Montgomery, Ross 2006-05-09
Ross Montgomery shares his football experiences in high school, college, and the NFL. Also he talks about the early stages of his life and his family’s influence on his career in sports. Lastly he discusses life on the farm and the experience of running the farm.
General Interview Information
Interviewee Name: Ross Montgomery
Additional Parties Recorded:
Date: May 09, 2006
Location: Albany, Texas
Interviewer: David Marshall
Length: 01:22:31
Abstract
Biographic background information; Born December 10, 1946, Detroit, Michigan; Dad played football for Detroit Lions; Dad went to Texas A&M on a track scholarship; Drafted to the army in World War II; Played army football; Father’s name James Brown Montgomery; Played as a guard; Dad went to A&M mom went to University of Texas; Thanksgiving day game between A&M and UT; Dad went back to school to finish degree; Went to school until sixth grade in Amarillo; Moved to Midland and stayed throughout high school; Considered Midland as hometown; Dad’s occupation in Midland; Dad worked for Exxon for 35 years; Dad retired and went to a ranch; Started playing football from 4th grade; Athletics in high school era; High school football programs in West Texas area; Midland high school’s football program; Recruited by A&M and Texas; Visited TCU and A&M; Made final decision between SMU and TCU; Hayden Fry was SMU coach; Coach Chuck Curtis; Both sons graduated from TCU; Transition to TCU and professional career; Scholarship received from many other schools; Achievements in high school career; Team mates in high school; Brian’s Song. Died in freshmen year of college; Gale Sayer’s specialty; Sense of tradition of the team; Chicago Bears; Racial make-up; Reunion of Chicago Bears; Size of the players over the years; Recalling father in-law’s football career in TCU; House burned in 1985; Sense of tradition at TCU; Father in-law played on the National Championship team; Father in-law got drafted by New York Titans; Earned more money teaching and coaching; Salary back then; Beer sales during the football season; Professional career; Stitches in practice; Asked to be traded; Interviewed with Exxon; Public opinion on Super Bowl; NFC and AFC; Comparison of High school and College football; Players were bigger and faster; Difference in playing performance; Cut of the team players; Different terminology for positions in the team; Training level of different levels of football; Weight training; Workout methods; TCU’s dominance in the 1960s; Funding of UT and Texas A&M’s football programs; Facility of the football team of TCU; Reaction to the end of the Southwest Conference; Church school competing with state school; TCU’s record in Southwest Conference; Commitment and investment to make TCU a better football program; Family members; Construction of the courthouse; Original building; Clock tower; Great grandfather’s ranching business; Moved to Fort Worth in 1870s; 25 cents for land; Grand Father died in 1980s; Honey production and deer hunting; Techniques in running the farm; Ways to cook turkeys; Means to control deer population; Weeds on the farm; Other challenges.
Access Information
Original Recording Format:
Recording Format Notes:
Transcript: No transcript available
Thank you for your interest in this oral history interview. Our oral history collection is available to patrons in the Southwest Collection's Reading Room, located on the campus of Texas Tech University. For reading room hours, visit our website. Please contact Reference Staff at least one week prior to your visit to ensure the oral history you are interested in will be available. Due to copyright issues, duplications of our oral histories can only be made for family members. If an oral history transcript has been made available online, the link will be provided on this page. More information on accessing our oral histories is located here. Preferred citation style can be found here.
