Petition to change Hempfield stadium name in honor of Terry Ranieri gaining traction

It took only 15 hours for over 3,500 people to sign a petition to have the name of Hempfield’s Spartan Stadium changed to honor a longtime Spartan football and band fan, inching just shy of the 5,000-signature goal.

Terry Ranieri, who would greet fans at games while watching the band warm up for the halftime show, has been long been popular in the community, spending Fridays at football games and Saturdays at Westmoreland Mall.

“He is a staple,” said Bryan Snyder, who started the petition. “He is the man … It’s the best day of his life every day.”

Snyder said he wanted a way to honor Ranieri, and he thought there was no better place than where kids ride past in a school bus each day or walk in with friends for Friday night football games.

Talking with a friend Monday night about Ranieri, Snyder decided to take to Change.org to start the petition that is gaining signatures by the minute. He said it started to gain traction after he posted it to his Facebook page.

“It’s as simple as an impulsive idea that just took off,” he said, marveling at the 200 signatures he was receiving every 15 minutes.

Comments on the petition consist of people reminiscing about seeing Ranieri at the stadium, his famous “Terryisms” — such as “jammin’ like Route 30” and “cool like whip” — and those showing their support for someone who has been a staple in the community for years.

For Snyder, Ranieri has had an impact on his life since they would sit together at Westmoreland Mall and spend time eating lunch with Snyder’s family.

“The way that he just goes through his life, man, I wish I could go through life like that,” Snyder said. “I would be a much better person for it.”

Ranieri was honored Tuesday afternoon by about 100 Hempfield Area marching band members who performed songs including “Crazy Train,” “Sweet Caroline” and the high school fight song outside his Beacon Valley Road home.