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1917 Yell Book

13,373 Views | 58 Replies | Last: 5 yr ago by annie88
wessimo
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Was going through a box of mementos from my Great Grandfather, including a copy of the 1917 yell book. 101 years old - enjoy!
























aggiedent
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That is very cool. I love looking at historical stuff like that.
aggieband 83
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Charlie 31
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This is truly Good Bull!
Mule_lx
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Chesapeake Ag
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I had the origins of the War Hymn a little garbled, didn't realize it was based on existing Yells.

But on page 24 - isn't that "Gig 'em" where page is faded? I'd always heard that came about in the 1930s.
Rongagin71
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2004FIGHTINTXAG
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p-wonk01
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Awesome
Aggie12B
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AWESOME, THANKS FOR SHARING!
rocky the dog
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Pro Sandy
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Aggies will often flash a thumbs up and say "Gig 'em!" This is a phrase that dates back to 1920. The term was popularized by P.L. "Pinkie" Downs, a member of the Texas A&M Board of Regents and Class of 1906, when Downs asked the crowd at a yell practice before the 1930 TCU football game, "What are we going to do to those Horned Frogs?" Improvising, he borrowed the name of a sharp-pronged frog hunting tool called a gig, answering his own question by saying "Gig 'em, Aggies!" For emphasis, Downs made a fist with his thumb extended straight up.

https://www.tamu.edu/traditions/aggie-culture/aggie-terminology/
Chesapeake Ag
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Thanks, I'd only ever heard the second part of that story - but it looks like the phrase may actually go back to 1917.

Either way, it's pretty cool to see this Yell Book from so far back.
Meximan
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Them ads tho

I've never had the privelege of attending a game, are many or even all of these yells still in use today, even occassionally? Very, very cool find, btw. Maybe consider donating or selling it to A&M's historical preservers?
Tosul
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Horse laugh is the only one used word for word. A few of today's yells use maybe a line or two from these old ones but none are the same
Boozin B 77
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Very cool!
maroongoon95
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BCS had light rail back then. I like it.

let's bring all those yells back and really confuse the nation with our culture.

which yell leader today is the "cartoonist" ?
saw em off
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I love how the spirit of this era never died. Not just for A&M, but the traditions of all those colleges that's been around since that time period. There's such a Dead Poets Society feel to it.
saw em off
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maroongoon95 said:

BCS had light rail back then. I like it.

let's bring all those yells back and really confuse the nation with our culture.

which yell leader today is the "cartoonist" ?
Hell yeah, let's bring 'em back. 1917 was one of the years we went undefeated and unscored upon.
Seersucker Ag 2011
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Is my hat on straight?
Lend me your powder rag,
Sweet cherry phosphate!
MEEN Ag 05
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Until the Cold Drink and Cigar Stand makes a comeback, then New Army has nothing on Old Army.
PLUM LOCO
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Thanks for the history trip.

I wonder if a cigar shop could make it in CS now.
ABATTBQ87
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Seersucker Ag 2011 said:

Is my hat on straight?
Lend me your powder rag,
Sweet cherry phosphate!
Lizzie was a yell when my dad was at A&M 1954-1958
wessimo
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ABATTBQ87 said:

Seersucker Ag 2011 said:

Is my hat on straight?
Lend me your powder rag,
Sweet cherry phosphate!
Lizzie was a yell when my dad was at A&M 1954-1958


Can anybody explain this one?
Charlie Wallace
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Thanks for posting this!. I never realized the War Hymn was pieced together, primarily from older yells. Among those which survived and were still done when I was a student from '58-'62 in somewhat modified form included Farmers Fight, Military, Horselaugh, and occasionally, Lizzie for which the words "powder rag" had been modernized to "powder puff." Lizzie was done in a high-pitched falsetto voice which sounded stupid and embarrassing and never made any sense to me. Glad it's long-since gone!

Charlie Wallace, AMC '62
OlAg2001
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That is amazing! Thanks for sharing!
ColoradoMooseHerd
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Pro Sandy said:

Aggies will often flash a thumbs up and say "Gig 'em!" This is a phrase that dates back to 1920. The term was popularized by P.L. "Pinkie" Downs, a member of the Texas A&M Board of Regents and Class of 1906, when Downs asked the crowd at a yell practice before the 1930 TCU football game, "What are we going to do to those Horned Frogs?" Improvising, he borrowed the name of a sharp-pronged frog hunting tool called a gig, answering his own question by saying "Gig 'em, Aggies!" For emphasis, Downs made a fist with his thumb extended straight up.

https://www.tamu.edu/traditions/aggie-culture/aggie-terminology/
I have shared this story several times on Texags, but here it is again...............

One of my friends grandfather used to always tell us the story behind Gig'em was made up to make Pinkie Downs look good. The Grandfather used to tell us that Pinkie was involved with the origin of the story, but it was not because of TCU and Horned Frogs.

The grandfather said Pinkie was one of those guys that liked to haze and ride every freshmen on campus. supposedly he would even run after freshmen when he would see them walking across campus. So when Pinkie would run after the freshmen, other upperclassmen would yell Gig'Em Pinkie. So when the phrase first started it was from other upperclassmen giving Pinkie a hard time. It became very popular phrase and crossed over into sporting events and other parts.

His grandfather would always laugh about how popular the phrase is today. Story could be garbage, but that it was the Old Ag would tell us.
Maroon U
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How do we get some of these brought back?

Sweet cherry phosphate!
ABATTBQ87
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The 125th anniversary of Aggie football and the Aggie band is the 2019 season
I think it would be excellent if old yells were brought back for that season
MouthBQ98
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So, who had that rock-chalk-Jayhawk yell first, because we have one an awful lot like it back then...
ABATTBQ87
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MouthBQ98 said:

So, who had that rock-chalk-Jayhawk yell first, because we have one an awful lot like it back then...


Kansas cheer was first and the Aggies borrowed it
AgCat93
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85Photon
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Good stuff. When your kid complains about how silly our yells are you can show him these.
Falsedawn
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PLUM LOCO said:

Thanks for the history trip.

I wonder if a cigar shop could make it in CS now.

There was one on Texas next to Harvey Washbangers in like 2013, not sure if it's still there.
expresswrittenconsent
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