Hex Rally
Hex Rally (sometimes Texas Hex) was a pep rally at The University of Texas at Austin that occurred in the week prior to the annual football game between the Texas Longhorns and their in-state rivals, the Texas A&M Aggies.[1]
Contents |
[edit] History
Before the 1941 game, a group of students went to a fortune teller, Mozzelle "Madame Augusta" Hipple, for advice. The Aggies were undefeated that season and the Longhorns had not defeated A&M at Kyle Field in almost 18 years, going 10-7-1 from 1923 through 1940.[2] The fortune teller told the students to burn red candles, symbolizing challenge and opposition. University students, alumni and fans burned red candles for the entire week before the game. The Longhorns won the football game 23-0.
For several years, the University of Texas also attempted to hex the Aggies with a bonfire, similar in structure to the Aggie Bonfire. However, there was not sufficient lumber to build one as large, and student interest was lacking. UT Bonfire eventually died out in the mid-1980s. The physics department at the university decided to build an iron candle-like torch as a replacement, which is lit each year at the rally.[3]
The rally has been held annually, except in 2002 after the death of Texas A&M football player Brandon Fails, and 1999 when the rally's tone was altered in response to the tragedy of the Aggie bonfire collapse; organizers extended an invitation to all Aggies and their friends to the event, which was dubbed a "Unity Gathering." Instead of red candles, participants lit white candles in memory of the fallen Aggies.[4]
[edit] Rally
The Texas Exes Student Chapter, sponsored by the Texas Exes alumni organization, organized the event. The Longhorn Band, cheerleading squad, Smokey the Cannon, the World's Largest Texas Flag, and football team all appeared at the event, where red candles were burned.[3]
The 2008 rally, held November 24, 2008, featured Longhorn football head coach Mack Brown, strength and conditioning coach, Jeff "Mad Dog" Madden, and the Longhorn Football Team.[5]
[edit] References
- ^ "Texas Football Hex Rally". MackBrownTexasFootball. http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/?s=&url_channel_id=39&url_subchannel_id=&url_article_id=44&change_well_id=2. Retrieved 2006-01-20.
- ^ "All time results". MackBrownTexasFootball. 15 November 2006. http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=36&url_subchannel_id=&url_article_id=1349&change_well_id=2. Retrieved 2006-11-21.
- ^ a b Adams, Kathy (2004-11-23). "To Hex with A&M". The Daily Texan. http://media.www.dailytexanonline.com/media/storage/paper410/news/2004/11/23/TopStories/To.Hex.With.Am-814296.shtml. Retrieved 2007-03-13.
- ^ "UT Cancels Hex Rally; Will Hold Unity Gathering". 22 November 1999. http://www.tamu.edu/univrel/aggiedaily/news/stories/99/112299-10.html. Retrieved 2006-01-20.
- ^ "UT Hex Rally". TexasExes.org (Texas Exes Alumni Association). https://www.texasexes.org/events/register.asp?event=STTES00002. Retrieved 2008-11-20.
[edit] External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Texas Hex |
 |
This University of Texas at Austin-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
