Peppy Blount

Ralph Eugene "Peppy" Blount (October 19, 1924 – June 22, 2010) was an American collegiate football end and official; member of the Texas house of representatives; former World War II pilot of a B-25J and author of several books about life, war and football.

Early life Blount was born in Ferris, Texas and moved with his family to Big Spring, Texas when he was five years old.

In 1946, he was elected to the state legislature and as a result lost eligibility for his scholarship, but Coach Bible allowed Blount to continue to live in the athletic dorm and maintained his dining room privileges at no charge. The G.I. bill paid for Blount’s tuition and books.

He never played professional football, but became an on-field official, and was a line judge in the American Football League in 1966 and 1967.

Later life Blount started his career in politics. He first ran for and won office in 1946 unseating the incumbent, Cecil H. Barnes of San Angelo. During his time in office he sponsored the legislation creating the Colorado River Municipal Water District in Howard County. He served in the legislature even while he was a student and football player. He served until September 1951 when he resigned to go into the oil business in Tyler, Texas. In 1956 he announced a run for the state Senate but switched to run for Congress when Brady P. Gentry decided not to run. He lost the race to Lindley Beckworth. In 1962 he was elected Gregg County Judge on a write-in ballot, the highest elective office ever achieved in the State of Texas by a write-in ballot on voting machines.

He was a practicing attorney in Longview, Texas from 1956 till his retirement in February 2010 and was honored by the State Bar of Texas for his more than 50 years as an attorney. He was active in and a leader of several community organizations including the Masons and the Boy Scouts.