Whoop! Former Yell Leaders Recall Their Days In Aggieland

Four former Texas A&M University yell leaders on Thursday recalled their time in Aggieland and revisited memorable moments, and said they would welcome the first-ever female yell leader – when and if that day occurs.

Richard Biondi, class of 1960, Bob Segner ’69, Marty Holmes ’87 and Roy May ’15 all said during a panel discussion that being a Texas A&M yell leader was a key point in their lives.

The event was held by the Cushing Memorial Library & Archives and started its Aggie Traditions “Spirit Can Ne’er Be Told: Traditions of Aggieland” exhibit. The exhibit will feature materials found in the University Archives as well as some key items that have been borrowed. Items displayed include the oldest known Aggie Ring, an axe handle that survived being thrown in the ’89 Bonfire, historic Yell Books, a facsimile of the 1946 Corregidor Muster Flag and Reveille II’s last everyday collar.

Biondi, who has written a book about Aggie yell leaders, said the first was Tom Armstrong Adams in 1907 and that becoming a yell leader “was an evolutionary process. It was sort of helter-skelter at first, but over the years they became elected, not selected,” he said.

The trademark white uniforms yell leaders wear did not start until 1915, he said.

Yesterday, @tamulibraries opened the “A Spirit Can Ne’er Be Told: Traditions of Aggieland” exhibit. We got to see how the yells have changed since Yell Leader, Class of ‘60, Biondi’s time at A&M. #tamu #GigEm #cushing pic.twitter.com/K7utTbAuZ5

— Aggie Yell Leaders (@TAMUyell) October 11, 2019

Biondi said there have been 355 yell leaders in Texas A&M history, and that 235 are believed to be still living. The number of yell leaders in any given year changed, from three, four, five and six, and in 1946 it was decided that five yell leaders would be elected, and that number has remained the same ever since.

Segner said that yell leader moves were never really scripted, but were passed on down from year to year.

“The seniors always said, ‘Here’s how it is going to be,’ and that’s the way we did it,” Segner said. “We always said, once a yell leader, always a yell leader.”

Holmes said that yell leaders always keep a book in their right back pocket, and people always seem to think it’s some sort of secret code.

“It’s just personal notes, some yells, some memories. We always tape the books to keep the pages together, but there’s nothing really secretive about it,” Holmes said.

May said the time demands on a yell leader can be overwhelming.

“My senior year, we had 380 events we had to attend,” he said. “These included athletic games, fish camps, Aggie Mom clubs, all kinds of things, many of them out of town. It was a very busy time for me.”

When asked if there will ever be a female Yell Leader, all four said it would be a historic day for Texas A&M.

“If a lady receives enough votes to become a yell leader, we would welcome it, and she would wear the white uniform just like the men,” Biondi said.

The four recalled their favorite Aggie moment, and Segner said his was an easy choice.

“It was the 1968 Cotton Bowl game when we upset Alabama 20-16,” he said. “Alabama coach Bear Bryant came right by me when the game was over and went over and picked up coach (Gene) Stallings, his former player, and lifted him off the ground. It’s a famous photo. I will never forget that day.”

When asked if the spirit of recent classes of Aggies has perhaps waned a bit, the four quickly responded.

“I do see students today leaving games in the fourth quarter,” Segner said. “That was just unimaginable in my day. I realize times may have changed some, but I don’t know why this has happened.”

“Aggie love their traditions,” May added. “These are what makes Texas A&M great and why students want to come here.”

Following their question and answer session, the four yell leaders joined current Texas A&M yell leaders on the steps of Cushing Library for a mini-yell practice – and their yells seemingly echoed all the way to Kyle Field.