Many colleges have traditions and rituals that are
University specific and very important to the players, fans and alumni. Texas
A&M University, in College Station, upholds a tradition that involves all who
proudly wear the Maroon and White.
The following information on the 12th man
was taken from the A&M website http://aggietraditions.tamu.edu/team/12thman.html.
Established
on the second of January 1922 when the underdog Aggies faced Centre College the
Nation’s top ranked team. As the Aggies dug deeply into their limited reserves,
Coach Dana X. Bible remembered a squad man who was not in uniform. He had been
in the press box helping reporters identify players. His name was E. King Gill,
and was a former football player who was only playing basketball. Gill was sent
down from the stands and suited up in an Aggie uniform on the sideline where he
stood ready throughout the rest of the game. A&M finally won the game
22-14, when the game ended, E. King Gill was the only man left standing on the
sidelines for the Aggies. Gill later said, "I wish I could say that I went
in and ran for the winning touchdown, but I did not. I simply stood by in case
my team needed me."
Gill became known as the 12th Man because
of his willingness to support his team and his school. This spirit of Texas A&M
University has become a very valuable asset to the school in their quest for
success on the gridiron and in the classroom. The 12th Man is used as
a marketing tool to promote pride on campus; the 12th Man verbiage
is visible on university apparel, game
day media guides, and is even on the football stadium. The 12th Man
is the spirit of the A&M student body and is represented at all Texas
A&M football games as the student body stands ready (literally, the student
body stands up during the entire game) should the eleven men on the gridiron
need assistance.
Using tradition to promote school spirit is a simple
yet powerful marketing strategy that all universities should embrace. Discover
the history of your school and encourage students to rally around the tradition!
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