Pep Rally

It was the day before the game with Texas Tech, and 1,800 University of Houston students were gathered for a pep rally. After the usual locomotives and siss-boom-bahs, a speaker took the floor --the grey-thatched chairman of the board of regents, 72-year-old Houston Oil Tycoon Hugh Roy Cullen. A onetime $3-a-week candy salesman who wildcatted his way to one of Texas' biggest fortunes, Cullen never went to college, but he takes great pride in his adopted university. The week before, Houston had defeated Baylor 37-7, and Cullen was still aglow with the triumph. "The great spirit and determination of the Cougars," he said, "prompts me to do something for our great university . . ." The something, he explained, was a gift of a cool $2,250,000.

The crowd stamped and cheered. Roy Cullen, who has already given $25 million to Houston U., turned away and dabbed at his eyes with a handkerchief. Then he faced the students and said: "I love you."

Next day Cullen was on hand to see the Cougars play again--and get beaten. The score: Texas Tech 41, Houston 21.

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