The original 12th Man: The life and character of E. King Gill
Note: Click on the above file for our exclusive conversation with 94-year-old Dr. John Patrick Moran, longtime colleague, business partner and close personal friend of the legendary E. King Gill. Also included is a rare audio file featuring a first-person account of the birth of the 12th Man legend, as told by former Texas A&M head coach Dana X. Bible some 50 years ago.
Big thanks to Mary Helen Bauer at Texas A&M for sending us this file many moons ago and to Matt Pyryt for sending this the file after on Wednesday after we had lost the one that we got from Mary Helen. And thanks to Don Oliver for helping us book the interview with Dr. Moran.
Key quotes from Dr. John Patrick Moran interview:
"As time went on, I didn't realize who he was. Soon, I actually found out who he was through the Lettermen's Club."
"E. King Gill was very recognizable around campus. He was a leader among the Lettermen's Club."
"I graduated from medical school in Minnesota and met E. King Gill in Corpus Christi. He asked me to be his partner at work."
"I didn't realize [Gill] was in World War II. He was a commander of a hospital here in Texas."
"[Gill's] shoes were too big when he went in, and if he had to carry the ball he would've probably fallen down."
"[Gill] never bragged about it. Someone else had to bring it up. He would joke about it more than anything."
"E. King Gill was a very true Aggie. I can say that for sure."
"[Gill] drove with a heart attack. He didn't call an ambulance. Drove himself to the emergency room and died in a matter of hours."
"I think about [Gill] a lot, because he did me a lot of favors and we traveled together all the time."
"You'll never find a more dedicated Aggie than E. King Gill was. He was a great and very humble man."
