Puny Wilson

Thomas Fred "Puny" Wilson was a well-known American football player and coach. He was an All American running back at Texas A&M University in the early 1920s under coach Dana X. Bible. Wilson graduated from Texas A&M in 1924 and was later inducted into school's hall of fame.^[1]

Puny and his brother Mule are the only two brothers in the Texas A&M football Hall of Fame. Mule was the first Aggie in the NFL and won three world championships – one on the NY Giants and two with the Greenbay Packers. The brothers passed down letters from "Curly" Lambeau (Lambeau field), pictures with he and Jim Thorpe, and the game ball from the Dixie Classic – where the 12th Man tradition started. Puny received the game ball in the 12th man game and later coached Dan Rather at Sam Houston State University. Due to the rich family football history at Texas A&M, Puny's great grandchildren (Haley Peppard, Wilson Peppard, and Ben Peppard) have all carried on the tradition.

In 1938, Wilson became head football coach at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. He compiled a 50–49–6 overall record in 11 seasons. He also briefly coached later news anchor Dan Rather.^[2]

He died after a cerebral hemorrhage in 1969.^[3] He was buried at Tyler Memorial Park in Tyler, Texas.^[4] In his later life he had worked as an real estate agent.^[5]

References

Further reading

• Carter, Bo; McKenzie, Mike (2002). Tales from Aggieland: Home of the Twelfth Man. Sports Publishing. ISBN 1-58261-331-1.  Cite uses deprecated parameters (help)

After graduation from Honey Grove High School, T.F. “Puny” Wilson attended Texas A&M University from 1920-24 where he was involved in football in a very big way for the Texas A&M Aggies of the Southwest Conference. Puny played left "end" for the Aggies. Puny was an all around college athlete, earning letters in track as well as football. Puny earned 4 football letters while at A&M. Puny was also named All-Southwest Conference end in three consecutive years: 1921, 1922, and 1923. Most notably, played and captained the 1921 team that participated in the Dixie Classic, the forerunner to the Cotton Bowl. It was during this game against Centre College that the Aggie 12th man tradition was born. He was team captain and also received the game ball in that game for superior play in upsetting Centre College on January 2, 1922. He was enshrined in the Texas A&M Athletic Hall of Fame in 1974. Puny was later to be inducted into the Fannin County Sports Hall of Fame in November 1992. Puny coached Dan Rather, but later cut him from the team. This was a set-back for Rather, but forced him persevere; and the rest is history. He is in the Sam Houston hall of fame as a coach. His great grandchildren are equally notable in professional sports, music, and in business.

Puny & Mule were born to Thomas Fred Wilson and Nancy Jane Bohannon. Thomas Ruffinus “Fine” Wilson was born on August 23, 1871 in Jackson County, Tennessee. Fine was the son of Jefferson Barnes Wilson and Sarah Francis (Brooks) Wilson. Nancy Jane Bohannon was born on December 7, 1873 in Haydensburg, Jackson County, Tennessee. Fine and Nancy married on December 7, 1889 in Jackson County, Tennessee. Fine was 18 and Nancy just 16. Fine and Nancy Wilson came to Texas in 1890 and settled in Fanning County in the town of Honey Grove. Fine was not alone in his decision to settle in Fannin County—census records show numerous families came there from Tennessee and settled the land. Fine was a farmer and he prospered sufficiently to provide a fine home for his family of four. Before having Puny and Mule, Fine and Nancy had their first child, and daughter, Manie Gertrude, on July 1, 1895. Soon after, a second daughter was born; and Nora May was born on October 15, 1896.