Dick Watt

August 22, 1947 – February 18, 2020

Record-holder (Dick Watt) and 1964 teammates to be honored before homecoming football game – by Toni Garrard September 25, 2014

1964 Athens Hornets – District Champs – Only team to beat state champ Palestine

Records are meant to be broken, but some of them are highly resistant to doing so.

In 1964, Dick Watt finished his three-season football career with the Athens Hornets in possession of a number of milestones. Watt was both a running back and defensive back, playing both ways, as was typical of the time. By the end of the ’64 season, he held the record for career total touchdowns, which was previously held by quarterback Duke Carlisle.

Carlisle, after whom the Hornets field house was named in 2008, went on to lead the University of Texas Longhorns to a national championship.

In high school Watt also set the record for most interceptions in a season (10), career interceptions (20), and for career rushing yards (2,671).

“I’m amazed that the record still stands,” said Watt, a prominent Houston attorney. “Fifty years is long enough. I would love to personally congratulate the young man who does it and wish him well.”

Watt remembers his years playing on the team with great affection.

“When our group came in in 1962, there were seven of us who started as sophomores. It was our goal to restore Athens to where it should be,” said Watt. “We accomplished that by winning the district championship in 1964.”

Article was edited for this publication.

Dick’s exploits as a high school football player earned him a full scholarship to Texas. While Dick broke no records as a football player at Texas, he was an integral part of a team that fought its way back from two 6-4 seasons to start the 30 game win streak that led to two national championships in 1968.

He was part of the defense that included”

Defense DT 71 Leo Brooks Jr; ROV 86 Mike Campbell Jr; CB 84 Tom Campbell Jr; DB 41 Dick Watt Sr OLB 80 Bill Zapalac So and others.

Dick graduated from the University of Texas School of Law in 1972. He chose to enter the field of general civil litigation, oil and gas law, and oil and gas litigation.In oil and gas, he represented all phases of the upstream and mid-stream exploration, development, and production sector. 

• From 2004-2019 he was recognized as a Super Lawyer. This selection is based on an evaluation of 12 indicators, including peer recognition and professional achievement in legal practice.

• He was a mediator, author, and representative of both small and large Energy-related companies receiving honors such as:

• Recipient of the 2014 Ernest E. Smith Lifetime Achievement Award by the Texas Journal of Oil, Gas and Energy Law of the University of Texas School of Law

• Former Co-Chair, Texas Oil, Gas & Energy Resources Law Section Pattern Jury Charge Project, and currently a member of State Bar of Texas Oil & Gas Pattern Jury Charge Committee

• The Best Lawyers in America, selected by peers as one of Texas Best Lawyers in Natural Resources Law and Oil & Gas Law, as published by U.S. News and World Report, 2008-2019

• The Best Lawyers in America, voted “Houston Natural Resources Lawyer of the Year,” as published by U.S. News and World Report, 2010

• Chair of the State Bar of Texas Oil, Gas and Energy Resources Law Section for 2007-2008

• Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Rating – The Highest Possible Rating from Martindale-Hubbell 1983-2019

https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/houston-tx/richard-watt-9044038

OBITUARY

Richard Dennis Watt

Richard Dennis Watt was born in Tyler, Texas, on the 22nd of August 1947 and passed away in Houston on Tuesday, the 18th of February 2020. He was 72 years of age.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with his family from five o’clock in the afternoon until seven o’clock in the evening on Monday, the 24th of February, in the Grand Foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

A memorial service is to be conducted at three o’clock in the afternoon on Tuesday, the 25th of February, at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, 717 Sage Road in Houston.

Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family during a reception at a venue to be announced during the service.

A more detailed and specific obituary is to be published in this weekend’s Sunday edition of the Houston Chronicle and will be included here in his memorial tribute. In the interim, you may opt to receive updates by clicking on :

https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/houston-tx/richard-watt-9044038

Comments

We lost a great Longhorn football player and person when Dick Watt passed away on February 18, 2020. Please click on the link below for details of his visitation on Monday, February 24, and his funeral on Tuesday, February 25. May God be with Dick, his family, and loved ones. Benny Pace

Thanks for sending the piece on Dick, Billy.  So sad.  One of the nicest guys I’ve ever known.  He was a customer of ours and we were customers of his.  I will miss seeing his genuine sweet smile.—Barbara Wainscott