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Texas Earnest Schramm Jr. (June 2, 1920 – July 15, 2003) was an American professional football executive who was the original president and general manager of the Dallas Cowboys franchise of the National Football League (NFL). Schramm, usually referred to as "Tex", became the head of the Cowboys when the former expansion team started operations in 1960.

Key Information

Early life and career

[edit]

Despite his name, Schramm was not born in Texas, but in San Gabriel, California.[1] Texas was his father's name and where his parents met. Schramm attended Alhambra High School and went to the University of Texas, graduating in 1947 with a bachelor's degree in journalism. At UT he was a member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, as was his father. Schramm interrupted his education to serve as an officer in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II.

Before joining the Cowboys, Schramm was part of the Los Angeles Rams from 1947 to 1956. During his tenure, he hired Pete Rozelle as the Rams' public relations director, who would eventually become the Commissioner of the National Football League. They remained close friends after Rozelle became NFL commissioner and Schramm became general manager of the Cowboys (each holding his position for 29 years).

Dallas Cowboys

[edit]

In late 1959, when it became apparent that the NFL was intent on expanding to Dallas, Schramm told his friends in football that he was interested in running the team. Chicago Bears owner George Halas introduced Schramm to Clint Murchison Jr., who had tried to bring the NFL to Dallas several times in the past. Murchison hired Schramm as the general manager for a potential Dallas team, which became a reality when the league awarded a franchise to the city on January 28, 1960.[2][3]

In 1960, Schramm hired head coach Tom Landry and chief scout Gil Brandt. By the mid-1960s, the three men had built the Cowboys into an elite team. The Cowboys, despite two consecutive losses to the Green Bay Packers in the NFL Championship Game in 1966 and '67, had 20 consecutive winning seasons, and won the most games of any NFL team of the 1970s. They appeared in five Super Bowls that decade, winning Super Bowls VI and XII, and losing Super Bowls V, X, and XIII by a combined 11 points. The Cowboys became a marquee NFL franchise, their popularity inspiring the nickname "America's Team".

In 1966, Schramm met secretly with American Football League (AFL) founder Lamar Hunt to begin the negotiations that led to the 1970 merger of the NFL and AFL, as well as the first Super Bowl in 1967. Also in 1966, Schramm accepted the NFL's offer to have the Cowboys play on Thanksgiving, a tradition they have maintained every year since.

Schramm was known as the most powerful general manager in the NFL. The Cowboys' owners during his tenure, Murchison (1960–84) and Bum Bright (1984–1988), delegated most of their authority to Schramm, leaving most day-to-day operations in his hands. Schramm represented the Cowboys at league meetings and exercised the team's voting rights, something normally reserved for team owners.

Schramm was one of the hardliners in the 1987 NFLPA Strike. The NFL players union at the time sought a better deal, including free agency rights. Schramm, with other owners, organized the hiring of replacement players while the usual players were on strike, earning a nickname of "the commissioner of replacement football."[4] Schramm cattily said to executive director of the NFLPA, Gene Upshaw, "Gene, here’s what you have to understand: we're the ranchers and you're the cattle, and we can always get more cattle."[5][6] Schramm was comparatively effective in convincing regular players of the Cowboys to cross the picket line, albeit at the cost of splitting the team; he aggressively used contract clauses as threats to revoke millions of dollars in annuity payments from players who would not return to work. Running back Tony Dorsett, who had previously criticized other team members for breaking the strike, felt he was financially forced to rejoin as well by Schramm's threats.[4] Eventually 21 Cowboys players would break the strike and play with replacement players, a much higher rate than for other teams in the League; the Cowboys went 2-1 during the three strike-affected games.[4] The cost of Schramm's threats to the team's success was high: The Cowboys would only go 8–35 over the next two and a half seasons, not recovering until new ownership took over.

Innovations

[edit]

Schramm was known for advocating for a number of changes and innovations that helped modernize the NFL. These include instant replay, using computer technology in scouting, multi-color striping of the 20- and 50-yard lines, 30-second clock between plays, extra-wide sideline borders, wind-direction stripes on the goal post uprights, the referee's microphone, headsets in the quarterback's helmet for hearing plays, and hiring Dee Brock to establish the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.[1] While leading the league's Competition Committee, he oversaw rule changes such as using overtime in the regular season, putting the official time on the scoreboard, moving goalposts from the front of the end zone to the back, and protecting quarterbacks through the in-the-grasp rule. Schramm's desire for a more comprehensive scouting combine led to the annual offseason NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.[7] Don Shula said of Schramm, "I truly believe he had as much, or more, to do with the success of professional football as anyone who has ever been connected with the league."[8]

After the Cowboys

[edit]
Schramm's Hall of Fame bust

Schramm stayed on only briefly with the Cowboys after Jerry Jones purchased the team and fired Tom Landry. He left to become the president of the World League of American Football. Schramm was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1991. Schramm's entry into the Cowboys Ring of Honor took much longer due to strained relations with Jones. Schramm had created the Ring of Honor, and had been a "one-man committee" on inductions. Jones became that "committee" when he took over. Finally in 2003, Jones announced that Schramm would be inducted into the ring during the next football season. Schramm attended the announcement press conference and spoke, but died a few months later and was inducted posthumously.

Schramm married his high school sweetheart, Martha Anne Snowden, in 1941. Martha Schramm died on December 8, 2002. The couple had three daughters.

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Tex Schramm

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from Grokipedia
Texas Earnest Schramm Jr. (June 2, 1920 – July 15, 2003), known as , was an executive who served as the general manager of the from 1960 to 1989. Born in , and educated at the University of , Schramm began his professional career in sports publicity with the in 1947 before joining the expansion Cowboys as part of its founding staff. Under Schramm's leadership, the Cowboys achieved remarkable success, compiling a regular-season record of 229 wins, 164 losses, and 7 ties for a .583 , along with 17 playoff appearances and a 22–15 postseason mark. The team secured two victories (VI in 1971 and XII in 1977) and maintained an NFL-record 20 consecutive winning seasons from 1966 to 1985. Schramm played a pivotal role in the NFL-AFL merger and contributed to numerous league innovations, including the introduction of instant replay, referee microphones, overtime rules, and the . Schramm's influence extended beyond team management; he served on the NFL's competition committee for 25 years and later became president of the World League of American Football. In recognition of his contributions, he was inducted into the in 1991 as the first primarily administrative executive to receive the honor, and posthumously enshrined in the Cowboys in 2003.

Early Life and Pre-NFL Career

Childhood and Education

Texas Earnest Schramm Jr. was born on June 2, 1920, in , to Texas Earnest Schramm Sr., a native , and Elsa J. Steinwender Schramm. His unusual first name derived from his father, reflecting the family's origins in , where his parents had met, which later influenced Schramm's decision to pursue education there. The family resided in the , providing Schramm with an early environment immersed in Southern California's sports culture. Schramm attended , graduating in 1938. There, he participated in football as a 147-pound fullback and track, while also serving as sports editor of the school newspaper, The Moor, which sparked his lifelong interest in and media. His involvement extended to , culminating in his election as president of the Golf Association in 1943, affiliated with San Gabriel Country Club, an early demonstration of administrative acumen in athletics. Drawn by family connections to , Schramm enrolled at the to study shortly after high school. His studies were interrupted by service in the United States Army Air Forces during . He resumed his education postwar and graduated in 1947 with a in .

Journalism and Sports Administration Roles

Schramm began his professional career in after earning a in journalism from the University of Texas in 1947. He worked as a sportswriter for the , earning $30 per week, which provided foundational experience in sports reporting and promotion. In 1947, Schramm joined the as publicity director, handling public relations responsibilities that included promoting the team amid growing interest in professional football on the West Coast. By 1952, he advanced to assistant to the team president, overseeing operational aspects such as scouting coordination and administrative support under owners like . During this period, he hired as public relations director in 1950, a decision that bolstered the Rams' media presence and Rozelle's eventual rise to commissioner. Schramm's tenure with the Rams through 1956 emphasized organizational efficiency and promotional strategies, including early efforts in local television production to broadcast games, which honed his skills in sports operations and audience engagement. From 1957 to 1959, Schramm served as of at , where he directed the production of professional football telecasts, including pioneering the concept of a national "game of the week" format to increase viewership. This role exposed him to nationwide logistics and technological aspects of televising live , contributing to the NFL's early media expansion before blackouts limited coverage. His work at CBS also involved coordinating coverage of major events, building expertise in high-stakes production that informed later administrative innovations.

Dallas Cowboys Tenure

Founding and Expansion Era

Clint , principal owner of the expansion franchise awarded by the on January 28, 1960, hired Tex Schramm as the team's first and president to oversee its establishment. Schramm, drawing on prior experience in league operations with the and , focused on assembling foundational personnel and infrastructure rather than immediate on-field results. He promptly selected as head coach and as director of player personnel, forming the core leadership trio that prioritized long-term player over quick wins. As an , the Cowboys benefited from a special allocation system allowing selections from other rosters, which Schramm leveraged to build an initial squad amid the league's 1960 expansion to 14 teams. The franchise secured the Cotton Bowl as its home venue, accommodating early crowds while establishing a presence in Dallas's sports landscape. Schramm emphasized developing a robust network under Brandt, scouting college and professional talent nationwide to stock future drafts and trades, setting the stage for systematic team-building. The Cowboys' inaugural 1960 season reflected the challenges of expansion, finishing with a 0-11-1 record under Landry, scoring 177 points while allowing 489. Despite the poor start, Schramm maintained a commitment to foundational investments, including player development and organizational stability, viewing early losses as necessary for cultivating a competitive roster over time. This approach contrasted with short-term expectations, prioritizing causal factors like talent pipelines and coaching continuity for sustained growth.

Team-Building Strategies and Key Hires

Schramm prioritized building the through the annual college draft and selective signings, emphasizing young talent over aging veterans to ensure long-term roster stability. From the team's inception, he adhered to a philosophy of acquiring players with high potential and character, avoiding high-risk veterans except in exceptional cases, which allowed the to maintain consistent contention with 20 consecutive winning seasons from to 1985. To enhance evaluation, Schramm pioneered computerized scouting in collaboration with personnel director , whom he hired in 1960, integrating to assess prospects beyond traditional film review. This system informed draft decisions, such as trading the Cowboys' 1962 first-round pick to the to secure the selection of defensive tackle from as the team's inaugural draft choice on December 14, 1960 (announced for the 1961 season), a player who anchored the line for 14 years. Schramm also advocated for centralized scouting combines to standardize player measurements, laying groundwork for the modern Combine and enabling more objective comparisons across positions. In partnership with head coach , hired in 1960, he supported defensive philosophies emphasizing run-stopping and versatility, including refinements to the 4-3 alignment, while enforcing rigorous conditioning standards to foster disciplined, adaptable units capable of sustaining over multiple seasons.

On-Field Successes and Records

Under Tex Schramm's leadership as general manager from 1960 to 1989, the Dallas Cowboys achieved an NFL-record 20 consecutive winning seasons from 1966 to 1985, during which they posted a positive win-loss record each year and missed the playoffs only twice. This streak encompassed 18 playoff appearances and 13 NFC East division titles, establishing the franchise as a model of consistent excellence. The reached five Super Bowls in the —appearing in after the 1970 season (loss to ), (victory over , 24-3), (loss to Pittsburgh Steelers), (victory over , 27-10), and (loss to )—with Schramm overseeing player acquisitions and roster decisions that fueled these deep playoff runs. Quarterback , drafted by Schramm in 1964 and developed into a starter by 1969, led the team to four of those berths as the primary signal-caller, earning MVP honors and topping passer ratings multiple times in the decade. Defensive units, anchored by players like and later the "" core, ranked among the league's elite in points allowed during peak years, such as third in (221 points, 15.8 per game), supporting the offensive firepower and contributing to the era's 142-42-2 regular-season mark from 1966 to 1975 alone.

Management Decisions and Internal Dynamics

Schramm cultivated a centered on meritocratic and draft success, forming a stable "troika" with and personnel director , where roles were clearly delineated—Schramm overseeing business and operations, Landry directing on-field strategy, and Brandt handling talent evaluation. This structure promoted low staff turnover, exemplified by Landry's uninterrupted 29-year tenure from 1960 to 1989, and contributed to a cohesive team culture emphasizing continuity and professionalism. The partnership with Landry, described by Schramm as a successful "business relationship" despite their contrasting temperaments—Schramm's promotional dynamism versus Landry's analytical reserve—enabled unified decision-making on key hires and roster builds, such as the 1977 trade of four draft picks for . However, this insularity occasionally invited criticism for rigidity, including Schramm's 1986 refusal to trade Dorsett during his contract holdout, prioritizing loyalty to core players over potential influx of fresh talent amid emerging performance dips. Pre-free agency, Schramm's contract negotiations stressed fiscal restraint and long-term loyalty, avoiding extravagant deals to preserve cap space for drafts, which underpinned the Cowboys' dynasty but bred resentment among players for conservative pay scales. In 1975, he pushed for a 25% salary cut for option-year players—steeper than the union's 10% proposal—exacerbating tensions that foreshadowed broader labor strife, including his hardline stance in the 1987 NFLPA strike. This approach, while fostering roster stability with extended player tenures, drew union ire for undervaluing talent relative to market pressures, contrasting with more player-friendly regimes elsewhere.

Innovations and NFL Contributions

Officiating and Technology Advancements

As chairman of the 's Competition Committee from 1966 to 1988, Tex Schramm drove rule standardization efforts focused on enhancing officiating precision and reducing through technological and procedural aids, often overcoming resistance from league traditionalists who favored established practices over empirical testing. His tenure emphasized verifiable improvements in game integrity, such as relocating official to stadium scoreboards to minimize discrepancies between on-field clocks and judgments. Schramm championed referee microphones, first implemented to broadcast penalty explanations and rulings directly to audiences, thereby increasing transparency and allowing fans to hear officials' real-time rationales without reliance on secondary interpretations. This innovation, which he advocated amid concerns it would expose officiating flaws, was grounded in the principle that audible would deter errors and build trust in judgments, as evidenced by its adoption following committee trials. A cornerstone of his push was instant replay for officiating reviews, with Schramm leading advocacy for its integration as an aid to correct clear mistakes, drawing from early 1970s experiments including trials in 1976 under director of officiating . Despite opposition from coaches and executives wary of prolonging games or undermining officials' authority, he argued data from replay validations—such as overturned calls on scoring plays—demonstrated reduced controversy and higher accuracy, influencing its eventual league-wide use starting in 1986. To address timing inaccuracies, Schramm supported mechanisms like the 30-second play clock, introduced in 1976 to enforce consistent pacing, and the "in-the-grasp" rule permitting quarterbacks to intentionally throw incomplete passes and stop the clock in the final minutes, protecting player safety while aligning elapsed time with strategic intent based on observed discrepancies in prior seasons. These changes prioritized causal factors like verifiable elapsed time over sentimental adherence to manual operations, with committee data showing fewer disputes over clock management post-implementation.

Marketing and Entertainment Enhancements

Schramm spearheaded the creation of the in 1972, tasking director Dee Brock with assembling a squad to enhance halftime entertainment at . This initiative replaced informal sideline groups with a polished ensemble featuring redesigned uniforms, debuting that season and rapidly becoming a cultural fixture that boosted fan engagement and national visibility. The cheerleaders' performances, emphasizing precision and glamour, contributed to increased attendance and media coverage, with empirical data showing sustained growth in viewership during the 1970s correlating to such entertainment enhancements. Under Schramm's direction, the Cowboys embraced the "" moniker, originated by producer in a 1972 highlight reel of the 1971 season, which highlighted the franchise's widespread national fanbase evidenced by away-game support. Schramm promoted this branding aggressively through collaborations with , producing cinematic content that romanticized the team's narrative and expanded its appeal beyond regional loyalties, fostering merchandise sales and sponsorships. This strategy elevated the Cowboys' profile, with TV ratings for their games rising steadily; for instance, in 1971 drew 24.4 million viewers, a figure that grew with subsequent successes tied to heightened entertainment packaging. Schramm pioneered extensive luxury suites at , which opened in 1971 with 176 skyboxes—more than double contemporaries—generating premium revenue streams that subsidized operations and attracted corporate clients. These amenities, combined with cheerleader spectacles and branded media, transformed the Cowboys into a commercial powerhouse, laying groundwork for franchise valuations that reached $140 million by 1989 upon sale to , driven by diversified income from tickets, TV rights, and licensing. While praised for mainstreaming as family entertainment and spurring league-wide revenue growth—evidenced by television contracts expanding from $50 million annually in the early —critics from feminist and traditionalist perspectives have faulted the emphasis on visual allure as prioritizing spectacle over athletic purity, though market metrics like surges and booms affirm causal in audience expansion.

League Governance and Expansion Efforts

Schramm played a pivotal role in orchestrating the 1966 AFL-NFL merger, initiating secret negotiations by approaching AFL founder in spring 1966 to discuss consolidation amid escalating competition for talent and markets. The agreement, announced on June 8, 1966, and fully effective by the 1970 season, unified the leagues under a single structure, ending destructive bidding wars that had driven player salaries upward and stabilized operations through shared resources and scheduling. This merger directly enabled the creation of the , with its inaugural game held on January 15, 1967, fostering a consolidated monopoly that prioritized long-term viability over fragmented , though it necessitated antitrust accommodations via league alignment and eventual federal legislation like the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 extensions. In league governance, Schramm chaired the NFL's competition committee for 23 years, influencing rules and structures that promoted parity, including support for revenue-sharing mechanisms in television contracts that distributed national broadcast income equally among teams to mitigate financial disparities and enhance competitive balance. He also navigated antitrust challenges by testifying in key trials, such as the 1986 USFL antitrust suit against the , where he defended the league's practices against monopoly accusations, contributing to a verdict that preserved the NFL's operational framework without forced fragmentation. Schramm extended the NFL's reach through leadership in international expansion, serving as president and CEO of the World League of American Football starting in early 1989. launched in 1991 with 10 teams across and , aiming to cultivate global audiences and talent pipelines despite sustaining losses exceeding $20 million in its first season, leading to a suspension after 1992; his oversight established developmental models later refined in , underscoring a strategic push for overseas viability amid domestic saturation.

Later Career, Conflicts, and Legacy

Departure from the Cowboys

In February 1989, Jerry Jones purchased the Dallas Cowboys from H.R. "Bum" Bright for $140 million, marking the beginning of a rapid transition that culminated in Tex Schramm's departure from his roles as president and general manager after 29 years with the franchise. Jones quickly asserted control by firing longtime head coach Tom Landry on February 25, 1989, with Schramm present during the announcement, and then assuming general manager duties himself, effectively sidelining Schramm's authority over personnel and operations. Schramm's exit became inevitable as Jones dismantled the established front-office structure, including Schramm's sole oversight of the team's Ring of Honor—a selective honor gallery Schramm had created in 1969 to recognize key contributors—which Jones assumed control of upon acquisition. On April 18, 1989, Schramm formally resigned during an NFL owners' meeting in New York, two days after NFL owners unanimously approved Jones' purchase, stating that the team under new ownership represented a fundamental shift away from the model he had built. Schramm viewed Jones' interventions as disruptive to a proven system of autonomy and stability that had produced the NFL's longest streak of winning seasons (20 consecutive from 1966 to 1985), lamenting, "They are no longer my Dallas Cowboys." Jones, an Arkansas oilman with no prior NFL executive experience, justified the overhaul by emphasizing the need for direct owner involvement in football decisions, financial restructuring to address the franchise's mounting debts under Bright, and modernization of marketing and operations to enhance revenue streams. He had publicly committed to heavy personal engagement upon buying the team, arguing that the prior delegation to Schramm insulated accountability and limited upside potential amid evolving league economics. The abrupt severance strained relations, with Schramm clearing out his office at the Valley Ranch headquarters before Jones' arrival, leaving behind minimal remnants of the prior regime. The immediate fallout included lingering tensions over legacy elements like selections, which Jones managed unilaterally thereafter, diverging from Schramm's restrictive criteria of inducting only a handful of non-players. These disputes persisted but were mitigated over time by the Cowboys' resurgence under Jones, including three victories in the , which underscored the viability of his hands-on approach despite the initial acrimony.

Post-Cowboys Initiatives

In April 1989, shortly after resigning from the Dallas Cowboys, Schramm was named president and chief executive officer of the NFL's newly formed World League of American Football (WLAF), with the mandate to develop and launch an international developmental circuit aimed at globalizing American football. This initiative sought to establish franchises across Europe and North America, serving as a talent pipeline for the NFL while cultivating overseas fanbases and adapting the sport to international markets through exhibition games and structured operations. Schramm's involvement emphasized innovative promotion and logistical planning, drawing on his experience in league expansion and marketing to position the WLAF as a bridge for football's worldwide growth despite logistical hurdles like transatlantic travel and varying rules adaptations. Schramm stepped down as president in October 1990 citing health issues but retained a consultant role to guide the league's inaugural season. The WLAF commenced play in March 1991 with 10 teams—three in the U.S. and seven in —but encountered substantial financial deficits exceeding $10 million in its first year, prompting a suspension after the 1992 season amid low U.S. attendance and sponsorship shortfalls. These short-term setbacks highlighted challenges in monetizing international expansion, though Schramm's foundational efforts contributed to revived formats like in 1995, which operated until 2007 and developed players such as Tony Banks and Jake Reed for rosters. Beyond the WLAF, Schramm's post-Cowboys engagements were limited, focusing on sporadic advisory input rather than operational leadership, consistent with his health constraints and preference for reflective oversight. He offered commentary on developments, maintaining his long-held opposition to unrestricted free agency, which he viewed as eroding disciplined, draft-centric team in favor of transient bidding wars that undermined competitive continuity. This perspective echoed his earlier negotiations, where he insisted on preserving structural limits to prevent player mobility from destabilizing franchise stability, prioritizing empirical outcomes from sustained personnel development over market-driven flux.

Honors, Recognition, and Cultural Impact

Schramm was inducted into the on July 27, 1991, as the first individual selected primarily for executive contributions without prior experience as a player or coach. In 1977, named him Executive of the Year for his leadership in building the Cowboys into a perennial contender. The following year, 1978, he received the Memorial Award, recognizing outstanding professional football leadership. Entry into the , which Schramm himself established in 1975, was delayed for years due to strained relations with team owner following Schramm's 1989 departure; he was posthumously inducted on October 12, 2003, months after his . Schramm's strategic emphasis on meritocratic talent evaluation through innovative and a focus on marketable, high-entertainment football operations laid foundational elements for the NFL's evolution into a global enterprise valued in excess of $100 billion collectively by the 2020s, evidenced by the ' ascent to the world's most valuable sports franchise at $10.1 billion in 2024. This legacy counters narratives undervaluing administrative roles by demonstrating causal links between his governance reforms—such as instant replay advocacy and competitive balance measures—and sustained league revenue growth from under $1 billion annually in the 1970s to over $20 billion by 2023.

Personal Life

Family and Relationships

Tex Schramm married his college acquaintance Martha Anne "Marty" Snowden on April 15, 1942, in Los Angeles, California. The marriage lasted 60 years until Marty's death on December 8, 2002. They had three daughters: Christi Wilkinson, Kandy Court, and Mardee Anne Smith, who died on June 5, 1997. Schramm's family life remained largely private, with no documented public scandals or controversies emerging from his personal relationships despite his prominent role in the . He cultivated ties within business circles, including a personal friendship with oil executive , whose connections aided ' founding though primarily through professional channels.

Death and Tributes

Tex Schramm died on July 15, 2003, at his home in Dallas, Texas, at the age of 83, after years of declining health that included quintuple coronary bypass surgery in 1992 and ailments such as cancer. A private funeral service was held on July 18, followed by a public memorial the next day at First Baptist Church in Dallas, attended by NFL luminaries including former Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach, Hall of Fame coach Don Shula, and Commissioner Paul Tagliabue. Speakers at the memorial highlighted Schramm's unyielding drive to elevate professional football through innovations in operations, , and game presentation, with Tagliabue crediting him as a visionary who shaped the modern . Tributes from league executives and peers focused on his foundational blueprint for ' sustained competitiveness, which produced two victories and consistent playoff appearances even after his 1989 departure, rather than personal frictions with successor . In October 2003, the inducted Schramm into their during a home game against the , a posthumous recognition that addressed prior hesitations under Jones' control of selections, affirming his central role in the franchise's identity.

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  50. https://www.facebook.com/100033734112287/posts/1989-2-25-on-this-day-in-professional-football-history-a-legendary-era-has-come-/1456457662155357/
  51. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1989/04/18/cowboys-schramm-to-make-exit/b6249d16-303d-4f7a-b82b-6e793fde3c8e/
  52. https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/2003/0416/1540079.html
  53. https://www.upi.com/Archives/1989/04/18/They-are-no-longer-my-Dallas-Cowboys-Tex-Schramm/5263608875200/
  54. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-04-18-sp-2303-story.html
  55. https://www.oklahoman.com/story/sports/columns/berry-tramel/2019/02/26/jones-said-he-would-be-heavily-involved-in-the-cowboys-and-he-has-been/60470741007/
  56. https://www.mcall.com/2014/02/25/the-day-that-changed-the-dallas-cowboys-25-years-of-jerry-jones/
  57. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-04-19-sp-2256-story.html
  58. https://www.upi.com/Archives/1990/10/10/Lynn-replaces-Schramm-as-president-of-World-League/7017655531200/
  59. https://www.espn.com/classic/obit/s/2003/0715/1580908.html
  60. https://vault.si.com/vault/1987/10/26/on-the-outside-looking-in-the-nfl-strike-ended-with-no-contract-and-most-regulars-sidelined-for-another-week
  61. https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/a-divisive-time-the-1987-strike-caused-frustration-for-cowboys-veterans-444191
  62. https://www.tshof.org/store/p301/Tex_Schramm.html
  63. http://www.worldleagueofamericanfootball.com/id257.html
  64. https://www.dallasnews.com/business/2025/08/22/the-12-billion-sports-juggernaut-that-hasnt-seen-the-super-bowl-in-over-30-years/
  65. https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/9JHY-9TK/martha-anne-snowden-1922-2002
  66. https://obits.dallasnews.com/us/obituaries/dallasmorningnews/name/martha-schramm-obituary?id=51418387
  67. https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/houstonchronicle/name/texas-schramm-obituary?id=28124600
  68. https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/the-devil-and-mr-jones/
  69. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/2003/07/16/dallas-cowboys-tex-schramm-dies/f862916f-17de-4b5a-9a27-660071fef4aa/
  70. https://www.deseret.com/2003/7/16/19735500/football-innovator-schramm-dies-at-83/
  71. https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2003/07/19/football-dignitaries-pay-tribute-to-tex/62034613007/
  72. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nfl-innovator-tex-schramm-dies/
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