Ramsey Team Honors '#1 Rams Fan'

Larry Pagano may be the most well-known sports fan in Ramsey. He attends most every Rams game, and can often be found in the stands, cheering his team on.

“You know when Larry is at a game,” Rams Senior Varsity Basketball Captain Nick Schifano said. “We’re fortunate that he’s been to every one of our games, because when you’re out there playing, you definitely hear Larry in the crowd cheering for you.”

The team says Pagano’s support can really be a game-saver.

“Hearing him can really give you an energy boost,” junior Griffin Robblee said. “It doesn’t matter if we’re up or down, he’s there cheering us on.”

According to the basketball team, a lot of locals know Larry. He’s been a friendly employee at the borough’s Shop Rite for over a decade, and can often be found at the Ramsey municipal pool.

“He’s really a staple in our community,” Schifano said.

So, at the team’s last regular season game on Tuesday, it decided to thank Pagano for it. During Senior Night at halftime, the basketball players called Larry down to the court, and presented him with a Rams jersey of his own – complete with patches for his favorite Ramsey sports, basketball, baseball and football.

Aladen Jackets in Pompton Lakes donated the custom jacket for Pagano.

Schifano and his family orchestrated the surprise event, inviting his friends and family, promoting the event to students at Ramsey High School to get a big crowd at the game to support Ramsey’s biggest supporter, and doing it all without letting Pagano know.

When they called him down Tuesday, organizers say Pagano did not see it coming.

“He was floored,” Donna Schifano, Nick’s mom, said. “He was just so surprised and grateful. It was wonderful.”

And, the event turned the tables on the often-cheering superfan. In the attached videos of the event, the crowd can be heard chanting ‘We Love Larry.’

According to the Villadom Times, Pagano is not just a supporter. He’s an athlete, too. Pagano is a competitive bowler, and even received a gold medal for bowling in the Special Olympics, the report said.

“He is just a special guy that loves his Rams,” Nick Schifano said. “And that shouldn’t go unnoticed. He definitely [deserved] the night of recognition.”

Submit your questions or news tips to jessica.mazzola@patch.com. And, remember to sign up for Ramsey Patch's daily newsletter, and get updates on Facebook and Twitter.