July 16, 2003
Tex Schramm
Texas E. Schramm Jr., the president/general manager who transformed the Dallas Cowboys into a winning team, died on July 15 of natural causes. He was 83.
In 1947, Schramm took a job doing public relations for the Los Angeles Rams. Within seven years, he became the club's general manager. He then worked at CBS as an assistant director of sports broadcasting. There he made his mark by producing the first television broadcast of the 1960 Winter Olympics.
That same year, Clint Murchison hired Schramm to turn his expansion team around. The Dallas Cowboys had a dismal record: 0-11-1. But under the guidance of Schramm and coach Tom Landry, the Cowboys rallied and in 1965 finished second in the Eastern Conference.
This taste of victory pushed the Cowboys to achieve 20 consecutive winning seasons, the third-longest winning streak in sports history. They won 13 division titles, played in five Super Bowls and won twice.
Schramm's contributions to the NFL extended far beyond Dallas. Schramm spearheaded the use of instant replay and built the league's scouting system. He also created the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders.
Schramm received the Bert Bell award for outstanding executive leadership in 1978. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1991, and will be inducted into the Cowboys' Ring of Honor this season.
• Complete coverage in The Dallas Morning News
Posted on July 16, 2003 12:44 PM