This Aggie tradition is the reason A&M students stand for the entire football game. The gesture is symbolic of their readiness in case they are needed to go into the game, like the legendary E. King Gill.
The old Dixie Classic in Dallas was the location of the story’s setting. The Aggies were playing Centre College in what is now the Cotton Bowl. Working in the press box that January day was an Aggie athlete named E. King Gill who had represented the university in both football and basketball. With the hoop season well underway, Gill’s all-SWC basketball talents had taken him away from the football field.
GameDay Traditions, Gear, Mascots,
Nicknames & More
The University’s proud military tradition rings loud in Aggie athletics
Texas A&M University
Location: College Station, Tex.
School Colors: Maroon and White
Fight Song: Aggie War Hymn
Texas A&M Nickname: Aggies
Many universities across our nation experienced their initial growth by establishing roots in the agricultural
field. In many cases, their efforts to educate students and communities about farming were symbolized in the
early nicknames given to their athletic teams. Frequent choices were Aggies and Farmers.
The turn of the 19th century marked the first wide use of Aggies by the Southern Texas school. Cadets, a
nickname that saluted the University’s military background, and Farmers were also used to describe A&M’s
athletic teams prior to World War II.
When a group of Aggie Cadets accidentally ran over a dog in 1931, the incident became a driving force in the
development of the school’s proud mascot tradition. After discovering that the black and white dog had
survived its encounter with the Model T, the students took the injured animal to their dormitory. The dog’s
response to the next morning’s bugle call helped the excited animal claw her way into A&M history.
When the bugler sounded reveille, the dog reacted to the military tradition by barking and instantly earned the “Reveille” nickname.
The Aggies Corps of Cadets quickly transformed their new pet into a school mascot. Reveille took a liking for the A&M band and followed them to all formations while leading them when they marched. The first football game that fall marked Reveille’s first official mascot appearance, when she took the field with the band.
“Being Reveille’s caretaker is a 24 hour job because she’s never left alone,” said 1998 mascot corporal Craig Serold. “There’s always somebody watching her, either myself or one of my buddies. It’s a great honor to represent something that’s such a symbol of the spirit and tradition at Texas A&M,” he added.
Serold points to an incident during the 1993 holiday season that serves as a constant reminder that Reveille is
a constant target. “It was About 5:50 the morning after Christmas,” Serold said remembering the moment that
took place while a previous mascot corporal had kept Reveille Five and Six at his house during a break from school.
“The mascot corporal was asleep and his dad let the dogs out to use the bathroom. He took his eye them for a minute while he got a cup of coffee.” Serold said. Some guys called the rustlers, a spirit group at Texas, had been staking out the backyard waiting for their chance. They took Reveille Six who was just a puppy at the time,
and kept her for several days before giving her back.”
Texas A&M Colors: Maroon and White fills the bill, but it’s not what they ordered
Had it not been for a mistake made by a company providing jerseys for the A&M football team, the school would probably be sporting Red and White as it’s colors. The two colors had been used since the early 1900s
when Maroon and White jerseys mistakenly arrived in College Station in the late 1920s. With an abundance of other universities already displaying Red and White, Aggie officials decided that it wasn’t all bad being ‘Marooned.’
Aggie Cheer Squad: The best at Yells and Humping it
Cheerleading is a tradition that is common throughout college football. However, the Aggies have transformed
the motivating actions into what they call yells. Each year five Yell Leaders are selected by the student body. The group that wears all-white uniforms with A&M lettering, is comprised of three seniors and two juniors.
Win or lose the action continues for the Yell Leaders. Following an Aggie victory they are thrown into the Fish Pond and then a Yell Practice is held.
If A&M has been defeated, students remain in the stands and a YellPractice is held. If A&M has been defeated, students remain in the stands and a Yell Practice is held to get firedup for the next game.
Aggie Traditions: “The spirit of Aggieland” is more than most schools can muster.
While all schools have traditions that are in some ways unique, few if any match the storied ones that have developed at Texas A&M. When the school opened as a land grant college in 1876, the student body adopted a military structure. A&M stayed on the same path until 1963, when the first women were admitted. However,
the school has maintained its Corps of Cadets and strong emphasis of military training since then. A visit to the College Station campus will make you quickly realize how important honor and heritage is to those that proudly call themselves “Aggies. “
Non-sports related school customs include Silver Taps and Muster. The former is a solemn ritual that is held in front of the academic building on the first Tuesday night of every month. The purpose is to pay a final tribute to an Aggie who has died. Depending on the situation, the ceremony often includes the dimming of all campus lights, chimes from Albritton Tower, rifle volleys and Silver Taps played three times.
Muster is a ceremony that salutes students and former students that have died during the past year. A&M’s Rollie White Coliseum is filled every April 21 st with Aggie faithful that answer “here” to the roll call for their friends that have passed on.
Aggie War Hymm: Makes fun of the Tea-Sips
The A&M- Texas Longhorn rivalry was first played in 1894 and ranks tied for third on the list for most consecutive years played.. The intenseness of the series has struck such a strong chord with the Maroon and White that the Longhorns are featured in A&M’s fight song.
“Every time we sing the “Aggie War Hymn” it starts off like this, no matter who we’re playing,” Aggie Yell Leader Brandon Neff said. Neff then sang,
“Good-bye to Texas University.
So long to the Orange and White.”
As the song suggests, Aggie faithful take pride in calling the University of Texas, by the name texas university.
We refer to Texas as tu, lower case t and lower case u, because they’re not the University of Texas, we are,” said Neff They’re just a Texas University.”
Those associated with Texas A&M gleam when calling UT students and alumni “tea-sips.” The nickname is based on A&M pride for the many American soldiers with Aggie backgrounds. The belief in College Station was highlighted by their perception in W orId War II that while many Aggies engaged in battle, the privileged boys from UT were home sipping tea.
More than song lyrics and nicknames have been used by Aggie fans to make a statement against their long time foes. While Texas fans have been poking fun with endless Aggie Jokes, A& M has done some poking of its own. Texas’ mascot BEVO received his name as an alteration to a 13-0 score that Aggie pranksters
branded in the animals side.
An assault on UT’s Memorial Stadium’s midfield longhorn symbol resulted in the chemical amputation of the bovine’s horns. The incident took place a week before the 1994 Aggie game, but no Aggie participants were ever found. After expensive repairs to the artificial turf, the Texas steer had his Longhorns back in time for
While pranks help ease tension before the game, make no mistake the game itself is no laughing matter. “It’s always in the back of our mind that we’re playing Texas at the end of the year and that we’re going to beat the Hell out of them, Neff said.” The whole year can be made or lost with the outcome of that game.”