Texas A and M University - Aggieland Yearbook (College Station, TX)

Page 31 text:

ABOVE: Supporting the 12th Man tradition, one student endures the approximately three-hour stand and the day’s glaring sun. Life 27

Page 30 text:

Game Day Tradition surrounding the game rwi hough many Aggies won’t remember t how many passes were completed in 1986 or how many yards rushing were gained, they will remember going to yell practices, post-game parties, visits from parents and all the other fun that went along with home football game weekends. As soon as class ended on Friday, it was time to start the weekend. Books were thrown aside and forgotten until Sunday. Final party plans were made, and blue jeans and T-shirts replaced dresses and ties. Dur¬ ing football season, student organizations set up tables in the MSC, the Commons and other frequented locations, selling shirts, mums and other Aggie parapherna¬ lia. Thousands of students gathered in Kyle Field on Friday night before the game — strangers connected by the common bond of being an Aggie — and showed their sup¬ port, often made more vocal by a pre-yell keg party, for the football team, Jackie Sherrill and Texas A M. Many students anticipated the arrival of their parents. Usually a visit from mom and dad meant a bag of goodies — everything from chocolate chip cookies to forgotten clothes — and a free meal after the game at a nice restaurant other than McDonald’s. At halftime, senior Aggies filed onto the field for “boot line,” a receiving line for the players and another way to show support for the school. Saturday nights were usually spent celebrating an Aggie victory. ABOVE: Before kickoff, many families and friends picnic or hold tailgate parties about campus for food, fun, and beverage during the game’s day. BELOW: Watching the main event, the team is inspirited by their teammates playing on the gridiron. 26 Life

Page 32 text:

The 12th Man A Long-Standing Tradition pyThey play so much as a team that people rarely mention the individual names. The fans never say, “Did you see Burnett stuff that guy?” The television announcers never note the fantastic tackle that Silverman made. Yet, every member of the media, every student and every Aggie knows they are the Twelfth Man Kickoff T eam. When Jackie Sherrill allowed non-schol¬ arship students to play on the football team, he created a tradition of which Aggies can be proud. The towel-waving tradition quickly fol¬ lowed the creation of the Twelfth Man, for its members always ran out onto the field waving their towels to the students, who are also known as the Twelfth Man. The stu¬ dents, already standing to show their will¬ ingness to play if necessary, waved towels in return, encouraging the players to reinforce their reputation as madmen. The idea of non-scholarship students playing as part of the football team was a bit unusual. These players are not normal. They only set to cover the kick-offs, so they are rested, fired up and out for blood every time they take the field. These guys get more applause just for lining up than Kevin Murray or Roger Vick get for fantastic plays. Yet, no one but their friends and their parents know their names. This year, there were 24 members of the Twelfth Man Kickoff Squad and their names were as follows: Dean Berry, Danny Balcar, David Joiner, Spencer Baum, John Burnett, David Coo- lidge, Scott Gillispie, Ronnie Glenn, Bill Walker, Jeff Boutwell, Chad Adair, David Fry, Dan Pollard, Brian Edwards, Sean Page, Bobby Middleton, Ed Silverman, Rick Tankersley, Mark Wurzbach, Ashley Eddington, Chris Probst, Harold Huggins, Larry Motley and Gary Sorrell. By Susan M. Dean Fans in the second deck, hoping for another SWC championship season, root for the team on the field as the Ags take on the Bears. 28 Life