, it is tradition for the professor to let you out. When you are on campus, be sure to keep your eyes out for Reveille and that perfect selfie opportunity!

Miss Reveille

Jackie Sherrill was the head coach of the Fightin’ Texas Aggie football team from 1982-1988 and lead the team to unprecedented success. With a record of 50-9-1 and 3 consecutive Southwest Conference Championships, the Aggies under Sherrill were a force to be reckoned with. Although a great coach, Sherrill is most known for the formation of the 12th Man Kickoff team. After visiting the Bonfire stack, he held tryouts for a walk-on kick off team which was narrowed down to 15 people. The 12th Man Kickoff Team took the field for the first time in 1983 and was very successful. This helped build the strength of the 12th Man tradition. Next time you see your 12th Man Towel, remember Jackie Sherrill and the impact he had on the 12th Man.

Jackie Sherrill

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