KCOSY,
Its something people say at A&M University, here is the story.
Gig'em, Aggies!"—a phrase known by Aggies everywhere, dates back to the time when Texas A&M was an all-male military school. Usually accompanied with a "thumbs up" hand signal (or just on it’s own), "gig’em" has been part of Aggie jargon for decades. Several different stories exist explaining the true origin of "gig’em." Here are a few of our favorites (and probably the most credible!):
Back in ol' army days at Texas A&M, minor demerits given by sophomores to derelict fish during uniform inspections were called "gigs." Apparently there was one sophomore who was notorious for going overboard while inspecting the fish, giving an excessive number of gigs. His sophomore buddies would get a kick out of watching him reprimand the fish and would say, "Yeah, gig 'em Pinky!" (this Aggie's nickname). It stuck from there.
Another legend tells that "gig'em" originated from the old Southwest Conference days when the Ags played the TCU Horned Frogs. At Yell Practice before the 1930 A&M/TCU game when the Horned Frogs were a nationally ranked football team, Pinky Downs ’06, who was then a member of the Board of Regents, shouted out, "What are we going to do to those Horned Frogs? Gig’em, Aggies!" (a frog-hunting term). For greater effect, Pinky gave the first "gig’em sign" (a fist with his thumb extending straight up). This, by the way, was the first use of a hand sign by a Southwest Conference team.
A different story relating to the "thumbs up" hand signal originates back to the days when burr-headed Aggie cadets frequently attempted to hitch a ride up Highway 6 back to College Station on Sunday afternoons or after vacations.
Either way, it’s no surprise that the Aggie use of hand signals as a way of showing spirit has a storied past and rich history behind it.
Gig'em!
Dan