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Due to the very nature of fans, their mere presence can have profound impacts on how the teams perform. Namely, the home team fans would like to see their team win the game. Thus these fans will often create loud sounds or Chant in hopes of distracting, demoralizing and confusing the opposing team while they have Possession of the ball; or to persuade a referee to make a favorable decision. Noises are made by shouting, whistling, stomping and various other techniques. HISTORY The origin of the term "12th man" has many legends associated with it, but the first recorded instance of the term being used was to describe E. King Gill and his actions in Dallas on January 2 , 1922 , at the Dixie Classic (the forerunner of the Cotton Bowl). Texas A&M played defending national champion Centre College in the first post-season game in the southwest. In this hard fought game, which produced national publicity, an underdog Aggie team was slowly but surely defeating a team which boasted having three All-Americans . Unfortunately, the first half produced so many injuries for A&M that Coach D. X. Bible feared he wouldn’t have enough men to finish the game. At that moment, he called into the Aggie section of the stands for E. King Gill, a reserve who had left football after the regular season to play basketball. Gill, who was spotting players and was not in football uniform, willingly volunteered and donned the uniform of injured player Heine Weir. When the game ended with an A&M victory, 22-14, 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." Although he did not actually play in the game, his readiness to play was noted. Since there were 11 men on the field, E. King Gill was the 12th Man, hence the term. TEXAS A&M TRADITION See Also: Traditions of Texas A&M University For his actions, a statue of E. King Gill stands to the north of Kyle Field to remind Aggies of their constant obligation to preserve the spirit of the Twelfth Man. It symbolizes the willingness of all Aggies to support their team to the point of actually entering the game. That spirit of readiness, desire, and enthusiasm has continued since 1922, and to this day the Aggie student body, now collectively known as the Twelfth Man, remains standing at football games throughout the entire duration of the event as a gesture of its loyalty and readiness for duty should the need arise. Not only does the Twelfth Man tradition embrace mere athletic events, it is also the essence of the Aggie Spirit that unites all Aggies into a fellowship of service and devotion to each other and their school.1 |
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