By Ben Dickison, Back Page Editor 

“I asked if I could come back the next week, and basically I’ve been coming back ever since,” recalls Ron Lewis, Xavier class of ‘85. 

When Lewis returned to his alma mater, Cincinnati-area La Salle High School, in 2007 to play trombone in an alumni band for the school’s homecoming football game, he was presented with the opportunity to play at a Xavier basketball game over the upcoming Thanksgiving break.

Since then, he’s been one half of the trombone duo for men’s basketball games and the solo trombonist for women’s basketball games in Cintas Center.

Lewis started playing trombone at the age of three. He has used the same shiny brass since 1977 when he joined the band as a freshman at LaSalle in the Monfort Heights neighborhood of Cincinnati. 

“I tell the other band members that this thing is twice as old as them,” Lewis said while showcasing the mint condition of the instrument.

Lewis graduated from Xavier in 1985 with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics. Before he joined the Pep Band, he met his now-wife, who sat behind him in their numerical computation class. She had come from Colombia and was pursuing a computer science degree. 

Lewis, seeing the vision of a budding romance, decided to serve in a leadership role for the International Student Society from 1981 until his graduation. 

Lewis looks back with glee on his time immersing in the music, art and language of students from a variety of cultures at Xavier. 

“It was called the International Student Society, not the ‘Foreign Student Society,’” Lewis joked.

“When you’re in band, it’s about building camaraderie, learning new music and working as a team. But, boy, do I have fun doing it,” Lewis said. 

He recalled boarding a bus with his trombone to make it to each game at Cincinnati Gardens in Bond Hill, which was the home of Xavier basketball before Cintas Center opened in 2001. In many ways, these bus rides were where Lewis found himself building the most long lasting connections in his life.

Lewis also facilitates a harmony of teamwork, responsibility and skill development as Cub Master for the Cub Scout Pack 909 at his home parish, Lady of Victory Church in Delhi. His sense of responsibility has been noted by his Scouts, band members, coworkers and fellow parishioners alike. 

“The only thing I’ll ever miss a game for is a Cub Scout event,” Lewis said. 

And he means it. Lewis hustled to the women’s basketball game against Villanova from a parish retreat, where he sat down with me between songs. When it came time to play, Lewis sprung out of his seat, sauntered over to the band and perfectly integrated his trombone into the symphony without taking a single glance at the sheet music.

Fans can see Lewis donning his signature silver and navy headband at each game, contorting his hands to symbolize the number of a Musketeer shooting free throws or waving a towel to distract an opponent.

“My favorite tradition is when we hold up the players’ numbers while doing their free throws. Usually I’m holding a trombone in my left hand, so I love when we have anybody wearing number zero through five shooting free throws,” said Lewis. 

Even if his hands are occupied, Lewis makes sure to create vocal hostility for opponents; he is known for starting defense chants and proudly encouraging the home team with a thunderous “Go Muskies!”