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TAMU Traditions
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY TRADITIONS
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Article provided by the Traditions Council
HoWdY
Howdy is the official greeting of Texas A&M University. Greeting each other with a “Howdy!” identifies us as the friendliest university in the world. gig ‘eM
Gig ‘em is the universal sign of approval for Aggies. Coined by P.L. “Pinkie” Downs, Class of 1906, when at a Yell Practice before the 1930 TCU football game Downs asked, “What are we going to do with those Horned Frogs?” In reference to frog hunting, he said, “Gig ‘em, Aggies!” and made a fist with his thumb extended up as one would when using a gig. would when using a gig. It was the first hand sign of the Southwest Conference for 25 years until t.u. copied the idea from the Aggies and created their Hook ’em Horns. Now Aggies give each other this sign to encourage and motivate each other. tHe 12tH
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On Jan. 2, 1922, the Aggies from the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas played the Prayin’ Colonels of Centre College, Kentucky, in the Dixie Classic. After the tough 1921 football season, the Aggies were “completely exhausted, both physically and mentally,” according to Red Thompson, a yell leader at the time. But the Aggies came ready to play, and the game’s first points (and the first points allowed by Centre all year) came on a safety off a muffed punt in the end zone.
At half time, Coach Dana X. Bible’s Southwest Conference Champion Aggies were winning, but every player on the Aggie team except for the 11 on the field was injured. Coach Bible remembered that a sophomore multiple sport athlete, who had recently stepped down from football to focus on the new basketball season, was sitting in the press box helping identify players on the field. Coach Bible requested that the player, E. (Earl) King Gill ’24, come down to the field and suit up.
E. King Gill went under the stands with a couple blankets and the injured team captain, Heine Weir, to put on his uniform. E. King Gill then stood next to Coach Bible for the rest of the game, ready to play, but was never asked to. Texas A&M went on to beat Centre College 22-14.
Today, Aggies stand at all football and basketball games, from the opening kickoff “till the final gun is sounded,” symbolizing our readiness to go into the game or help our fellow Aggies whenever we are needed.
MidnigHt
Yell
Beginning in 1913, Corps companies would practice and learn yells; “learning heartily the old time prep.” Aggies in 1934 said that yell practice was “something that cannot be experienced by an outsider” and “something only an Aggie can feel.”
In 1931, the first official Midnight Yell Practice was held before the t.u. game on the steps of the YMCA building. Today, Midnight Yell is held the Friday night before a home game in Kyle Field. If playing an away game, Midnight Yell is held on Friday night close to where the game is being played. Aggies practice yells and sing songs for the next day’s game; the
asked to. Texas A&M yell leaders tell a junior yell leaders tell a junior and a senior fable; and then the lights go out. That is when you get to “mug down” and kiss your date, or if you don’t have a date, take a lighter, “flick your Bic” and hope to find another Aggie looking to mug down. silver tAps Silver Taps is one of the most sacred and significant traditions at A&M. Silver Taps is one of the final tributes held for any current graduate or undergraduate student who has passed during the year. Silver Taps is held the first Tuesday of the month following a student’s death. Starting in the morning, the flags on campus are flown at half-staff. The names, classes and majors of the fallen Aggies are on cards placed at the base of the flagpole in the Academic Plaza and on the Silver Taps Memorial. Throughout the day, students can write letters to the families of the fallen Aggies. That night at 10:15, all the lights on campus are extinguished. Hymns are then played on
the Albritton Bell Tower. Around this time, students gather silently in the Academic Plaza. The families of the fallen Aggies are also led into the plaza. At 10:30, the Ross Volunteer Firing Squad marches into the Academic Plaza at a slow cadence. Once they arrive, they fire a three volley salute in honor of the fallen Aggies. After the last round is fired, buglers atop the Academic Building begin to play a special rendition of “Taps” called “Silver Taps” which is unique to A&M. They play it three times, once to the north, once to the south, and once to the west, but never to the east, because it’s said the sun will never rise on that Aggie again. After the last note is played, the one thing you can hear is the shuffling of feet as students return silently to their lives.
Silver Taps has been occurring for over 100 years. The first Silver Taps was in 1898. At Silver Taps, you stand where Aggies have stood for generations. You are connected to those who have come before you. This tradition is unique to Texas A&M, as no other university in the world honors their students in this way.
Bonfire
Students used burning Bonfire as a pep rally where speeches were made and yells were led, often outlasting the actual burning of the fire. The first Bonfires in 1909 were built with trash and other scraps around campus. It wasn’t until 1912 when logs started to become the standard for building Bonfire.
Starting in the 1950s, building Bonfire became more organized while each class strove to make it bigger and better than the ones before. The tallest Bonfire was built in 1969 and was about 109 feet tall with a 105-foot center pole.
Ninety-two years after bonfire first began, almost to the hour, on Nov. 18, 1999, at 2:42 a.m., the Bonfire stack collapsed and took with it the lives of 12 of our fellow Aggies and injured 27 others. The Bonfire collapse was quite possibly the most trying event in the history of Texas A&M, but it also allowed us to better understand the true meaning of the Aggie spirit. Many of us believe that Bonfire did burn that year when 90,000 Aggies, friends and families gathered at the Polo Fields on the night Bonfire was to burn to silently hold candles together.
Muster
Muster represents the Aggie spirit that binds Aggies to their school and to one another. It is more than a ceremony; it is a responsibility that is handed down from one generation to the next. Muster is a way for Aggies to renew their loyalty to their school and their friends.
Aggie Muster is a special time set aside to honor members of the Aggie family. Aggie Muster traces its roots back to San Jacinto Day, which was a Texas holiday in the 1840s that celebrated Texans’ defeat of the Mexican Army in the battle of San Jacinto.
In 1899, the cadets decided to hold a San Jacinto Field Day on April 21. It was a day of fun and activities without class.
During the world wars, this tradition of meeting on April 21 evolved to include a memoriam for those who were absent. In World War I, Aggies met all over the trenches of Europe and at army posts all over America. The most famous Aggie Muster was held during World War II in 1942 on the small island of Corregidor in the Philippines. Major General George Moore, ’08, led a group of recently commissioned Aggies in a moment to honor the valiant Aggies who had died, hold a yell practice, and sing the War Hymn with all their strength, all under heavy enemy fire.
In 1924, the first campus Muster was held in Guion Hall, and Muster has been held on campus since. Campus Muster is now the largest of the over 300 Musters held worldwide.
The most important and moving part of the Muster ceremony is Roll Call for the absent. The Roll Call lists the names of every local Aggie who has passed during the year, as well as missing members of the 50 year reunion class. As each name is read, a candle is lit, and the family and friends answer, “Here,” to symbolize that while that Aggie has fallen, they are still with us in spirit.
reveille
Reveille is Texas A&M’s beloved mascot and the First Lady of Aggieland. She has been mascot since 1931, when some cadets found her wounded by the side of the road in Navasota and snuck her into their dorm. All Reveilles since Reveille III have been Rough Collies. Miss Rev leads the football team onto the field at every game, and is attended by a sophomore in Company E-2 of the Corps of Cadets.
Aggie ring
The Aggie ring is a unique representation of achievement by an Aggie. Aggies take
pride in earning their little piece of gold from the greatest university in the world. The Aggie ring is unlike any other because students cannot design their own class ring or order it at any time. The Aggie ring can only be ordered when an Aggie completes 90 hours, 45 of which must be from Texas A&M University.
The top of the ring features a shield that symbolizes the protection of the good reputation of the alma mater. There are 13 stripes in the shield that symbolize the 13 original states and Aggies’ intense patriotism. The five stars found in the shield refer to the five phases of Aggie development: mind or intellect, body, spiritual attainment, emotional poise and integrity of character. The eagle on the top of the Aggie ring symbolizes agility and power and ability to reach great heights and ambitions.
One side of the Aggie ring holds a large star encircled with a wreath of olive leaves joined together by a ribbon near the bottom of the ring. The large star symbolizes the seal of the State of Texas authorized by the Constitution of 1845. It is encircled with a wreath of olive leaves, symbolizing achievement and desire for peace and live oak leaves, symbolizing the strength to fight. The leaves are joined at the bottom by an encircling ribbon to show the necessity of joining these traits to accomplish one’s ambition to serve.
The other side of the Aggie ring contains an ancient cannon, saber and rifle, symbolizing that the citizens of Texas fought for their land and our determination to defend our homeland. The saber stands for valor and confidence, and the rifle and cannon stand for preparedness and defense. On both sides, the United States and Texas flags are crossed to symbolize the dual allegiance to nation and state.
July 19, 2021 | 7
FOOTBALL
BY ROBERT CESSNA • ROBERT.CESSNA@THEEAGLE.COM
Texas A&M flirted with making the College Football Playoff last season, settling for a 41-27 victory over North Carolina in the Orange Bowl to cap a 9-1 season.
The Aggies ended the season with an eightgame winning streak and were ranked fourth in the final Associated Top 25, their highest since the 1939 national championship team.
“We’re not done yet,” A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher said after the Orange Bowl victory. “We’ve had some good years, but we’re not where we wanted to go and [we’re] still not quite where we want to go.”
The Aggies, who are 26-10 under Fisher, will have a chance to get to where they want this season with 14 returning starters. The biggest question mark on offense is replacing quarterback Kellen Mond who was a three-year starter. Mond, under Fisher’s tutelage, matured into a NFL third-round pick.
Sophomore Zach Calzada and redshirt freshman Haynes King are Fisher’s latest pupils. King, in the spring game, completed 16 of 31 for 211 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Calzada was 19 of 40 for 253 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
Calzada has played in only three games and King but two, with neither making a start, yet quarterback play isn’t Fisher’s biggest concern.
“I’m worried about the pieces around them,” Fisher said after the spring game. “We got to play better around them I think they’re making tremendous progress right now and I’m not saying it just for the quarterback I am very pleased where they’re at, they got to get better without a doubt, but there’s a lot of pieces around them and need to get better.”
That improvement has to start in the offensive line that returns only one starter. That starter is junior Kenyon Green, who is All-American and is projected to be an NFL first-round draft pick. This year, he will move from guard to tackle.
“As a leader, I need to step up more and get a hold of the offensive line,” Green said.
The 325-pound Green set a good example in the spring, voted the offensive most valuable player.
The rest of the line is short on experience but not talent. Junior Luke Matthews moves in at center, the latest in a long line of standout Matthews who have played for the Aggies. The projected starting guards are sophomore Layden Robinson, who saw quality action last year, and redshirt freshman Aki Ogunbiyi, who shared spring training’s most improved offensive award with wide receiver Jalen Preston. The other tackle likely will be Jahmir Johnson, a graduate transfer from Tennessee who made 17 career starts for the Vols.
The Aggies have the running backs that could make any offensive line look good. Isaiah Spiller as a freshman was well down on the depth chart, but by the end of his sophomore season he was one of the best in the Southeastern Conference. He rushed for 1,036 yards on 188 carries last season to earn All-SEC honors. conti nued on page 10
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