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As much as Aggies would like to believe that Kyle Field is indeed a memorial to A&M's World War I casualties, it is not. When the college began to expand its football facilities in the 1920s, plans were submitted to make the field a memorial stadium called Alumni Memorial Stadium. The Battalion reported on April 1, 1920 that in addition to seating for 5,000, dressing rooms, baths, field offices and reception rooms, the field would also have a room with "bronze historical tablets carrying a complete list with photos and biographies of those who lost their lives" in WWI—53 Aggies were killed in the war.

The university collected pledges from former and current students and even made a cornerstone that bore the proposed name of the stadium. But when all of the pledges did not come through and the paperwork was delayed, the plan to have a memorial stadium was overlooked. To complicate matters further, the University of Texas had done its own field renovations, and had broke ground on Texas Memorial Stadium—a facility that was dedicated to the Texans who fought in WWI. Instead, in 1924 the informal name of the field was made its official moniker—Kyle Field, named after horticulture professor E. Jackson Kyle '99 who allowed part of his gardening plot to be used for an athletic field in the early 20th century. The flags flying from the upper deck of Kyle Field are also not related to A&M's fallen WWI soldiers. Ernest Langford, who designed the upper portions of the stadium, denied that the flags were memorials. In a Nov. 4, 1969 letter to retired sports information director H.B. McElroy '38, Langford wrote, "I have not counted the ‘pilasters' whose number Mr. McElroy gives as 52. If there are 52, the number is a mere coincidence as the idea of a ‘memorial stadium' never entered our minds at the time of design."
The number of WWI casualties has changed over the years as more names are added to those who were lost. However, the fallen soldiers may not have been honored with a football stadium, but trees planted in their honor line Simpson Drill Field.

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http://www.aggienetwork.com/AggieImages/Myths/?PageID=2145

talk about your all time backfire to uncover supporters.

dbags

Screw the uncover nazis!

It's 55 flags, and they started doing it in pre-1920. How does having someone who designed the upper portion of the stadium later say what the flags signify?

If you don't uncover you hate freedom!!!!1

deadwood is the only person on this thread that doesnt hate America. uncover or get out, highway six runs both ways

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Kyle Field, named after horticulture professor E. Jackson Kyle '99 who allowed part of his gardening plot to be used for an athletic field in the early 20th century.

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this is all you have to read to know that whoever wrote that garbage has another agenda.

yeah, we named it after some professor because he gave up part of his garden.

Use some discernment, people!

Maybe someone needs wikipedia

I was unaware the name is actually Memorial Kyle Field Stadium.

Godwin'ed at only 3 posts.

Impressive.

Yeah, but I have a copy of the Standard from 1967 that says there are 52 Flags for 52 lost in WWI. It's now 55 and 55. Can't figure it out, but it seems that there are now TWO coincidences on the number of flags. Some of you won't know what the Standard is. Look it up.

But, I look at it like this: It doesn't matter if the stadium was designed as a memorial or not. If Aggies for almost a century have considered it so, then it is. After all, no university policy states that the students shall stand at football games, yet we just do to show that we're ready to play, that we're all ONE team.

It's why A&M is A&M and not t.u., or some other cookie pusher school.

Now, I have no doubt that some of you will respond that I am an idiot, that it's stupid to say the flags stand for the fallen, that I "believe in a fiction," as one person said a year or so ago on this very issue. Well, when your ring is as worn as mine, I'll accept the criticism.

you're an idiot

cough/soundslikebull****tome/cough

Here Here ag-bq-seventy!!!!! (raising my 6-7th glass of wine tonight)

Coulnd't agree more, I think.

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If Aggies for almost a century have considered it so, then it is.

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Was never considered a memorial while I was there(during war time no less).

Not a memorial. It's a Cathedral. For football.

People should take their hats off in Cathedrals, but that doesn't mean God likes you yelling at them when they don't.

Respect, not jackassery should be the tradition Aggies aim for.

Does it matter? The Ag's can and do honor those who've gone before us and have given their lives for our freedom. Much more than any other state school can claim.

If it named after some guys garden plot, OK. Fine. It's still better than than some high-dollar donor that has nothing to do with the honor of those who've served their country. The number of flags is what matters as does the historic prestige of A&M's role in defending our state, and country's honor and heritage.

For God, country, and A&M

[This message has been edited by AginKS (edited 11/6/2009 11:45p).]

Well 1944, we were told that the Corps uncovers while in Kyle for just that reason. My uncle, class of '42, says the same thing. A buddy of mine from FTAB '57 says the same thing. So, it's been around a while.

But just to give you some evidence that I'm not making this up, take a look on page 26 at # 17. in the Standard. Hmmmm. That's odd. An official document from Texas A&M University gives some credence to my assertion. (Gasp!) The flags ARE to commemorate the WWI fallen? How can this be? But, a librarian says otherwise, so I MUST be wrong.

http://cadets.tamu.edu/Documents/Standard%20%20Aug%202009%20draft%2031%20jul%2009.doc

(It'll ask for a password a couple of times. Just escape through the requests.)

Also, for those who always emerge out of the darkness and argue that THEY didn't have to uncover in KF thirty or forty years ago, despite being in the Corps, see page 72., Section e.6. Funny, but my 1966 version says the same thing. Curious.

But none of this matters. A&M's real traditions are fading faster than an old man's memory. A fond farewell to them.

Now, let's get the band in maroon uniforms with white spats to do circles and squares playing "Hey Jude," and cheerleaders in tight sweater tops and short skirts ... then we'll be as good as t.u.

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But, I look at it like this: It doesn't matter if the stadium was designed as a memorial or not. If Aggies for almost a century have considered it so, then it is. After all, no university policy states that the students shall stand at football games, yet we just do to show that we're ready to play, that we're all ONE team.

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This X eleventy billion

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The flags ARE to commemorate the WWI fallen?

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Then take off your damned hat cause page 72., Section e.6.. of your 1966 version says to do so.

I'll leave mine on thanks. GASP!



[This message has been edited by aggie1944 (edited 11/7/2009 12:45a).]

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Yeah, but I have a copy of the Standard from 1967 that says there are 52 Flags for 52 lost in WWI. It's now 55 and 55. Can't figure it out, but it seems that there are now TWO coincidences on the number of flags. Some of you won't know what the Standard is. Look it up.

But, I look at it like this: It doesn't matter if the stadium was designed as a memorial or not. If Aggies for almost a century have considered it so, then it is. After all, no university policy states that the students shall stand at football games, yet we just do to show that we're ready to play, that we're all ONE team.

It's why A&M is A&M and not t.u., or some other cookie pusher school.

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Exactly. Well, except for the fact that the stadium in Austin has "Memorial" in the name and bronze plaques at the entrances commemorating soldiers lost in WWI and a memorial garden in the northwest corner with a recently installed Doughboy statue. Just minor details. But yeah, A&M is the only school in the state that sent anyone to fight overseas.

only at a&m will people make a big ****ing deal about everything. it seems like we always tend to blow things out of proportion. people decide if they want to take off their hats or not, not you

Whoever built my house did not provide a flag holder. I did, however, install one myself and fly a flag. I might, someday, install another one so I can fly the TX flag. So what the builder has to say seems irrelevant to me.

I am also not surprised that the number of Aggies who died during WWI has fluctuated some over the years. The number of remains in the Tomb of the Unknowns has changed too. The number of MIA changes as remains are found. War is chaos and confusion, so the numbers are always fluctuating. Not surprsingly, the numbers have changed upwards...

Not getting into the memorial argument, but felt compelled to point out that some of the arguments are weak...

what ord said

Now let's also say that the builder built it with X number of flag holders. Does that mean that A&M (cadets or otherwise) cannot use those flag holders to honor the sacrifices of those who died in WWI?

Then let's also consider that this comes from the guy in charge of construction of the upper deck...so what!? He didn't construct the lower decks where the flags existed prior to the construction and the flags predate the upper decks in the first place.

edit: add

[This message has been edited by BQZip01 (edited 11/12/2009 9:38a).]

Has it been memorialized? Has the university sanctioned a memorial -- ie the bonfire memorial?

Toby Keith will put a boot in your ass if you don't uncover.

Look.

Uncovering is done out of a sign of respect for the fallen and for the traditions of A&M.

Like it or not, it has been a tradition for a long time.

That doesn't mean you have to participate in it if you choose not to. Just like you don't have to go to Aggie Muster if you choose not to.

Or if you decided not to participate in bonfire, that was okay too.

It is not a requirement to be an Aggie and the people that yell uncover should just plain stop it.

That said, also stop trying to make the uncover tradition go away. Repecting the fallen is a tradition, repecting our traditions is a tradition.

If you don't want to do it. Then don't.

It isn't a big deal. There are plenty of traditions to connect into...you don't have to plug into every single thing on campus.

Get over it already.

"Aggie Campusology" pg 4

6) How are the 52 Aggies killed in WWI commemorated?

There are 52 trees at the base are stone markers, around the Main Drill Field; there are 52 flags flying over Kyle Field at each football game; and there is a granite memorial at the West Gate.

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cookie pusher school

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Oh my!

I've was told a number of years back (no old corps document) that "uncover" dated back to when everyone was in the corps and wore their biders. When you went to hump it, they tended to fall of, so it was custom to remove it.
It had nothing to do with a "memorial". That's why when you ask a fish, "what outfit are you in" his first action is to what? uncover!
To "uncover" as a memorial has nothing to do with the stadium. We have that tradition at the MSC.

I'd be more inclined to uncover if people never yelled it.

If I ever wore a hat.

In the 60's, the WWI count was 52. It has since increased due to better methods of accounting for the war dead. The 52 flags were for the purpose of honoring the 52 war dead, hoever, Kyle Field was not considered a Memorial, but the Corps always uncovered except for the National Anthem.

Additionally, 52 trees and 52 plaques were planted around the perimeter of the drill field in honor of the WWI war dead. The West Gate Memorial was also erected to honor the WW1 war dead.

The Memorial Student Center is considered a memorial to all of the war dead in all wars. This requires hats to be removed and to keep off of the grass.

At one time, Spence Park was also considered to be a Memorial to the Spanish America War dead, but this park has been moved and reduced in size and the memorial is now located in front of the south end of the Sanders Corps Museum.

[This message has been edited by HuslinOne70 (edited 11/12/2009 10:53a).]

[That gets you banned--Staff]

[This message has been edited by TexAgs staff (edited 11/12/2009 11:27a).]