Written by: Lillian Morris with Ashley Gonzalez & Hector Landin
Harriet Phillip Williams sits on her living room couch, wearing a pink cancer awareness Javelina shirt. Her house is filled with Javelina type items and gifts; including a hog head named Gertrude that hangs up on her wall. Looking around her house and speaking to her grandson, it’s no surprise that people refer to her as a super fan of football. She’s known by most people as “Momma Hog;” a nickname given to her years ago by Fred Neusch.
“It’s the highest honor I can think of,” she says.
Since the 1969 season, Momma Hog has only ever missed one Javelina game, which was when her granddaughter was born. Her love of football started at a young age. When she was in the fifth grade, she decided to join the pep squad, and would participate in all of the powder puff games as well.
“I just fell in love with [football],” she says.
Momma Hog has also shared her love of Javelina football with her family. Her children and grandchildren have been a part of Porky’s Pack throughout the years, and they attend Javelina football games every week.
“It’s probably the biggest thing in her life, besides family,” her grandson Ryan Smith says. “Without that, who knows where she’d be.”
The football stadium is also an important place for her. Sometimes she likes to park outside of it and sit in her car for a few moments, in silence. It’s her happy place when she needs to clear her head or be alone with her thoughts.
Momma Hog is still collecting Javelina memorabilia for her already huge collection and continues to attend every game. Her support and love for them is unwavering, unconditional and never ending.
“I love when I see my team run out. The band comes in…It’s just wonderful,” she says, as the tears form in her eyes and her voice breaks with emotion.
“And from there it just gets better.”