By leaving most football matters in the hands of operations staff, Murchison did not create an atmosphere of second guessing and arguments over player selection or credit for the team's success. had exactly zero attendance, including the new $5 billion SoFi Stadium, which houses the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers, who until the 2021 kickoff had played before zero thats right, zero fans in the stands in Inglewood, Calif., where the capacity is 70,000. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. An unassuming, softspoken native of Tyler, Tex., Mr. Murchison (pronounced MER-kiss-un) was born Sept. 5, 1921, the son of Clint W. Murchison Sr., who made a fortune in the . Bright in turn sold the Cowboys to Jerry Jones in 1989 following several losing seasons. Free to hear the presentation, $30 to buy the book. The Packers went instead and we became the team that couldnt win the big game. Her current book is "BURL: Journalism Giant and Media Trailblazer," to be published by Andrews McMeel Publishing (AMP) on September 6, 2022. Oil that is, black gold, Texas tea.. As we show you later, the city of Dallas twice rejected Americas Team, failing to cut a deal that forced the 21st-century Cowboys to look elsewhere for a new home, which turned out to be Arlington. Yep. He was socially aloof to the point many considered downright rude. Her second book, published in 1994, is "BLOOD RICH: When Oil Billions, High Fashion, and Royal Intimacies Are Not Enough." It was gonna be beautiful. He couldnt believe this guy in a beard and hip huggers and love beads had somehow gotten onto the Cotton Bowl sidelines and into our locker room. Even so, the Arkansas oilman deserves 100% of the business chops he gets. Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. Her first book, "THE MURCHISONS: The Rise and Fall of a Texas Dynasty," was published in 1989. The huddle turned strangely quiet for a moment. The elder Murchison died in 1969, almost a decade into Clint Jr.s Cowboys experiment, which his father only reluctantly supported, despite the fact that, by the time Clint Sr. died, the Cowboys were a sports-world juggernaut. Most of it was written over the last 30 years, beginning before my son was born and culminating in recent years as I listened to what my son knew about the Dallas Cowboys and professional football. It was the first to use seat option bonds to help fund construction and first to offer luxury suites on a commercial scale. : He gets on my nerves but hes a good coach. Carters eyes never leave the television. What about Clint? She said he died of complications caused by pneumonia. As Woolley wrote, The Boss and his sons got into the construction business, for instance, with only $20,000 of their money and an $80,000 promissory note. By noon the next day, theyd returned to Wichita Falls, having tripled their profit in 24 hours by flipping the leases for $200,000 (more than $3 million in todays dollars). They will shut off their outside receivers. Robert Murchison notes that Pop was out of town much of their childhood looking after his business interests, thus John and Dad were raised by a loving aunt, grandmother and wonderful servants., Looking for a new chapter after the death of his wife and son, Clint Sr. moved to Dallas, where he rapidly expanded his burgeoning portfolio. Soon after Clint Jr. left MIT to return to Dallas to stake his place in the family business, Clint Sr. received a letter from the MIT professor with whom Clint Jr. lived as an undergraduate. Clint William Murchison Jr. was the last surviving son of Clint Murchison Sr., a Texas wildcatter who rode the oil boom of the 1920's to fame and fortune. Tom didnt like the idea of off-the-field jobs, let alone TV product endorsements. After all, I made more money in the offseason in an advertising printing business with Bobby Hayes than I ever made in football. He and Richardson drove to the site, and sure enough, smelled the black gold bubblin up. Ms. Wolfe's book adds a lot of detail and backstory to the Murchison dynasty. Hole in the Roof takes you on a deep dive into the personality and passions of Clint Jr., while extending a more than passing hello to everyone else who was part of his world. The Los Angeles coliseum was half empty, and the crowd was asked to sit opposite the press box so that TV audiences would have the impression that there were lots of people in attendance. They were arguably professional footballs most popular team, despite falling short of a championship until they won Super Bowl VI on Jan. 16, 1972. His loan was denied. In 1966, when the still-young Dallas Cowboys franchise ended six years of agony with their first winning season, the team's owner and founder, Clint Murchison Jr., son of a billionaire oilman, was feeling ambitious. By the time I was traded to the New York Giants in 1969, we had been in the playoffs three times, gone twice to the NFL championship game, losing both times to Green Bay on the last play. The Murchisons - the rise and fall of a Texas dynasty, by Jane Wolfe. And Emmitt Smith is gonna get a lot more than Duane Thomas for doing almost exactly what Duane did on the field. Few really adjust, some commit suicide. The slow, downward death spiral. Brief content visible, double tap to read full content. He formed Southern Union Gas Company. Also surviving are several grandchildren. His grandfather founded the First National Bank in Athens. Legendary oil magnate Clint Murchison bought 350 acres in 1930 so that his three young sons could have a little room to run around. [13], Murchison ran into financial difficulties as a result of questionable investments and mismanagement and failing health[2] at a time when the real estate market was collapsing, at the same time as a sharp decrease in the price of oil and a rise in interest rates. I cant see how theyre only a 7-point favorite. Bright said Mr. Murchison once read an uncomplimentary news article about the Dallas Cowboys and himself. I thought you didnt like Landry and Schramm. Carter doesnt take his eyes off the screen, which is filled with oversized behinds, shaking like wet dogs. He also longed for a symbol of redemption a state-of-the-art stadium that could go a long way toward restoring a depressed downtown in the wake of President John F. Kennedys assassination on Elm Street in Dallas in 1963. After World War II, he earned a master's degree in mathematics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The home has seven bedrooms, seven bathrooms and two half-bathrooms and has been renovated, boasting plenty of natural light, classic details and even some of the original wallpaper. Except for one play and they called that one back. Murchison is also recognized as the father of the modern football stadium. Despite sporting radically different personalities, the two agreed to co-own the Cowboys via their partnership, with each owning half of the 90% of total ownership. Smith will get over 100 yards rushing, he says. In 1927 he founded a company that was to become the Southern Union Gas Company in Dallas. Please try again. Clint taught the sports world how stadiums could be so much more than where games are played. Murchison's laissez-faire attitude has been credited by many Cowboys fans as the driving force in the team's 20 consecutive winning seasons from 19661985 (including five Super Bowl appearances and including two Super Bowl championships). Don Meredith was quarterback, and Danny Reeves was the halfback to Perkins at fullback. Son of a Texas Wildcatter. And in the Murchison empire, Clint Sr. begat Clint Jr. Hes as remarkably like his father as he was remarkably unlike his brother, radio icon Gordon McLendon once said of his friend Clint Jr. His father we all referred to Clint Sr. as The Boss loved to go into businesses of every description. He believed his team would be good, even special, for years to come. [1][2] A son of Clint Murchison Sr., who made his first fortune in oil exploration and became notorious for exploiting the sale of "hot oil", Clint and his surviving brother inherited their father's wealth and business interests to which Clint Jr. added ventures of his own. They believed the people who borrowed money and invested it in land and other things that appreciate with inflation would win. Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app. [10], Incorporating a host of first-ever innovations, Murchison became known as the godfather of modern stadium construction. His mother died when he was two and he was mainly raised by an aunt. Clinton Williams "Clint" Murchison Sr. (April 11, 1895 - June 20, 1969) [1] was a noted Texas -based oil magnate and political operative. In 1966, when the still-young Dallas Cowboys franchise ended six years of agony with their first winning season, the team's owner and founder, Clint Murchison Jr., son of a billionaire oilman, was feeling ambitious. Murchison would call up J. Edgar Hoover and get the new number and the midnight chicken calls would begin again. Unable to strike a deal with city leaders to build a new stadium in downtown Dallas, Murchison selected a site in nearby Irving. MARY LEVY, HEAD COACH of the Buffalo Bills, will tell you that the greatest football player he ever coached was Don Perkins at New Mexico in the late 50s. dallashistory.org. See the article in its original context from. The sponsors quickly dropped out, the station threatened firing and Schramm threatened fines. You better have a story I havent heard or Im going to my room. The primary suite has two bathrooms (one complete with a coffee bar), and both are adorned with marble finishes. They were the first expansion team to challenge for the championship, and when they lost two years in a row they last dramatically and heroicallyBut haw glorious to lose, and how poignant to keep the conviction in the hearts of Cowboys fans that their team was the best, as inly time would tell. Next Years Champions, the Story of the Dallas Cowboys, by Steve Perkins, 1969 MY 16-YEAR-OLD SON, CARTER, HAS been a Cowboys fan for years. Jones may not have been aware of it when he bought the Cowboys, but to his credit, he was a quick study. The battle widened when Murchison bought the copyrights to Hail to the Redskins out from under Marshall and used the song as a bargaining chip to force Marshall to drop his opposition to Clints bid. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. After John Murchison's death in 1979, a legal dispute over his estate led to the sale of the Cowboys to H. R. Bright, a Dallas businessman, for $60 million in 1984. Publisher Jerry is a fellow risk-taker who made his money by becoming what feels to us like an oxymoron an Arkansas oilman. Both received highly favorable reviews, including this one about "THE MURCHISONS" - "If episodes of the TV show 'Dallas' were half as interesting as this real life Texas family, ratings would never be a problem.". [8], According to some conspiracy theorists, Murchison's home in Dallas hosted a meeting on the evening of November 21, 1963 (one day before the assassination of John F Kennedy). Carter glances sideways at me and frowns. I dont know anything at all about Smith and Everett. I could just picture all their agents arguing about fees and residuals with the guys from PepsiCo. DAD? In biblical terms, the story of the Cowboys financial empire is one of Clint begat Jerry. Clint Sr. was born in 1895 in Athens, a small hamlet in East Texas. She writes about luxury properties, food and lifestyle in Dallas. He liked to use what bankers called leverage use a small amount of capital and a large loan to gain control of a company with large assets. Youre in, then youre out. The suites were an immediate status sensation. Co-author Burk Murchison is named for the uncle who died. In 1985, Murchison designed, constructed and financed a 30-acre campus-style headquarters for the Dallas Cowboys called Valley Ranch located in Irving, Texas. Money is like manure, Clint Sr. once famously told his boys, echoing a line written by Thornton Wilder in his 1954 play, The Matchmaker, but adding his own special spin: If you spread it around, it does a lot of good. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. In a 1936 article, The News reported that the home cost $150,000 to build. They began doing business as the Murchison Brothers in the late 1940s from an office in Dallas, Texas. Not that it was much of a game. I have tried to convince myself that if the Cowboys make him happy, then I am happy, but really I still struggle with my own memories of the team and try to reconcile them with the Cowboys of today. Clint Murchison Sr. was among the richest of Texas oilmen, appearing on the cover of Time magazine in 1954 with an estimated net worth of more than $300 million. The result was the famous Texas Stadium hole in the roof.. The bonds were in denominations of $250. It wasnt even called the Super Bowl. This became a model for how other NFL teams would operate stadiums. He fought a rare nerve disease and died in 1987 at age 63. [4] Over the years the suites increased in value including one trading hands for a million dollars. Clint Jr.s success can be attributed largely to Schramm, a marketing genius; Landry, one of the games great coaches; and Gil Brandt, who, as director of scouting, revolutionized the way players are recruited by using newfangled technology computers long before computers were commonplace. A son of Clint Murchison, Sr. who made his first fortune in oil exploration and became notorious for exploiting the sale of "hot oil", Junior and his surviving brother inherited their father's wealth and business interests to which Clint Jr. added . They got Irvin but not Aikman. The Murchisons: The Rise and Fall of a Texas Dynasty - Goodreads He was also the father of Dallas Cowboys owner Clint Murchison Jr. [2] Personal [ edit] In February 1985, Mr. Murchison filed for bankruptcy protection in what lawyers believed was one of the nation's largest personal bankruptcy cases. He was also the father of Dallas Cowboys owner Clint Murchison, Jr.. $10 in advance, $15 at the door, $36 for admission and a copy of the book. But if you pile it up in one place, it stinks like hell., According to Fortune, Clint Sr. declares one of his best assets is a full knowledge of the use of credit. Television has convinced a whole generation that success in sports requires a professional career and a stack of product endorsements. Dealing with dilemmas is what a lifetime in sports teaches you. Clinton William Murchison, Sr. (1895 - 1969) - Genealogy - geni family tree John was more conservative than daring, more measured than maniacal. He was a wide receiver for the Cowboys, and then he wrote North Dallas Forty. Clint Murchi-son Jr. was there-he was already desperately ill. 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Trying to tear off his red Bobby Knight sweater to throw it on the floor, he got it caught around his neck, nearly strangling himself. Clinton Williams Murchison Jr. (September 12, 1923 - March 30, 1987) was a businessman and founder of the Dallas Cowboys football team. J. Edgar Hoover. [4], Murchison, with his MIT background, understood the potential of using computers in football. No spam, ever. Please try your request again later. And: 2. The Big Rich: The Rise and Fall of the Greatest Texas Oil Fortunes, The Wolfberry Chronicle: And Other Permian Basin Tales From The Henry Oil Company. We went 4 and 10, and it was the Cowboys last losing season for the next 20 years. And just as the beginning of the Cowboys epic saga must start with Clint Jr., so his story begins with his dad, Clint Sr. We, the authors, are Burk Murchison (one of Clint Jr.s four children) and Michael Granberry, who grew up in Dallas and who, like his co-author, began following the Cowboys from the moment they were founded in 1960. [1][2] A son of Clint Murchison Sr., who made his first fortune in oil exploration and became notorious for exploiting the sale of "hot oil", Clint and his surviving brother inherited their father's wealth and business interests to which Clint Jr. added ventures of his own. Even those who know a little, Fortune wrote, dont pretend to understand how Clint got mixed up in so much outlandish stuff, or how he keeps track of it all without going batty or broke. His wealth in 1953 was estimated at $300 million and growing. Author Jane Wolfe lived in Dallas for forty years before recently relocating to her hometown of Columbus, Ohio. The old days. Marshall would get his number changed and unlisted. He returned to Athens and worked in the bank until the outbreak of World War I, when he joined the Army. Theyll never die. : The station was not a financial success, and joined forces with the Caroline organization to become the southern station of Radio Caroline. All in a days work. And, one day, you wake up and realize you did what they told you. He made trades for draft choices and built a team thatll last for years, Carter says. Johnson also drafted Kevin Smith and traded for Thomas Everett at the defensive halfbacks. And not very bright. Carter has already heard this. Then Clint slowly lifted his cane and smilingly pointed at the front of Carters pullover shirt. MURCHISON: A FORTUNE LOST - The New York Times Burrough chronicles the rise and fall of Clint Murchison Jr., from his pinnacle as owner of the Dallas Cowboys to the collapse of his empire in bankruptcy. Trouble began after John's death in an auto accident in 1979, which forced the dissolution of his partnership with. Mr. The primary suite has its own wing, which amounts to more than 2,000 square feet. I joined the team for the 1964 season, coming to Dallas and the NFL out of Big Ten Basketball at Michigan State. The answer to the mystery revealed itself in what was then the highest-rated episode in television history, titled Who Done It?, luring an estimated 83 million viewers more than the number of voters in that years presidential election. Wolfe gives a colorful description of a quiet, unpretentious man whose financial acumen and brilliant use of leverage helped him build a multimillion-dollar conglomerate. Clint Murchison | Assassination of John F. Kennedy | Fandom Kennedy. After its patriarch passed away, the family empire prevailed under a partnership called Murchison Brothers. We document that story as well, showing you how, in the end, it comes back around to Clint. 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