Tex Schramm

He was born Texas Edward Schramm in San Gabriel, California, just outside Los Angeles, on June 2, 1920. After graduating from Alhambra High School, Schramm, who had family ties in Texas, enrolled at the University of Texas to study journalism. As a freshman, he had a brief fling at collegiate football, playing fullback, but at only 147 pounds, he quickly decided that he'd be better off writing about football and not playing it. During his years in Austin, he covered sports for the student newspaper and also worked part-time for the Austin American-Statesman. After earning his bachelor's degree, Schramm served four years in the U.S. Air Force.

Returning to civilian life, Schramm was introduced to Los Angeles Rams owner Dan Reeves, who hired him to handle publicity for the team, which had only recently moved to Los Angeles from Cleveland. Five years later, in 1952, Reeves was promoted to assistant to the president of the Rams. Schramm became the team's general manager in 1956 but left the following year in the midst of a power struggle between Reeve and his fellow owners. Before leaving the Rams, however, Schramm recommended Pete Rozelle as his replacement.

From the Rams Schramm went to CBS-TV as assistant director of sports. Although he had no particular expertise on winter sports or the Olympic Games, Schramm had an idea. And, as he would soon begin to prove during his twenty-nine years at the helm of the Dallas Cowboys, a Schramm idea was not something to be taken lightly. Fortunately for television viewers, CBS executives liked Schramm's suggestion that the network televise competition at the 1960 Winter Olympic Games in Squaw Valley, California. And the rest is history.