Aggies Get Favorite’s Role In Annual Turkey Day Clash
By RONNIE GREATHOUSE
Battalion Sports Editor
A 15-year-old tradition was brok-
|e* this year when the Aggies were
i picked as favorites over the Texas
I Longhorns, but Southwesterners
i will tell you “it don’t mean a
thing.”
The University of Texas is an
i underdog at Kyle Field for the
' first time since 1939 in the 62nd
renewal of the Southwest Confer
ence’s oldest and bitterest rival
ry. The series dates back to 1894
and shows the Longhorns holding a
big edge with 40 wins to 16 for the
Aggies and five ties.
Tomorrow’s nationally televised
Game of the Week begins at 1:15
p.m. A play-by-play description of
the game can be heard over WTAW
with Kern Tipps bringing a run
ning account of the action.
A&M can gain its first SWC
championship in 15 long years by
defeating the Steers. A defeat
would hand TCU the title, provid
ing the Horned Toads clip their
arch-rivals, the SMU Mustangs,
next Saturday.
Texas is trying to escape its
most dismal season since 1938, and
brings a 4-5 season record into the
Turkey Day battle. The Long-
horns rank third in the conference
race at pi'esent with three wins and
two 1 osses.
On the other hand, the Aggies
a7’e enjoying their best season
since 1941. They currently rank
eighth in the nation on the Asso
ciated Press poll and have a fine
f-1-1 won-lost mark to show for
the season. A&M paces league
play with four wins, no losses and
a tie.
The last time A&M had a chance
to win the title was in 1943. That
year the Cadets also boasted a
7-1-1 record going into the Thanks
giving bout. Texas won the game,
27-13, and the title.
In 1915 Texas had a great ball
club. It had lost only one game
all year, and that was a one-point
decision to Oklahoma. Texas had
slaughtered Rice earlier in the
season, 59-0, and Rice had beaten
the Aggies, 7-0. The two teams
met on Kyle Field. A&M won it
13-0.
Both teams have made good, use
of the breaks so far this season.
A&M has been the prime exponent
of taking opponent’s bobbles and
turning them into touchdowns. The
Cadets have intercepted 17 passes,
recovered 23 fumbles and blocked
five punts.
The Longhorns, too, have given
a good account of themselves. They
have recovered 23 fumbles and in
tercepted five aerials. Texas has
an amazing record for cashing in
on these mistakes. Of the 17
touchdowns scored by the Steers
in Southwest Conference play, 11
resulted from fumbles, pass inter
ceptions and poor punts.
Texas has been guilty of some
costly errors themselves, having
had 18 passes picked off and has
lost 12 fumbles.
The game shapes up as a battle
between Texas’ talented Joe Clem
ents and Walter Fondren and
A&M’s bevy of ground gaining
backs. Clements is the leading
Southwest Conference passer to
date with 772 yards gained on 62
completions. He has passed for
five TD’s and his passes have av
eraged 12.5 yards per completion.
Menan Schriewer, Texas’ all-
conference end candidate, leads the
loop in pass receiving. Schriewer
has caught 19 passes for 262 yai'ds.
Texas’ super - sophomore, Fon
dren, is ainong the conference’s
best in several departments. He is
third in ball carrying with 479
yards on 87 trips. Fondren has
averaged 5.5 yards per carry.
Fondren is fifth in total offense
with a total of 569 yards. He is
fifth in punting with a 37.2 aver
age, third in punt returns, thh’d in
kick off returns and third in pass
receiving. His 41 points scored
this season are good enough to
rank him second in that department.
Aggie fullback Jack Pardee is
fifth in SWC rushing with a total
of 438 yards on 78 carrys. Jimmy
Wxdght, despite his poor percent
age of pass completions, has hit
his mark at crucial times. He has
passed for six touchdowns and his
tosses average 15.1 yards. H i s
timely throwing won the SMU and
Rice games.
In size the two teams are vir
tually equal, with the Longhorns
holding a slight edge. On paper
the Aggies rate the nod. A&M has
the second best ground attack in
the conference and has gained an
average of 232.6 yards per game.
Texas has the lowest average gain
rushing in the league.
Texas boasts the conference’s
top passing average per game with
132.8 yards. A&M’s is lowest at
46.1. A&M and Texas have gained
HONORARY CAPTAINS—Aggie honorary captains for this season, shown with Coach
Paul (Bear) Bryant, are the six seniors on the team. Left to right are Billy Pete Hud
dleston, Herb Wolf, Gene Henderson, George Johnson, Henry Clark and Donald Robbins.
The Battalion
Number 53: Volume 55
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1955
PRICE 5 CENTS
Five Get FSA Achivement Awards
278.7 and 270.7 yards per game
on offense respectively.
A&M has the best pass defense
in the SWC, having allowed op
ponents only 72.2 yards per game.
“I don’t know whether we’re up
or not. We’d better be though,
I’ll tell you that,” said Coach Paul
Bryant. “If we don’t win it’ll be
the saddest Thanksgiving around
here in a long time.”
Both teams appear to be in fine
physical shape for the game. Two
A&M players are on the doubtful
list. Tackle A. L. Simmons and
end Bobby Marks were on the in
jury list this week.
Texas’ Fondren is still nursing
bruises received in the Baylor game
and aggravated in the TCU game.
Joe Youngblood, right halfback,
will probably not see action tomor
row, nor will fullback Larry
George, who injured his knee in
practice last week.
Charley Brewer, senior quarter
back, has had considerable suc
cess in passing against A&M in
the past two years. His long pass
es to Gilmer Spring and Carlton
Massey two years ago at College
Station set up two TD’s. Brewer
passed to Youngblood and Schriew
er last year for two touchdowns.
The Aggies finished up contact
work Monday and put in 40 min
utes polishing their offense and
defense yesterday. Coach Bi’yant
termed the final days of practice
this week as “satisfactory.”
An Open Letter
To The Aggies
This Thursday A&M will possibly be in 50,000,000 living
rooms. This Thanksgiving day we will have some 35,000
guests on our campus. Though each will come temporarily
to see or to look at the ball game, they will take away with
them a living impression of us.
This is not a plea for good behaviour, but a request that
we be ourselves at our best.
We don’t want to forget, in our haste or excitement, our
traditional friendliness to everyone, or the need for courtesy
toward strangers. We need no reminder that the rivalry be
tween the University of Texas and A&M has always been
sharp. But we must remember that the actions of each of us
is a reflection upon A&M’s honor.
If we can remember the rule of the “Three C’s”—keep
cool, keep calm, and keep collected—then each of us will have
assisted in making this the greatest Turkey Day in A&M’s
history.
Not only will the eyes of the Southwest be upon us, but
also those of the entire nation. So, it’s up to us, Old Army.
We can do it if we but try.
Scottj r Parham
President, Student Senate
Allan Greer
President, Senior Class
Dick Howard
President, Ji/iior Class
A. G. Newby
President, Sophomore Class
Neill Perry
Freshman Yell Leader
Sarran’s Condition Critical
Five Faculty Distinguished
Achievement Awai’ds of $500 each
were presented yesterday during
reremonies hqld in Guion Hajl. Dr.
David H. Morgan presided.
The awai’ds, established this year
by the Former Students Associa
tion thi'ough its A&M Development
Fund, went to Travis J. Parker,
professor of geology; Robert L.
Skrabanek, associate professor of
rural sociology; Fred E. Ekfelt,
professor of English; Wayne C.
Hall, professor of plant physiology;
and W. D. (Pete) Hardesty, busi
ness manager of student activities.
NOMINATIONS WERE submit
ted by faculty and students and
Selections were made by a faculty
committee.
Parker, Ekfelt and Skrabanek
were selected through teaching
achievements; Hall, through the
field of research; and Hardesty
through his cooperation with stu
dents in their extracurricular func
tions.
Plaques emblamatic of the award
were also awarded to the five men.
The teaching award plaques read:
“In recognition and appreciation
of his ability, personality and
methods which have resulted in dis
tinguished achievements in the
teaching and in the inspiration of
his students.”
The plaque for student relations
read:
“In recognition and in apprecia
tion of his unselfish and sympa
thetic interest in the welfare of
individual students which has been
helpful and inspiring.”
THE RESEARCH PLAQUE read:
“In recognition and appreciation
of his distinguished achievement in
research performed in addition to
his duties as a teacher.”
W. L. Ballard of Longview, presi
dent of the FSA, made.the presen
tation and O. T. Hotchkiss of Port
Aidhur, immediate past president,
explained the program, i
Parker’s nomination read “His
ability to interest his students in
his subject and hold their interest
throughout the term, while giving
them a sound basis for their subse
quent courses in Geology is out
standing.”
Weather Today
.CLOUDY
A slight cold front arrived early
this morning cooling the area.
Forecast is cloudy all day with
winds from the northwest. Yester
day’s high was 86 degrees and
low 62 degrees. Readings at 10:30
a.m. were 61 degrees.
Skrabanek’s dean said “He is the
young man who took over a course
which was in distress, made the
boys like it, made them feel that
they were getting a lot out of it,
and at the same time did not per
mit it to become a ‘grade point’
course.”
ECKFELT’S NOMINATION stat
ed “He holds his students to high
requirements and at the same time
stimulates them to extra woi'k. He
has a rare capacity of attracting
students to personal conferences.
Seldom is there found a professor
who takes the extreme interest in
his own field while at the same
time maintaining an all-around in-
tei'est in the knowledge that he
feels is necessary to the students.”
Hall was selected because his
work is “recognized as the highest
type of practical experiments. His
interests revolve chiefly about the
effects of major environmental in
fluences, such as temperature,
light, and water, on the growth and
reproduction of crop plants. As a
teacher, he is recognized for the
thoroughness and clarity of his
presentation of highly technical
material.”
Hardesty’s nomination and selec
tion on the basis of individual stu
dent relationship declared “as Bus
iness Manager of Student Activi
ties, he is directly responsible for
the proper conduct of the business
affairs of more .than 200 student
societies and clubs, besides many
other activities. His advice and
good judgement are sought by stu
dents of all classes.”
THE FSA plans to increase the
awards to $1,000 for the presenta
tion ceremonies next May for win
ners during the present school year.
James Sari'an, sophomore stu
dent from Brownsville, who was
injured in an accident Monday
morning, was reported by author
ities at St. Joseph’s Hospital this
morning still in critical condition.
He had not regained consciousness
this morning after spending a rest
less night, authorities said.
His parents arrived Monday
night and are at his bedside. To
help pay expenses, collections are
being taken up throughout the
campus. The Student Senate, with
Wayne Young acting as coordina
tor, is sponsoring the collections
from students. Money should be
turned in to Young.
Another collection is being held
by J. Gordon Gay, YMCA secre
tary, for faculty members and
others who wish to make a contri-
bution. Money should be sent to
him at the YMCA.
Travis Bryan Jr. of Bryan do
nated $500 to the fund this morn
ing.
Waco F&R Club
Hears Butler Talk
Dr. O. B. Butler, of the Animal
Husbandry Department, spoke to
the Waco Farm and Ranch Club
last week on “The Influence of
Conformation and Fatness on the
Yield of Wholesale Cuts of Beef.”
TWO STUB CHECKS
Students must show both stu
dent activities stub and I.D. card
at both gate and ramp, said Pat
Dial, business manager of the
Athletic Department.
Reserve seat tickets will not
be honored in the student section,
he said.
World’s Largest Bonfire Burns At 8
- Ten days of work, sweat and
blisters will go up in smoke tonight
when senior yell leaders light the
oil soaked Aggie bonfire at 8.
Main speakers for the occasion
will be P. L. (Pinky) Downs, offi
cial college greeter; Jim Owens, as
sistant head coach; and the 1955-
56 yell leaders. A reading of the
Last Corps Trip will follow the
speeches. More than 10,000 per
sons are expected to be on hand
to witness the burning of the
world’s largest bonfire.
Hundreds of students bave work
ed either on the drill field stacking
logs or in the cutting area for the
past ten days, in keeping with Ag
gie tradition. The bonfire symbo
lizes the burning desh-e of every
A&M student to beat the Univer
sity of Texas on Thanksgiving
Day.
Advisor to the project has been
Lt. Col. Taylor Wilkins, assistant
commandant. Paul Holladay, head
yell leader, has been in charge of
construction.
Armor units will guard the bon
fire until time for the ceremony
to begin. They also will pour the
oil needed to ignite the huge logs.
The privilege of guarding Kyle
Field was revoked by the Athletic
Department yesterday because of
the continued loss of property in
3 Aggies’ Poems
Accepted By NPA
Three students at A&M have
had poems accepted for publication
in the annual Anthology of College
Poetry, according to Dennis Hart
man, secretary of the National
Poetry Association.
The poets and their poems are
James M. LoCaste, senior from
College View, “Soldier”; Oswald H.
White, junior from Texas City,
“Peace of the World”; and William
R. Buckley, senior from Sherman,
“Tehuacana Creek.”
The Anthology is a compilation
of poetry written by college men
and women around the nation, rep
resenting every section of the
country.
the area. »
Wood for this year’s bonfire was
given by Dr. J. E. Marsh, head of
the College Hospital and Dr. L. P.
Gabbard of the Agricultural Eco
nomics and Sociology Department.
The center pole, which is 60 feet
in height, was donated by S. J.
Buchanan of the Civil Engineering
Department.
According to Holladay, this bon
fire is larger than last year’s. “It
is not quite as tall,” he said, “but
it is bigger around.”
Excellent weather conditions
have prevailed during the bonfire
period. This is the first time in
about 20 years that it hasn’t rain
ed during the building of an Aggie
bonfire.
Humble Oil Company’s “Texas
In Review” television newscast will
carry a report on all phases of this
year’s bonfire.
■ ^ "'f
FROM NOTHING—The bonfire, as it Jooked
Saturday, was a puny little stack of logs. Al
though many students attended the Fish-
Shorthorn game in Austin Saturday, work
continued. Power saws were running from
dawn to dark to keep ahead of the haulings.
IT GREW—By Sunday, the bonfire had
grown to this size and was beginning to
show resemblance to Aggie bonfires of the
past. Trucks hauled logs all day Saturday
and Sunday and cutting continued through
Monday.
AND GREW — Monday, the bonfire had
grown enough to be officially declared larger
than last year’s by Paul Holladay, head yell
leader. Without the help of the weather man
and several winch trucks, work would have
been kept to a minimum.
AND GREW—Finishing touches were ap
plied late yesterday afternoon as the Aggie
bonfire grows to become the world’s largest
bonfire. Logs will be soaked with oil begin
ning at 5 this evening and will be ignited at
8 tonight.