Right before kick-off at Longhorn Football games, UT has many spectacles for fans to watch and bring out the spirit that Texas Football deserves. Watching in DKR is an experience unlike any other. It is truly the highlight of the fall semester. As the band makes their way down south of the field, fans in the stadium will notice some people dressed in white button-ups, blue jeans, and a few with cowboy hats running the world’s largest Texas flag. I’m lucky enough to be one of them. The service is done by UT’s Alpha Rho chapter of Alpha Phi Omega, a co-ed service fraternity that has been a big highlight of my time here so far.
Now, a pretty short history lesson of this tradition in order. Running flag is what APO is most known for since 1962. The first flag came from when Texas Governor Price Daniel was presented with a Texas flag by the Mississippi Governor at the 1962 Cotton Bowl game between UT and Ole Miss (which we won). The Governor passed it down to the Longhorn Band, who gave it to the university, and the flag found its way into the hands of some APO members who happened to stumble upon it. Wanting to have the flag involved at a football game, APO was asked to run it at the 1962 Thanksgiving game versus A&M (which we also won). The flag was much smaller then, measuring about 51 ft by 90ft. Our most recent and biggest Texas flag was made in 2007, and the chapter has been running it ever since.
There is actually a lot of planning that goes into flag runs. Every semester, two flag coordinators are chosen to be responsible for planning out flag runs, tricks, practices, and all events related to our flag. Especially with practicing tricks, where up to 30 to 50 people are needed, everyone has an active role to make sure everything goes well. As hard as some tricks may be, every practice and every game is so much fun. The collective effort from everyone makes it so enjoyable, and it’s an incredible feeling to be on the field. It’s a rush of adrenaline, happiness, and spirit that I will always remember.
If you told me before I came to UT that I would be in a frat, I would think you were crazy. Now, I’m so grateful that I get to be a part of this incredible tradition in the city and university that I hold so dear. Look out for the Texas flag next home game and love Texas football!