11 May Mike Brown–Grand Marshall, Superfan

Mike Brown, senior pastor of Franklin UB church (New Albany, Ohio), has been named Grand Marshall of the 2010 New Albany Founders Day celebration, which starts with a parade on Saturday, May 15. He was nominated multiple times.

Mike has pastored Franklin UB since 1989, and is well-known in the community. He is the current president of the New Albany Ministerial Association, and a member of the New Albany Business Association and the Chamber of Commerce. He also coached both boys and girls soccer at the New Albany Middle School for 16 years (1989-2005).

Mike is also known as “Superfan,” a fixture at local sporting events. He did that for ten years, 1999-2009.

It started with a dare. If his youth brought 100 students to “Fifth Quarter” activities at the church after a high school football game, he would dress in a fan costume for the next game. They did, and he did. And it turned into a regular gig, showing up at games wearing a New Albany football jersey, a maroon and gold cape, and a gold wig.

Superfan’s signature moves were holding up handcrafted signs with funny and sometimes controversial messages. He also threw gum into the crowd. Visitors didn’t always appreciate Superfan. At a home game in 2007, visitors threw gum back at him. At a playoff game in 2004, an opposing fan shoved Superfan and followed him back to the New Albany sideline; Mike had to get a policeman involved.

For the role, he adopted an alter ego, and tried to keep his true identity a secret–though he did preach once as Superfan.

He retired Superfan on October 23, 2009, the year’s last home football game (which they won, 42-21).

“I had two herniated disks,” Brown explained. “I just can’t jump the two or three steps without it hurting. If I can’t do it at 100 percent, then I don’t want to do it.”

He also suffered bouts of heart arrhythmia. Two days after participating as Superfan in a July 4 parade, doctors had to shock his heart back into normal pace.

“I hoped it would be fun that one time, and it became more fun than I ever dreamed of,” Mike said upon retiring Superfan in 2009.

And now, he’s grand marshal.

“Honestly, my first reaction was shock,” Brown said. “It was really hard to believe. In all my years here, it is no doubt my biggest surprise….For years, I was not able to attend the parade due to middle school soccer tournaments on Founders Day. I guess this year I won’t miss the parade.”