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.

Johnson

Straus Guillen Otto

Allen Gutierrez Paddie

Alonzo Harless Parker

Alvarado Hernandez Paul

Anchia Herrero Peña

Anderson of Dallas Howard Phelan

Anderson of McLennan Huberty Phillips

Ashby Hughes Pickett

Aycock Hunter Price

Bell Isaac Raney

Blanco Israel Raymond

Bohac Johnson Reynolds

Bonnen of Brazoria Kacal Riddle

Bonnen of Galveston Keffer Rinaldi

Burkett Keough Rodriguez of Bexar

Burns King of Hemphill Rodriguez of Travis

Burrows King of Parker Romero, Jr.

Button King of Taylor Rose

Canales King of Uvalde Sanford

Capriglione Kleinschmidt Schaefer

Clardy Klick Schofield

Coleman Koop Shaheen

Collier Krause Sheets

Cook Kuempel Sheffield

Craddick Landgraf Simmons

Crownover Larson Simpson

Dale Laubenberg Smith

Darby Leach Smithee

Davis of Dallas Longoria Spitzer

Davis of Harris Lozano Springer

Deshotel Lucio III Stephenson

Dukes Márquez Stickland

Dutton Martinez Thompson of Brazoria

Elkins Martinez Fischer Thompson of Harris

Faircloth McClendon Tinderholt

Fallon Menéndez Turner of Collin

Farias Metcalf Turner of Harris

Farney Meyer Turner of Tarrant

Farrar Miles VanDeaver

Fletcher Miller of Comal Villalba

Flynn Miller of Fort Bend Vo

Frank Moody Walle

Frullo Morrison White of Bell

Galindo Muñoz, Jr. White of Tyler

Geren Murphy Workman

Giddings Murr Wray

Goldman Naishtat Wu

Gonzales Nevárez Zedler

González Oliveira Zerwas

Guerra

______________________________

Speaker of the House

I certify that H.R. No. 131 was unanimously adopted by a rising

vote of the House on January 14, 2015.

______________________________