FORMER LONGHORNS
Captain of Texas' 1942 football team passes away
Wally Scott remembered for generosity, support of Longhorns athletics.
By Olin Buchanan
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Wallace Scott Jr., a captain on the 1942 University of Texas football team who helped found the Longhorn Foundation and was described by legendary UT Coach Darrell Royal as "Longhorn through and through," died Monday.
Scott died from complications of pneumonia and a blood clot in the brain he developed after a fall about two weeks ago. He was 84.
Royal recalled Tuesday that when he took over the Texas football program in 1957, Scott was there to help.
"From the day I got here, he was as much a supporter and as big a backer as a person could have," Royal said. "Wally was a generous person, a giving person.
"He helped me a lot with the traditions of Texas. I was new, coming here as a 32-year-old head coach, and I didn't know that much about the University of Texas and I knew I had to learn quickly. Wally Scott was as good a source as I could get."
Originally from Tyler, Scott was inducted into UT's athletics Hall of Honor in 1972.
He lettered in football at Texas in 1941, when he and 13 teammates had their photos featured on the cover of Life magazine, accompanying an article about the No. 1-ranked Longhorns. That cover is still displayed in his home.
In 1942, he was co-captain of a team that led the nation in defense, won the Southwest Conference championship and defeated Georgia in the Cotton Bowl. He led the Longhorns in receiving that season with 14 catches.
"The thing that impressed me about Wally Scott was the type of captain he was," said Rooster Andrews, a former teammate. "He would get all fired up and he would get everybody all cranked up. Boy, he really would."
After graduating from UT, Scott joined the Navy and served in the Pacific during World War II. After the war, he graduated from the UT law school and was the first attorney hired by the Oil and Gas Division of the Texas Railroad Commission. In 1976, he and partner Frank Douglass founded the law firm of Scott, Douglass and McConnico.
He never lost his enthusiasm for the University of Texas. With the late regents chairman Frank Erwin, Scott founded the Longhorn Club, which became the Longhorn Foundation, the fund-raising arm of the athletics department. Scott also served for two decades on the university's Men's Athletics Council.
"Wally never quit giving to Texas," said Bill Little, assistant athletic director for media relations. "He was a pillar of what Texas athletics was all about."
Earl Campbell remembers Wally as have the “biggest heart”. :There wasn’t a better person or a better friend in the world than Wally Scott.”
His family and friends remembered Scott for his gregarious personality, love of life and generosity.
"He was the most loving and generous father you could ever have," his son Wally Scott III said. "He was generous with everything; his time, money, love . . . everything. He was the most generous person I've ever known. He had a great life."
Charlie Crenshaw, (photo to left) a lifelong family friend, recalled that "if you ever needed anything, he was right there."
"He was always the first guy to take care of anybody," Crenshaw said. "He contributed so much to so many people and never asked anything of anybody."
Scott is survived by his wife, Cile; sister, Lillian Scott of Colorado Springs, Colo.; daughter Cathy Scott McElroy; sons Wally Scott III and Willy Scott; and eight grandchildren.