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Texas Cowboys
Motto"Give the best you have to Texas and the best will come back to you"
TypeService Organization
Established1922
FoundersArno Nowotny & Bill McGill
PresidentAlumni President: Brian Antweil
DirectorEddie Lopez
Location
Austin, Texas
Websitewww.texascowboys.org

The Texas Cowboys is an honorary student service organization at the University of Texas at Austin. The organization was founded in 1922 with the purpose of serving the University of Texas and maintaining Smokey the Cannon.[1][2] It is considered one of the "oldest and most elite student organizations" at the university. Among its alumni are national politicians, two Texas Governors, prominent businessmen, and professional athletes.[3]

Purpose

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Several Cowboys fire Smokey the Cannon on the sideline.

The Texas Cowboys serve as ambassadors of the University of Texas and are present at numerous significant university-sponsored events. They are most well-known for their responsibility keeping and maintaining Smokey the Cannon, which is present at all Texas Longhorns home football games.[4]

History

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In 1922, two students at the University of Texas at Austin decided to form a club. These two men were head cheerleader Arno Nowotny and Longhorn Band president Bill McGill. In 1922, forty men from all aspects of campus life were chosen by McGill and Nowotny to be the first Texas Cowboys. Throughout its nearly 100 years of existence, becoming a Texas Cowboy became a high honor to its members.

In 1953 Smokey the Cannon was created by The University of Texas at Austin's mechanical engineering lab in response to the shotgun blasts often heard at the Red River Rivalry and was then presented in 1954 to the University of Texas by the Texas Cowboys. That same year, the Cowboys began their involvement with and support of The Arc of the Capital Area.

In 1955 Smokey was modified to shoot twin 10-gauge shotgun shells and the revision was renamed "Smokey II" which you can find a replica at the Texas Cowboys Pavilion and the original in the Denius Hall of Fame at the North Endzone of the DKR Memorial Stadium. Smokey II served the University well until 1988.

On the Monday following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963, Smokey fired a 21-gun salute to the fallen President during the climactic moment in a public ceremony in front of the state Capitol building.

In 1988, Smokey III, a civil war replica cannon standing six feet tall, weighing 1,200 pounds, and fires four 10-gauge shotgun shells was constructed by Lupton Machine and remains in service to this day.

In 2019, the University of Texas at Austin suspended the Texas Cowboys spirit group from campus for six years following an investigation into alleged hazing during a retreat in 2018, where new members were subjected to physical brutality, forced ingestion of unwanted substances, and coerced consumption of alcohol.[5]

Distinguished alumni

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Political and judicial figures

University figures

Athletes and coaches

Others

Suspension and Return

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The Cowboys have been suspended and returned after two incidents on campus.

In 1995, the Texas Cowboys were suspended from the UT campus for five years after one of their New Men, Gabe Higgins, died during a retreat.[10] Independent investigators determined that the Texas Cowboys engaged in eight hazing violations.[10] The organization was already on probation for hazing at the time, and this was the third penalty for hazing in as many years.[11][12][13] The Texas Cowboys were reestablished in 2000.[14]

In 2019, the Texas Cowboys were suspended from the UT campus for six years for hazing violations. New Men Nicholas Cumberland died in a car crash returning from a retreat held at a ranch outside of Austin.[15] Nicholas's death prompted a university investigation into the retreat, which discovered multiple forms of hazing that led to the group's suspension, including forced ingestion of unwanted substances (including cat food), coerced animal cruelty (namely biting a hamster's head off), and physical brutality.[16][17] The Texas Cowboys accepted the terms of their suspension.[18][19]

In 2023, The University of Texas granted the Texas Cowboys provisional permission to return to campus. This decision is part of the university's Nine Dimensions of Successful Student Organizations program, which aims to foster accountability and address hazing within student groups. As part of their return, the Texas Cowboys are now required to follow the Nine Dimensions program, which includes self-reflection, value definition, behavior expectations, governance establishment, and the promotion of an anti-hazing culture. Oversight for these requirements is provided by the Office of the Dean of Students. As of 2023, the Texas Cowboys are officially back on campus, operating under these revised guidelines.[20][21][22][23]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Mission & History". Texas Cowboys.
  2. ^ "Texas Cowboys spirit group eyeing sooner return to University of Texas after hazing suspension". kvue.com. February 22, 2023. Retrieved 2023-09-28.
  3. ^ "Distinguished Alumni". Texas Cowboys. Retrieved 2023-09-28.
  4. ^ Britto, Brittany (2019-03-28). "UT suspends Texas Cowboys organization for six years after Houston student's death". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 2023-09-28.
  5. ^ "University of Texas at Austin suspends Texas Cowboys for 6 years over alleged hazing". ABC News. Retrieved 2024-04-14.
  6. ^ "History". Archived from the original on 2013-11-01.
  7. ^ "TU EX-Student Leader Jailed In Slaying; Malcolm E. Wallace Charged in Death of Golf Professional". Valley Morning Star. Harlingen, Texas. October 24, 1951. p. 1.
  8. ^ Jones, Garth (August 14, 1985). "Federal Official's Death Certificate Ordered Changed". The Victoria Advocate. Victoria, Texas. AP. p. 8A. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
  9. ^ Dalton, Kyle. "Butler Pitch and Putt in Austin: Murder in the clubhouse, fun on the golf course". www.golftexas.com. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
  10. ^ a b Communications, Emmis (March 1995). The Alcalde. Emmis Communications. p. 31 – via Internet Archive. texas cowboys disbanded 1995.
  11. ^ Holmes, Michael. "U of Texas Student Group Banned After Student Drowning". AP NEWS.
  12. ^ "Hazing Death Punishment Reinstated - The Spokesman-Review". www.spokesman.com.
  13. ^ Harten, Ruth (29 March 2019). The Cowboy's Secret: A Story about Hazing: Gabe Higgins, 1975-1995. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 9781412085687 – via Google Books.
  14. ^ When the Smoke Cleared: The Rise, Fall, and Return of the Texas Cowboys "Texas Exes - University of Texas Alumni Association". Archived from the original on 2010-09-20. Retrieved 2010-08-01.
  15. ^ Austin, C. B. S. (2019-03-27). "Texas Cowboys suspended by UT for 6 years for hazing incident that led to student's death". KEYE. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  16. ^ Autullo, Ralph K. M. Haurwitz,Ryan. "UT suspends Texas Cowboys for hazing". Austin American-Statesman.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  17. ^ "Hazing and a hamster: What happened at the Texas Cowboys retreat the night before UT student's fatal car crash". Dallas News. 2019-09-27. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  18. ^ Allen, Rebekah (7 June 2019). "Texas Cowboys accept 6-year suspension for hazing, but UT-Austin leaves door open for faster return". Dallas Morning News.
  19. ^ Board, The Daily Texan Editorial. "Too few repercussions, too soon to return". The Daily Texan. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  20. ^ "UT approves Texas Cowboys, Pi Kappa Phi for provisional return to campus". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved 2023-09-28.
  21. ^ Burkhart, Ross (2023-02-27). "UT Approves Provisional Return of Two Student Groups in New Accountability Program". UT News. Retrieved 2023-09-28.
  22. ^ Mcllhinney, Molly. "What you need to know about Texas Cowboys' return, how UT handles hazing violations". The Daily Texan. Retrieved 2023-09-28.
  23. ^ "UT Austin approves return of 2 student groups, including Texas Cowboys, after 2017 deadly hazing incident". KXAN Austin. 2023-02-27. Retrieved 2023-09-28.
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