Since its inception in 1922, the Texas Cowboys service organization has been an integral part of the University of Texas at Austin. Members (and alumni) of the Texas Cowboys have proudly provided the UT campus with leadership, character, spirit, and service (both before and after graduation).
In its over 100 years of service, the organization has remained the oldest men’s group on campus, acting as ambassadors for the university and maintaining Smokey the Cannon. Cowboys are present at a multitude of significant university-sponsored events, including all Texas Longhorns home football and baseball games, during which Smokey is fired at every score.
The current iteration of Smokey the Cannon, Smokey III, is a Civil War replica standing six feet tall and weighing 1,200 pounds. It fires four ten-gauge shotgun shells and remains in service to this day.
HISTORY:
1922
The University of Texas found itself in need of a men's service organization. Two men, Arno Nowotny, then head cheerleader, and Bill McGill, president of the Longhorn Band, began working together to recruit dedicated men who could not only lead but who could also serve. Forty men from all aspects of campus life were chosen by McGill and Nowotny to be the first Texas Cowboys. The Texas Cowboys quickly establish themselves as The University's premier service organization.
1953
Smokey the Cannon was created in UT's mechanical engineering lab in 1953 and is presented to The University of Texas at Austin by the Texas Cowboys. Two years later, Smokey I was modified to shoot twin 10-gauge shotgun shells for the 1955 season and the revision was renamed Smokey II.
1954
The Texas Cowboys begin their involvement with the Austin Association for Retarded Citizens (ARC). Over the past 50 years The Cowboys have contributed with their time and over $1,000,000.
1963
The Cowboys fire Smokey during the Austin Ceremony after the death of President John F. Kennedy. On the Monday following the assassination, Smokey fired a 21 gun salute to the fallen President. It was the climactic moment in a public Ceremony in front of The State Capitol. Additionally, during the 1963 Texas Longhorns football season, Smokey, the restored model now located at the Cowboys Pavilion, was fired by the Cowboys for 10 of the Horns' 11 home & away games, including the January 1, 1964 Cotton Bowl Classic victory over Navy, as The University of Texas captured its 1st National Football Championship.
1974
Thanks to the antics of some A&M students, the original cannon: Smokey II 1s at the bottom of Town lake. A restored Smokey II was donated in 1974 and fired one 10-gauge blank, and served The University until 1988.
1988
Smokey III, a civil war replica cannon standing six feet tall and weighing 1,000 pounds, is constructed and is currently in service.
1995
The Texas Cowboys Alumni Association is created.
2004
The Texas Cowboys Alumni Association, in conjunction with the Texas Exes, construct the only structure on The University of Texas campus named after a student organization - The Texas Cowboys Pavilion.
2022
On October 14, 2022, the Texas Cowboys celebrated a 100 years of service to The University of Texas at Austin with a gathering of over 600 alumni at the AT&T Conference Center.