Tex: The Man Who Built the Dallas Cowboys

by Bob St. John

Describes different aspects of the man; businessman, general manager, fan.

352 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 1988

Reviews

[Jeff Dawson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Underachieved

Okay, I'll start out by saying I'm not a Cowboys fan. Been following the Packers since the days of Don Chandler and Bart Star. Then why would I take the time to read this book? Why indeed.

I grew up in Tulsa. My father was a big Cowboy fan much to my chagrin. How many times did I watch Roger the dodger pull off fourth quarter come-backs? Too many but I had to admire his talent.

I moved to Dallas in 1985 and was surrounded by Cowboy fans. Being the lone Packer in the circle I traveled with proved trying at times. So, I decided to read how Tex Schramm turned the fledgling Cowboys of the early sixties into the 2nd most popular brand in professional sports (#1 goes to the Yankees). Over the years my father bought me a couple of playing deck cards and posters donning the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders (still have them all). That in itself should been enough encouragement for a teenage boy to read about this organzation.

I was disappointed to say the least (not because I'm a Packers fan) but because of the way the book was structured. I really wanted to see how Tex, Tom and Clint melded. The relationship between Tex and Tom didn't appear until in earnerst until Chapter 21 (there are only 25 chapters) and that was glossed over. Mr. St John does mention how Murchison was pretty much hands-off. Now wait a minute, Schramm was spending Clint's money. Surely Clint had a little more say so then sitting on the sidelines watching Tex pour through his money especially in the 60's when the team remained in the shadow of the Lamar Hunt's team the Texans. How much money did Clint sink into the organization till it saw light in the early 70's? Tex told Clint he would lose at least 2.5 million in the first years. We never hear how that panned out.

There is an interesting parallel, as I write this review, the role Tex and Jerry Jones (most Cowboy fans can't stand) are very similar. This book has the reader believing Tex ran every aspect of the Cowboys. How is that different from Jerry Jones? Granted, Tex is a football man and fan. Jerry is a fan (with three Superbowl rings-to Tom/Tex's two). Jerry is was also very instrumental in the previous Players Strike talks. I know the folks of Dallas are tired of seeing and hearing Jerry. How does this differ from Tex as the face of the Cowboys?

What I did find interesting was Tex's formative years with the Rams. He was a very adept student and plunged himself in his work learning every aspect of the game on and off the field. When he felt he could help the Rams no longer, he took a job with CBS and learned the broadcasting end. This would pay huge dividends as TV started replacing radio as the desired medium. It would also help tremendously in advertising the Cowboys across the nation. Tex would see to that. He was on the very powerful Competition Committee and was instrumental in forcing the nation to watch his beloved team snagging the rights for the Thanksgiving year against the lowly Detroit Lions. Yes, I remember after every Thanksgiving feast dad immediately turned on CBS to watch the Cowboy game. No one cared about Detroit since they were just plain bad, but what better dessert could be served then watching the Cowboys clock the Lions and of course, watching those skantily clad young females of the Lone Star state. Almost made me a Cowboy fan, but not quite.

Tex was a passionate driven man. The reader will find out that he was a company man first and a GM and fan second. Everything he did was to turn the Dallas Cowboys into the classiest team in the NFL. To that, I tip my hat. I remember watching some of his interviews, they were never about him. They were about the NFL and the Cowboys.

I would have enjoyed this work if a true time-line was followed. As it is, it wanders around, at times laboriously so. The first chapter spends more time talking about ticket sales then an introduction to the organization. This pattern is sprinkled all through the book. Being a reader of history, a jumbled time-line is very distracting.

Inspite of the shortfall, I recommend this book to anyone who wants to build a successful organization , live to watch it bear fruit and get glimpse into the man responsible for the worldwide success of the Dallas Cowboys.