Longhorns Legend Bill Little Passes Away at 81

“We lost a great man with a huge heart,” former Texas Longhorns coach Mack Brown said on the passing of Bill Little.

AUSTIN, Texas -- Prominent Texas Longhorns Athletics figure Bill Little passed away in Austin on Friday, per a release. He was 81.

A member of the Longhorn Hall of Honor Class of 1993, Little was a major face in Texas athletics for over 50 years. He took on numerous roles during his time on the Forty Acres, starting as assistant Sports Information Director under the legendary Jones Ramsey, then as SID before moving to Special Assistant to the Athletics Director. After that, he worked as Assistant AD for External Communications, then head of communications for former Texas coach Mack Brown.

“We lost a great man with a huge heart,” Brown said in the release. “Bill loved Texas, he poured his heart into the coaches and staff, and took such joy in working with the players. He was an icon in his business, a Longhorn Legend, and a wonderful man who is beloved by so many.

Little worked 37 bowl games, served as a publicist for three football national championship teams (1969, 1970, 2005), and worked a whopping 1,700 baseball games along with 25 different College World Series in Omaha.

"He did it with charm, grace, and a heartwarming grin," Brown said. "There’s no one like him. Sally and I were so blessed to have him in our lives and will miss him dearly. But the legacy of Bill Little, the many wonderful stories and the impact he had on so many will live on. We send our love, sympathy and deepest condolences to (his wife) Kim, his family, and many friends.”

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