I remember seeing him at games when I was small.Always around MSC before games.
Does anyone know the history about him.

All I know is that he was probably the most maroon-bleeding Aggie of all time. Found this on Wikipedia:

Gig ‘em Aggies is both a saying and the universal hand gesture of all Texas A&M University current and former students as sign of affiliation. It is made by giving a thumbs up with an upward-type motion. This tradition began at the 1930 Midnight Yell Practice, held before the football game against the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs. In an attempt to fire up the crowd, Pinky Downs, a 1906 Texas A&M graduate and member of the school's Board of Regents, asked "What are we going to do to those Horned Frogs?" He answered his own question, "Gig 'em, Aggies!" (in this case meaning to spear them with a pronged fishing spear called a gig). For emphasis, he made a fist with the thumb extended. The phrase and hand signal proved popular, and it became the first hand sign of the Southwest Conference.

***I was Aggie, when Aggie wasn't cool***

Circa 1966, The Batt ran a series of quips from Pinky called "Pinky says," usually firing us up to beat somebody. One day I was sitting in the MSC reading room and Pinky appeared at the doorway holding up presumably a Playboy mag and shouted, "Aggies, there are 23 naked women in here and I counted every one of them!" (I think it was actually Time.) Great applause and whooping followed. He was a gung-ho, friendly guy.

Pinky was on campus most every day in the late 50s. Spent much time at the MSC drinking coffee with anyone who would show up to listen. Pinky was loud, brash and friendly. His language was often, uh, shall we say "colorful." He loved to to tell stories and talk about A&M. When seen walking around campus, even at some distance away, his greeting was often a loud "God bless you Aggie" with a big Gig'em with the thumb. He was thin and had a long pointed chin. He was quite a character. He was married to "Miss Pinkie" as she was known. I don't know when he got the title but Pinkie was the "Official Greeter of Texas A&M." Gig'em Aggies !

PInky Downs -'06 - left school and made his fortune and returned to Texas A&M and served as our "official greeter" for a dollar a year.

From the Batt web page:
"Pinky Downs, Class of 1906 and a Board of Regents member from 1923 to 1933, is recognized as the starter of the "Gig 'em" tradition. At the Midnight Yell practice before the A&M-TCU game in 1930, Pinky asked the audience "What are we going to do to those Horned Frogs?" Then, he made a fist and extended his thumb and answered his own question, saying, "Gig 'Em, Aggies" to reference a gig - a spear used to hunt frogs".

He also provided the funds for an indoor swimming pool (Downs Natorium) that was next to DeWare Fieldhouse - both now gone. You would see Pinky all over the campus, talking with Ags and saying great things about Texas A&M. He wore a maroon tie every day and he was also famous for his appearances at midnight yell practice.

A fable about Pinky is: he was on his way back to A&M from a trip and was going through Dimebox Texas. He noticed that there was a funeral taking place in the cemetary next to the highway. He stopped and went over to the services and stood behind the small gathering and listened to the preacher. At the end of the services the preacher asked if anyone had anything to say. After a few seconds no one had said anything, so, Pinky said, if no one has anything to say, I would like to say a few words about Texas A&M.

One thing for sure: when Pinky was on the campus, every Aggie loved and respected him and he was as strong an Aggie as anyone that ever attended our school.

I met his wife once while she was at a game. She stood in front of the band before the game as they played the War Hymn. That was cool. That happened in the early 70s

I had the privilege of whipping out to Mr. Downs, sir, outside the MSC one day in 1961. I don't remember the conversation, but his mode of dress sticks in my mind to this day. He had on a white shirt, maroon pants, and white socks.

When I told an upperclassman (Mr. Moore, sir) about the encounter, he told me that I had a real treasure for my memory bank but that I was still a worthless piece of trash (paraphrased) that wouldn't survive my fish year.

You still out there, Mr. Moore, sir?

I had the honor of listening to Pinky numerous times and talking with him on srveral occasions. He was truly a one of a kind Aggie institution.

We gave one of our classmates the "Pinky" nickname. I'm hoping he will take Pinky's place when he reaches his 80's.

Awesome Stories Ags!

Keep'em up! Someone should write a book from all the stories told by the Old Ags and New Ags on here.

Reminds me how much I love being an Aggie!

Oooops. Something is wrong on TexAgs!

I knew Pinky in the early 1950s and had a great affection for the colorful character ... but sometimes Pinky sort of stretched the truth in interviews and in bull sessions.

Pinky was formally named Pinckney L. Downs. He later assumed the Jr. title to accompany that official name.

The original Colonel Pinckney L. Downs accompanied President Gathright to the future campus in 1875 or so. He served Gathright as his secretary and go-to guy in establishing the A&M campus in that original barren prairie. One of Colonel Down's achievements was to secure from the Legislature in 1893 funds to build the college's first Natatorium. Downs justification of the Natatorium was to allow students a place for bathing (prior to that students if so inclined bathed outdoors in a fenced off area with a water pipe.)

Pinky Downs was Colonel Down's nephew. Pinky's use of the Junior title was a bit of a stretch.

Pinky did not donate the funds for the P.L. Downs Natatorium ... the $77,000 to fund the pool construction came from the Legislature in the large first payment from PUF for 1932-34 construction.

And the Natatorium Built in 1933 was not named for Pinky but for his uncle, Col. Downs.

Pinky was a fun little feller.

PL Pinky Downs, Gig 'Em Aggies!

In the early 1950s Pinky's favorite place to display his spirit and talents was at The Grove.

For you newbies and possibly some off-campus Aggies who never took time to explore the campus, The Grove was a large concrete pad with a band shell built in 1949 and 1950 for outdoor entertainment and activities. It was located between Old Main Drive and Cain Hall. It was the place to be in the 50s on Thursday evenings during football seasons for Yell Practice. (I suppose it is long gone from campus.)

Pinky was always on hand to lead at least one Yell and give a pep talk at a yell Practice. He was a skinny little man with big eyeglasses and beak of a nose.

When he would make his entrance onto the stage from the south side the Aggie crowd would get stirred up .... and then he would mimic the Yell Leader stride across the stage rolling his shirt sleeves up, squeaking "Well, Ole Army ...." the crowd of Ags would go wild. He always had a fable to tell and would always predict what the football team was going to do to the next opponent. I am sure somewhere in this world is a photo of Pinky on the stage grinning near Bear Bryant at Bryant's first appearance before the student body.

I doubt Pinky would attract any attention at all on campus today ... but back at that time in the absence of a Reveille, Pinky was sort of mascot for the Corps. He was friendly and sincere so he was welcome anytime and any place where students would gather.

Lots of Aggie stories, some about Pinky, on this thread:

http://www.agtimes.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=9282

Gig 'em, FAST FRED '65.

Before the world wide web, village idiots usually stayed in their own village.

fossil, I think the Grove has only been gone five or so years.

One day Pinky gave me a maroon and white tie, with a small Ol' Sarge on it.

I still have it.

Friday midnight yells were held at the Grove until about 61, when they were moved to the horseshoe end of Kyle. Maybe it was because too many people were attending and the Grove was just not big enough.

I have fond memories of the Grove. It was smaller and therefore a more personal, up close, place.

There is a picture of me in the Corps museum, taken at Bonfire 64, standing on a stage with Pinky.

Frankly, I did not know he was class of 06, which would have made him about 75 when i knew him. He was always referred to in the media as "P.L. "Pinky" Downs, Jr."

He was quite a character.

[This message has been edited by Jim Benson 63 (edited 7/24/2008 1:22a).]

Technically, the grove is still there, but now its a blacktop with basketball goals, bleachers and portables that house something to do with language i believe...wish it was still around so I could experience it.

When I was there, we had yell practice every so often in the Grove, but I don't remember if it was for a football game, or something else.

In the late spring and summer, they put chairs in it and showed movies. They cost a quarter, or something, to get in. (Although you could stand outside the fence and see in pretty well, too.) It was great for that, until it rained.

Ah, the vagaries of one's memory...

I saw a cartoon before a movie there once which featured a big dog and a mouse or something. The dog ended up crushing the mouse somehow and I'll never forget what he said. In a voice reminicent of Goofy as he held the creature up by the tail, he said "Gee I wish I had a little friend... I had a little friend once, but he don't move no more."

I laugh to this day about that one. I wish I had a clip of that cartoon.

[This message has been edited by ag-bq-seventy (edited 7/24/2008 7:47a).]

During my student days in the early sixties, my parents would make the long trip to Aggieland about twice a year.

After greeting them and spending a couple of hours with them, my mother would be ready to go to the MSC and visit with Pinky. She loved him because he really gushed over her. My mother was rather pretty and Pinky always let her know that...

Pinky was a character and the most gung-ho Aggie I've ever seen.

Does anyone know when Pinky passed away?

What kind of service did A&M hold for him?

I mean, I assume he has passed away since he would now be about 115 if he was still alive.

In 1964 Pinky gave me a maroon and white striped tie. Don't know what happened to it but I wish I still had it.

There was a picture in the Corps Museum at one time with Pinky and I standing next to each other at the Yell Practice during the '64 Bonfire.

For some of you who never had a chance to enjoy the amenities of The Grove,the photo below reveals it in all its glory. It began life as a large concrete slab in 1949 and the next year the band shell was added.

This was at a time when air conditioning did not exist in campus buildings so the open air venue was not uncomfortable for evening activities, particularly movies, parties and dances. Recall that the MSC did not arrive on campus until 1950.

The slab within the wrought iron fence was large enough to accommodate the Corps in Yell Practice in the 1950s through 60s. The Grove was a nice and flexible facility that served many uses over the years ... it is a shame that the present campus facility managers are too sophisticated nowadays to to consider providing a pleasant, casual place for students to hang out and enjoy.

To refresh everyone's memories, this is a photo of Pinky Downs ('06) taken October 4, 1952 in front of old Pfeuffer Hall before it was demolished in 1954. Pheuffer was a dormitory built in 1887 so quite likely Pinky lived therein as a cadet.



Edit: Can you picture in your mind that little guy tossing aside his had and coat as he climbed onto the stage at The Grove ... and rolling up his shirt sleeves as he took Yell Leader strides, squeaking out "Welllllll, Ollllld Armyyyyyyyy." I can see him now. (Darn, got something in my eye.)

[This message has been edited by fossil_ag (edited 7/24/2008 9:43p).]

I saw Gone With the Wind at the Grove, 4 hrs on those bleachers was tough.

It was still there in the late 90s went to a game with my dad and the visiting school was using it for their Alum Asoc. and we had some friends there and drank some offical NCAA allowed booze, I remimber thinking we couldn't do that when I went to A&M.

I remember seeing Pinky shuffling around the "C" in '65 when I was a fish. He was moving mighty slow by then, but he enjoyed whipping out and gabbing. I don't recall whether I saw him in later years, but I might have. It's nice to read that so many old guys post here.

Pinky was class of 1906.

I last saw Pinky in 1956, his 50th Anniversary year, and my graduation year.

I celebrated my 50th Anniversary in 2006.

Yessir, old Pinky and I together go back a ways. Gig 'em Ags.

Good stuff.

The Grove was alive and well during the eighties, and all away-game Yell Practices were held there. It's also where most Ags of my genre were exposed to, "We've Never Been Licked," for the first time.

Help me out, here... I can still remember a lot of my "campusology", but didn't Pinky Downs figure prominently in one of them?

Pinkie passed away the year before our class arrived in 1968 but our upper classmen made sure that we knew who he was. The Grove was still used for some yell practices, yell leader competition, and movies during the summer. My wife and I lived in the Southgate Apartments during the summer of '72 and went to the Grove for (almost) free movies.

Myself ('08) and my wife ('10) have recently been making copies of a lot of old family pictures and talking at length with my grandfather ('48). We were thumbing through a 1949 Longhorn and when we got to the Bell County Club page, my grandfather couldn't remember why he wasn't in the picture, yet his twin brother was, but the first thing he exclaimed was, "There's Pinky Downs!"

My grandfather thinks very highly of him and it's awesome to hear stories about A&M from back in the 40s every time we sit down with him.

Follow up on my first post: As I remember Pinkie, he was rather slight in stature and he moved well. He had a long chin and at times a loud voice. I drank coffee several times with him at the MSC; he was never at a loss for words. I remember seeing Miss Pinkie but did not meet her. I for some reason remember seeing her driving around campus in an old car. As I recall, the car was a late 1940s Plymouth. All of this goes back a while. Some things stick pretty well.

I swam in his natatorium for many many many hours.

nattytorium?