Thank you for your interest in my great-grandfather and his time at Texas A&M. Per our conversation, I have attached some photos of my
great grandfather and related material.

I discovered the letter in a scrapbook that my great grandfather, Dr. Richard Henry
"Chicken" Harrison, Jr. (class of '20 and the son of an Aggie, Dr.
Richard H. Harrison, class of 1891) had compiled in the early 60s. My
aunt Melody Harrison Welch, class of '75, took possession of the
scrapbook after my great-grandmother, Merle Lucas Harrison (the 1919
Texas Aggie Sweetheart who graduated from Baylor University) passed
away, my great grandfather having passed away several years prior.
My great grandfather played quarterback and halfback on offense. He also
played defense and drop-kicked field goals, including a 45 yarder.
During the 1917 season the team went undefeated. It is my understanding
that he may have missed the 1918 season due to
service during the first world war. He did
serve during WWI (and WWII for that matter) but I do not know his exact dates
of service. The letter in question was sent in order to recruit Chicken
(also known as Chick) back for the 1919 season. The team not only went
undefeated but did not give up a single point that season.

He once bet everyone on the team $1, including coaches, that he could drop-kick a 45 yard field goal on a wet and muddy field. When he made it
everyone turned around and ran off the field, they never paid him.
This letter
was an incredible find for me. As a fifth generation Aggie, I knew that
my family had some remarkable ties to Texas A&M but this letter was a
surprise. I grew up attending Texas A&M football games and still
make it a priority when possible. If I'm not at Kyle Field I'm glued to
the TV. My love for Texas A&M and Aggie football is rooted
deep and with the recent move to the SEC there has never been a better
time to be a fan.

My great-grandfather was also the Texas A&M football team's doctor for
25 years.

During that time they won the national Championship (in 1939) and he was presented with a championship ring which was passed down to
my father's cousin, Dr. Sam Harrison (class of '85).

There was a
close game and one of the players had one side of his nose ripped open.
Dr. Harrison convinced him that he "might have to go back in" since it
was a close game and stitched him up right there on the sideline. He
wasn't given anything for the pain, talk about tough. Unfortunately I
don't know the name of that player but I was told his nose always looked
a bit odd after that.

He volunteered to be the team doctor and refused payment. When Coach Bear Bryant came to Texas A&M he found
out that Dr. Harrison was not being paid and forced him to accept a
paycheck even though my great grandfather protested.

Dr. Richard Henry (Chicken) Harrison, Jr was the quintessential Aggie. He
loved Texas A&M, Aggie football, and gave back to the university
that had given him so much.
The link listed below will take you to an article about the Harrison Family
and their time at Texas A&M. Dr. Sam Harrison is my father's first
cousin.
http://www.harrisonholdings.com/pdfs/Press/Texas-Aggie-Article-3.pdfNote: They started the 1919 season with a double header.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_A%26M_Aggies_football,_1910%E2%80%9319

In the attachments you will find the letter, the 1919 season score card,
me at one of the Harrison Family columns (this one is located at the Jon
L. Hagler Center on campus), a photo of Chick Harrison in his football
uniform (minus the helmet), and a photo of Chick Harrison (second from
the left) from 1917 when he and his buddies stole Rice's mascot... the
Rice Owls used to the be the Rice Goats.Thank you again,Harrison J. Allen, Jr.Class of '11

There has been quite a bit of speculation and controversy over the 1919 recruitment letter. What I just posted is what I sent to Sam Khan after our phone call. I had included the images.

MF Barnes was NOT with me when the letter was discovered. I had posted it on a BCS facebook page and he contacted me about getting the story out there.

If you have any questions please let me know. I sure hope the links to those pics work.

I may post more pics from the scrapbook the next time I get a chance.

PS- The other family pillar is at the Clayton Williams Alumni Center

Harrison J. Allen, Jr. '11