1957 Hall of Honor Inductees

1958 Hall of Honor Inductees

1959 Hall of Honor Inductees

1960 Hall of Honor Inductees

1961 Hall of Honor Inductees

1962 Hall of Honor Inductees

1963 Hall of Honor Inductees

Mssrs. Ed, Sid, and Jack Womack and Miss Del Ann Womack from R.J. Kidd 1963

Dear Children,

This letter is being written to the grandchildren of my best friend, Ed Olle. Now all of you gather up close, because I want to tell you a story about “Uncle Ed”, who is my best friend and, of course, your beloved grandfather. In my story, I will call him “Uncle Ed”. This is how I describe my longtime fishing and camping buddy.

It was my privilege and good fortune to present “Uncle Ed” to the Longhorn Hall of Honor on Friday, November 15, 1963, at the Driskill Hotel in the Crystal Ballroom. Since none of you could be there, I want to tell you what happened at the honor banquet that evening.

The room was full of people. Many were from Austin but others had come from all over the state to see Uncle Ed given this award. I wish you could have been present. You would have been very proud of your grandfather.

In presenting your “Uncle Ed”, I wanted people to know that he started earning a place in the Hall of Honor away back when he was a high school student in Flatonia. While he was in high school, he was a star football player, and also played on the basketball and baseball teams. He was a fine tennis player and qualified to the State Meet and came to Austin to compete in the tennis tournament. If fact, he was called in those days by his schoolmates “The Flatonia Flash” and that is how I described him to the audience when I was telling them about him.

When Uncle Ed was in high school, the boys and girls did not have cars, as many of the students do these days. People could not afford them. So one time when Uncle Ed wanted to see the Longhorn football team play he had to stay up all night. But he was so eager to see the game that he did not mind. First, he had to take a train from Flatonia to Giddings, where he spent part of the night. Then he caught the train from Giddings at 3:00 o’clock in the morning, and they pulled into Austin about 7:30 in the morning. That was quite an exciting trip for a young boy from a little town like Flatonia. You should get your grandfather to tell you more about it some time.

Not only was “Uncle Ed” a good athlete, but he was also a very fine student when he was in high school. His teachers tell me that he read everything he could find in Flatonia. In those days, there were no “funny books”, so Uncle Ed read the classics and other books. His lowest high school grade was 85 and his highest was 97. He was an honor student for three years. Mr. Froehner, the superintendent, tells me that Ed was a very good student, as far as conduct is concerned, too. He did not smoke or drink but was a cleancut, honest student and was the ideal of many of the other boys and girls. I just hope that all of you can follow “Uncle Ed’s” example while you are going through high school and college.

Uncle Ed was an all-around champion; he was captain of the Flatonia basketball team in 1921-22 and was also valedictorian of his senior class. Further, he worked after school at the café which his father owned, or in the hotel. In fact, he did everything in the world he could to help his mother and his father and to make his home a happy one. Beginning with high school, his whole life is a story of fun and adventure and excitement and success.

Oh, I forgot to tell you. While “Uncle Ed” was in high school, he was a drop kick expert. This is now a lost art. Ed was good at pole-vaulting, too. Looking at Ed now, you might not realize he could do things like that, but he was a fine athlete when he was young agile and strong. He could jump and run and do all of the things you can do today.

Ed was such a good student that the Texas Military Academy offered him a scholarship, so he went to the Academy and there he continued to make outstanding records in study and athletics. One day, “Uncle Ed” decided he might like to go to Southern Methodist University, so he got on the interurban and rode to Dallas. He wanted to see the coach, Ray Morrison who was at the time very famous. But Mr. Morrison was not there so “Uncle Ed” came to Austin. Here he visited with Billy Disch. Uncle Billy was the greatest baseball coach the University of Texas ever had. After talking to him, “Uncle Ed” decided The University of Texas was the place for him, so he came to Austin in the fall of 1924.

Your grandfather was so good in his school work and studied so hard that he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration in three years, with a “B” average. Just think of it. In 1927, he was selected by the University Dad’s Association for their award as an outstanding scholar. For a short time in 1927, he taught in the Business Education Department as a member of the faculty of The University of Texas. After graduating from The University, “Uncle Ed” went to El Paso, where he taught classes and coached for two years. He made an outstanding record as high school coach there. Also, he was such a good-looking young man and so many of the girls in El Paso enrolled in his classes that they had to organize extra classes for the students who wanted to be taught by this attractive young business law teacher from The University of Texas. But the young girls in El Paso were all disappointed.

While he was at The University, “Uncle Ed” had met a beautiful young girl, with lovely auburn hair. Her name was Bess. At first, she was not too interested in this young man from Flatonia, but after a while she “took a liking” to him and soon they were holding hands. The first thing you know, “Uncle Ed” had persuaded Bess to share his fortunes and to be his bride. They have been very happy ever since.

Your “Aunt Bess” has really been a good partner for “Uncle Ed”. She goes fishing with him and even carries the bait box. When they go down to the river, she helps him put all the fishing equipment in the boat. Because she thinks it is good for him to go fishing, she gets all dressed up and goes with him, even on cold days.

When they were first married, he had to “bribe her” a little bit. He went to town and bought her one of the finest fishing rods and one of the best reels he could find. He gave it to her for a Christmas present. If your “Aunt Bess” might have preferred something else (say a wristwatch), she never said a word. She did not want to disappoint “Uncle Ed.” After she had fished a while, she really began to appreciate that rod and reel. Now she has learned to fish, she loves to go with “Uncle Ed” or with any of her grandchildren

When “Uncle Ed” returned to The University of Texas, he became Business Manager for athletics. Also, he was such a good player they had him coach the Longhorn basketball team in 1933. That was the year Texas won the Southwest Conference championship. “Uncle Ed” was a three-letter man; He lettered in football at The University I 1926 and 1927, in basketball in 1926 and 1927, and in baseball in 1926 and 1927. Just think of that.

Ed has been Business Manager since 1929. For a while, he was Athletic Director for The University. No director has done a more outstanding job. He is a member of the National College Athletic Association Council and on the governing board; he has been president of many other associations and has gained national recognition.

The biggest thing about “Uncle Ed” is that he has remained a good family man. Some men devote all their energies to succeeding and neglect their families. “Uncle Ed” never did that. He has always loved his home, his children, and he dearly loves his grandchildren, too. He is the happiest when he has them out at his place at the lake, with a can of worms and a handful of fishing poles.

Norris Athletic Trophy was an annual award given to the best Longhorn athlete during the late 1920s to the middle 1930s. Ed Olle , Ox Higgins, Tommy Hughes , Nona Rees, and Ox Emerson were winners of this Norris Candy company's trophy. In later years Ed Olle coached the basketball team, acted as business manager for the athletic department, was a football official, and one of the best football scouts in the country. The "Cactus" says that Ed was an authority on the fundamentals of all sports

Another wonderful thing about “Uncle Ed”. Wherever you see him, he is always the same. He always has that friendly smile that says he is glad to see you, that he enjoys having you around, that he wants everybody to have a good time. In all my life, I have never heard him say anything mean or bad about anybody, nor have I heard him use bad language. His conduct in never unbecoming.

The purpose of this letter is to tell all of you how proud you ought to be of your Grandpa Ed Olle, and how much his life and his character have meant to his family and his friends.

May I take this opportunity of wishing for all of you many Happy Seasons with “Uncle Ed” and “Aunt Bess”. Now, I wish too that Santa Claus be good to all of you in years to come.

 Merry Christmas!

Sincerely yours

 R. J. Kidd

 December, 1963

1964 Hall of Honor Inductees