| |
| |
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
|
WHEREAS, The life of a renowned Texas athlete drew to a close |
|
|
with the passing of former Dallas Cowboy Jethro Pugh on January 7, |
|
|
2015, at the age of 70; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Born on July 3, 1944, in Windsor, North Carolina, |
|
|
Jethro Pugh attended Bertie High School and subsequently enrolled |
|
|
at Elizabeth City State University at the age of 16; he |
|
|
distinguished himself as a talented player on both offense and |
|
|
defense for ECSU, earning all-conference honors in 1963 and 1964 |
|
|
for his play as a defensive end; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Mr. Pugh was selected by Dallas in the 11th round of |
|
|
the 1965 National Football League Draft; one of the original |
|
|
members of the team's vaunted "Doomsday Defense," he anchored the |
|
|
line from his spot at tackle and played a central role in the |
|
|
Cowboys' rise to prominence in the late 1960s and early 1970s; |
|
|
during his third season, he took part in the legendary 1967 "Ice |
|
|
Bowl" game, when Dallas was narrowly defeated by the Green Bay |
|
|
Packers for the NFL Championship; the determined efforts of |
|
|
Mr. Pugh and his teammates would not be denied, however, and the |
|
|
club would go on to collect five NFC Championships and two Super |
|
|
Bowl titles in the course of his 14-year career; he led Dallas in |
|
|
sacks for five consecutive seasons from 1968 to 1972, and his 95.5 |
|
|
career sacks rank sixth all-time in team history; he retired |
|
|
following the 1978-1979 NFL season, having played in a then-record |
|
|
23 playoff games; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, After his playing days ended, Mr. Pugh found success |
|
|
as an entrepreneur by opening a gift shop in the Dallas-Fort Worth |
|
|
International Airport, an enterprise that later grew into a chain |
|
|
of stores; he also found time to give back to others as the founder |
|
|
and namesake of the Jethro Pugh Celebrity Golf Tournament, an |
|
|
annual event in the Dallas area that raises funds for the United |
|
|
Negro College Fund; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Mr. Pugh's accomplishments were recognized with a |
|
|
number of significant accolades, including selection as an NFL |
|
|
All-Pro player and induction into the CIAA Hall of Fame, the North |
|
|
Carolina Sports Hall of Fame, the ECSU Sports Hall of Fame, and the |
|
|
National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, A superb athlete, a fierce competitor, and a |
|
|
respected businessman, Jethro Pugh excelled on and off the |
|
|
gridiron, and he will be fondly remembered by his family and friends |
|
|
as well as by countless football fans in the Lone Star State and |
|
|
beyond; now, therefore, be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
|
|
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Jethro Pugh and extend |
|
|
sincere sympathy to the members of his family; and, be it further |
|
|
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|
|
prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
|
|
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Jethro |
|
|
Pugh. |