Outstanding Alumnus 1999-2000:
Tex Schramm

Tex Schramm graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Journalism in 1947 and worked as a sports writer with the Austin American-Statesman while enrolled at UT.

Schramm moved on to handle public relations for the Los Angeles Rams, and by 1954, he became their general manager. He hired a promising young man to head his PR department, Pete Rozelle.

After leaving the Rams, Schramm became assistant director of sports for CBS. He originated the idea of using a sports anchorman for major athletic events on television. It was at Schramm’s insistence that the Winter Olympics were telecast for the first time in 1960, and Schramm selected Walter Cronkite as the official announcer for that telecast.

Schramm longed to return to football, and Clint Murchison took advantage of this opportunity to hire him as President and General Manager of the new NFL franchise—the Dallas Cowboys. Schramm hired legends Gil Brandt and Tom Landry.

Some of Schramm’s achievements include:

• Only man in NFL history who, for two different teams, hired head coaches ranked among the top 10 all-time winners.

• Co-architect with Lamar Hunt of the 1966 NFL-AFL merger.

• Father of football’s instant replay.

• Builder of the NFL’s first bona fide scouting system.

• Only NFL executive elected to the Professional Football Hall of Fame who never coached or owned a team.

• Recipient of the 1998 Pete Rozelle Award.

Now retired, Schramm is well known in the sports fishing world for his competitive tag and release search for deep sea marlin.