The wait was so worth it.
After more than a half-century of pent-up frustration, long-suffering Giants fans let it out in a big way: weeping, cheering and dancing in Bay Area streets after the team clinched its first World Series championship more than 1,700 miles away.
New Era San Francisco Giants Pinch Hitter Wool Replica Adjustable Cap (Black)
But nowhere was the jubilation greater than in San Francisco. There, thousands of orange-and-black-clad fans watched on a giant screen at the city's Civic Center Plaza, where a bright orange tint bathed City Hall.
When the final strikeout came, the crowd -- already unhinged after a seventh-inning rally topped by Edgar Renteria's three-run home run -- went wild and held a colossal roar for more than 10 minutes.
Gleeful, screaming masses flooded the South of Market district around AT&T Park, halting Muni rail cars in their tracks, clogging streets, spraying Champagne and beer, and taking off their clothes. Officers surrounded the statue of Willie Mays at the ballpark's main entrance to keep fans from clambering up its twisted bronze.
San Francisco police reported no early violence -- only loudness and bare breasts -- and let the party go on.
Painted like a Halloween ghost, Alex Maricic, 19, of San Francisco, made a break for the statue after the last pitch, then reversed course at the sight of police and plunged into a crowd.
"This is the end of the torture! We've excised all ghosts of the Giants' past," the Menlo College student shouted.
Scores
of orange bottle rockets launched from a news van, while sisters Eileen and Maureen McCrystle ran into the street from a nearby condominium, dripping Champagne and tears.
"I'm so happy I can't believe it," Eileen said, bawling.
As the eighth inning gave way to the ninth, workers at AT&T park lit gas-fired generators and security guards hauled out boxes of championship hats and pins -- preparing to sell from a merchandise trailer within seconds of the championship.
"I waited 17 years for this, from the time I was 6 years old and my dad took me to my first game," said a breathless Stanley Chow of Oakland, holding an "It's destiny" sign.
Atop a bus, El Cerrito High School graduate Ashkon Davaran led a crowd in his Giants version of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'," which went viral on the Web during the team's playoff run. His father, Ardavan Davaran, was a "huge" Giants fan before his death last year, Davaran said.
"I've been feeling his presence the whole time," he said. "For this to happen right in the wake of that is something pretty special."
The celebration spread into the suburbs, where revelers sang in unison with "Don't Stop Believin' " inside McCovey's Restaurant in Walnut Creek, then launched into a "Let's go Giants!" chant in the ninth. The final pitch unleashed car horns throughout downtown.
San Francisco Giants Black on Black 59FIFTY Fitted Cap (7 3/8)
In San Leandro, Renteria's seventh-inning blast eased palpable tension at Ricky's Sports Theatre, where an eruption accompanied the final strike in a dream season. Orange pompoms shook. High-fives slapped. Jägermeister went down. Mostly, though, fans whipped out their cell phones to take pictures of the 87 TV screens in the bar and thumb text messages to friends.
In downtown San Jose, crowds streamed out of bars, cars honked and people hugged, high-fived and hollered.
"I feel great," said Mary Palac, 24, who immediately got on Facebook while celebrating at the Loft Bar & Bistro to make plans with friends to attend Wednesday's parade in San Francisco.
Tommy Wilson bought a round of tequila shots for bar patrons. "It's unbelievable," he said.
At his South San Jose home, long-suffering fan Jose Montes De Oca jumped up and down with joy. Outside, neighbors opened doors and clanged pots and pans in jubilation.
"I was 16 months old when they clinched in 1954 when they were in New York. I never thought I would see this in my lifetime," said a teary-eyed Montes De Oca. "I'm speechless we're going to a parade in a few days."
Bay Area News Group staff writers Joe Rodriguez, Thomas Peele, Kristen Bender and Roman Gokhman contributed to this story.
This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.phpAfter more than a half-century of pent-up frustration, long-suffering Giants fans let it out in a big way: weeping, cheering and dancing in Bay Area streets after the team clinched its first World Series championship more than 1,700 miles away.
New Era San Francisco Giants Pinch Hitter Wool Replica Adjustable Cap (Black)
But nowhere was the jubilation greater than in San Francisco. There, thousands of orange-and-black-clad fans watched on a giant screen at the city's Civic Center Plaza, where a bright orange tint bathed City Hall.
When the final strikeout came, the crowd -- already unhinged after a seventh-inning rally topped by Edgar Renteria's three-run home run -- went wild and held a colossal roar for more than 10 minutes.
Gleeful, screaming masses flooded the South of Market district around AT&T Park, halting Muni rail cars in their tracks, clogging streets, spraying Champagne and beer, and taking off their clothes. Officers surrounded the statue of Willie Mays at the ballpark's main entrance to keep fans from clambering up its twisted bronze.
San Francisco police reported no early violence -- only loudness and bare breasts -- and let the party go on.
Painted like a Halloween ghost, Alex Maricic, 19, of San Francisco, made a break for the statue after the last pitch, then reversed course at the sight of police and plunged into a crowd.
"This is the end of the torture! We've excised all ghosts of the Giants' past," the Menlo College student shouted.
Scores
of orange bottle rockets launched from a news van, while sisters Eileen and Maureen McCrystle ran into the street from a nearby condominium, dripping Champagne and tears.
"I'm so happy I can't believe it," Eileen said, bawling.
As the eighth inning gave way to the ninth, workers at AT&T park lit gas-fired generators and security guards hauled out boxes of championship hats and pins -- preparing to sell from a merchandise trailer within seconds of the championship.
"I waited 17 years for this, from the time I was 6 years old and my dad took me to my first game," said a breathless Stanley Chow of Oakland, holding an "It's destiny" sign.
Atop a bus, El Cerrito High School graduate Ashkon Davaran led a crowd in his Giants version of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'," which went viral on the Web during the team's playoff run. His father, Ardavan Davaran, was a "huge" Giants fan before his death last year, Davaran said.
"I've been feeling his presence the whole time," he said. "For this to happen right in the wake of that is something pretty special."
The celebration spread into the suburbs, where revelers sang in unison with "Don't Stop Believin' " inside McCovey's Restaurant in Walnut Creek, then launched into a "Let's go Giants!" chant in the ninth. The final pitch unleashed car horns throughout downtown.
San Francisco Giants Black on Black 59FIFTY Fitted Cap (7 3/8)
In San Leandro, Renteria's seventh-inning blast eased palpable tension at Ricky's Sports Theatre, where an eruption accompanied the final strike in a dream season. Orange pompoms shook. High-fives slapped. Jägermeister went down. Mostly, though, fans whipped out their cell phones to take pictures of the 87 TV screens in the bar and thumb text messages to friends.
In downtown San Jose, crowds streamed out of bars, cars honked and people hugged, high-fived and hollered.
"I feel great," said Mary Palac, 24, who immediately got on Facebook while celebrating at the Loft Bar & Bistro to make plans with friends to attend Wednesday's parade in San Francisco.
Tommy Wilson bought a round of tequila shots for bar patrons. "It's unbelievable," he said.
At his South San Jose home, long-suffering fan Jose Montes De Oca jumped up and down with joy. Outside, neighbors opened doors and clanged pots and pans in jubilation.
"I was 16 months old when they clinched in 1954 when they were in New York. I never thought I would see this in my lifetime," said a teary-eyed Montes De Oca. "I'm speechless we're going to a parade in a few days."
Bay Area News Group staff writers Joe Rodriguez, Thomas Peele, Kristen Bender and Roman Gokhman contributed to this story.
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Source: "World Series Score" via Glen in Google Reader
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