12th person | Texas A&M University

History of the 12th man

On January 2, 1922, the underdog Texas A&M football team was playing the top-ranked Center College Playing Colonels in the Dixie Classic in Dallas. E. King Gill, an Aggie basketball player and former member of the football team, was in the press box helping reporters identify players on the field below.

The Aggies were plagued by injuries and their reserves dwindled every time they played. As Texas A&M coach Dana X. Bible looked around the rapidly emptying bench, he suddenly remembered that Gill was in the stands.

Bible waved Gil to the sideline and told him to suit up. Gill ran under the bleachers, wearing the jersey of injured running back Heine Weir, who was ejected from the game in the first quarter.

Gill returned to the sideline and was available throughout the game in case any of the 11 players on the field needed help. This earned him the title of “12th Man”. When the final play was played, it turned out that the Aggies had pulled off the biggest upset in college football history, winning the game 22-14. And Gil remained standing as the only player left on the team's bench.

12th man today

Gill's drive to contribute to the team in 1922 has been passed down to generations of Aggies for more than 100 years, with Texas A&M's student section sticking together throughout football and basketball games and being available to participate if needed. We are preparing to do so. An average of 38,000 students attend home football games representing his 12th man.

The power of the 12th Man is demonstrated by the Aggies' unity, loyalty, and willingness to serve when called upon. While it may be most evident on game day, students also embrace this spirit through generosity and service to their peers, community, and the world. Texas A&M became known as the “Home of the Twelfth Man,” and the name captures Gill's simple attitude of service.

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