HUDSON – Dozens of black jerseys file through the home stands at Thompson Field on a cold, rainy October night. Hundreds of cleats clatter against the metal bleachers below, adding to the pounding drums of AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck.”
As players breach the open gate leading to the field, they extend their arms to reach a banner hanging overhead. A brisk wind ripples the vinyl above, but one word printed in block letters remains legible — “TRADITION”
One of Hudson’s oldest traditions is about to take place. Everyone in the stadium knows what happens next. Rudy Ramos, age 77, raises his flag into the air, ready to lead the Tigers into battle, as he’s done for more than 30 years.
A new face in Hudson
It started with a simple request.
In 1989, Ramos accepted a job with an insurance company that relocated him from his hometown of Marshall, Michigan to nearby Hudson. He knew about the small city on the outskirts of Lenawee County; after all, almost every sports fan in the state who was alive during the 1970s did.
Hudson’s record-setting 72-game winning streak made the town a household name among high school football fans. In 1977, writer John Behee and legendary Tigers head coach Tom Saylor authored a book detailing the streak titled “Wave the Flag for Hudson High.”
When Ramos arrived in Hudson, his son Taylor became enamored with the football team’s legacy and tradition.
“He came to Hudson, and Hudson’s big on football,” current Hudson head coach Dan Rogers — who also happens to be Ramos’ son-in-law — said. “Taylor was young and playing youth football, so I think [Rudy] just wanted to be a part of it.”
Ramos asked Tim Baechler, the head coach at the time, if he could wave a flag on the sidelines to fire up the crowd during the game. Baechler accepted his proposal.
In 1995, the tradition was born. He led the team onto the field before every game at Thompson Field that year. After every touchdown, he’d hoist the flag into the air and dash in front of the home stands.
At the time, Taylor was just starting middle school, but he aspired to play for the Tigers when he grew up. Ramos figured he would continue with his gameday responsibilities so that he could be on the sidelines when his son was old enough to play. In 1998, that vision came to fruition.
Taylor didn’t just make the roster; he went on to become one of the greatest players to ever put on a Tiger uniform. He set the program’s single-season rushing record during his senior year and, to this day, he stands as Hudson’s all-time leading rusher.
Through it all, his father was right on the sideline, waving the flag for Hudson High.
Retirement can wait
When Taylor graduated in 2002, Ramos set the flag aside for a year. He wanted to support his son, who attended Delaware Valley University in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, to play college football. But Ramos couldn’t resist his duties as Hudson’s designated hype man and returned soon after.
Five years passed, then 10, then 20. Hudson posted undefeated seasons, earned conference titles and celebrated state championships. The only thing more consistent than the Tigers’ success on the gridiron was Ramos and his flag.
It wasn’t without some persuasion, albeit only the slightest amount.
“Each year, after I’ve told them I’m not gonna run, I always have a couple players come up to me and say, ‘Hey, Mr. Ramos, would you run one more year for our team?’ I can never say no to ‘em,” he said.
The spry-legged 77-year-old has become a part of the very Hudson football culture that drew him to wave the flag more than three decades ago.
“Kids, grandparents, everyone, they look forward to it,” Bill Mullaly, longtime writer for the Hudson Post-Gazette, said. “They’ll say, ‘There goes Rudy!’ It’s just part of the tradition.”
In 2019, Ramos was honored during a game with a new flag purchased by the school’s boosters. He was inducted into Hudson’s Hall of Fame in 2022. He has retired — on multiple occasions — and received fitting farewells, only to be right back, leading the Tigers onto the field for their home opener the following year.
“I give him a hard time because I think we’ve had a couple retirements for him and his flag already,” Rogers said. “Every time we think he’s gonna be done. All it takes is to be at the local restaurant and some of the kids or parents will say, ‘we look forward to watching you run the flag.’ He’s gonna have more retirement parties than anybody I know.”
More than the flag
In a community as tight-knit as Hudson, Ramos is routinely stopped around town and asked if he’ll be at the next game. The answer, of course, is always yes. Locals will occasionally inquire how he still has the energy to run back and forth for a full game.
“People say, ‘Don’t you get tired?’ I tell them, ‘Yeah, but I pop a few Ibuprofens at the end of the night to try and keep going when the muscles get a little bit tight,’” Ramos said.
For all the wear and tear, the reception he gets on Friday nights makes it worthwhile. Chants of “Rudy, Rudy, Rudy!” echo through the stands, evoking the 1993 football film of the same name.
“Notre Dame has their Rudy and so does Hudson,” Mullaly said.
“It’s definitely a high for me,” Ramos said. “They’re standing, they’re calling my name. It’s just a phenomenal thing for me. I’m really blessed to be able to be a part of that.”
But the truth is, for Ramos, it’s always meant more than just the flag. He visits practice every week — he’s done so for more than 30 years.
“Every day in practice, for the first hour or so, there’s Rudy hangin’ out,” Rogers said. “He’s always been part of it.”
“I don’t do anything but get into the stands so the kids see me come and sit through their practice,” Ramos said. “It’s about seeing these kids and showing them that someone cares about them. I know it means something. And that’s something I’m very proud of.”
Finding the time to be there isn’t always easy. He credits his wife, Renee, for supporting him through the years.
“I’ve got to thank my wife for being so understanding after all these years,” Ramos said. “For allowing me to go to each of the practices and be there for every Friday game … It takes a commitment, but she’s done a great job supporting me.”
But for both, it’s all worth it. And when Friday night arrives, the familiar scene plays out once more.
Some of the athletes Ramos once led onto the field have since returned to watch him lead their own children. The faces have changed, but the tradition remains.
The last of the black jerseys spill onto the field, cleats clattering against the metal bleachers before finding the muddy grass below. Beneath the glow of the stadium lights, Ramos raises his flag.
There will come a day when Ramos hangs up his flag — and stays retired for good. But that day hasn't arrived yet. For now, he's right where he belongs, leading the Tigers onto the gridiron as he’s done for more than 30 years.
Contact sports editor Quinn Richards at QRichards@usatodayco.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @Quinn_Richa.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Meet Rudy Ramos, the 77-year-old who has waved Hudson football’s flag for 30 years