Sports

World Series Trophy Stops in San Mateo

Thousands of Giants fans wait happily outside City Hall for a chance to have their photo taken with the 2010 World Series trophy.

It's like a party that no one wants to end.

Almost four months to the day after the San Francisco Giants won the 2010 World Series, fans are still giddy with pride and excitement. Only this time, their joy is in anticipation of an up-close-and-personal encounter with the emblem of the Giants' victory: the World Series trophy.

Thus, when the World Championship Trophy Tour made its offical stop at Monday between 3:30 and 5:30 p.m., many fans had to ask: What better way to spend a sunny Monday afternoon than to wait in a long-but-steadily-moving line outside San Mateo City Hall for a chance to have a photo taken with the trophy?

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Police officers, park rangers and other city employees, along with dozens of yellow-vested CERT volunteers, served as good-natured chaperones as crowds snaked along O'Farrell Street and into the adjacent parking lot -- everyone waiting their turn to enter the council chambers for an official photo-op.

San Mateo city employees were given an opportunity for a sneak peak of the trophy and a group photo prior to the public viewing. And Mayor Jack Matthews was thrilled to have the trophy viewing taking place in his council chamber.

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"We have 95,000 residents in San Mateo, and most of them are Giants fans," he said. Matthews estimated that about 500 people were lined up along O'Farrell Street 30 minutes before the doors opened.

On Monday, three members of the Rusch family -- Kimberly, Kristina and Michelle -- were among the first to view the trophy. All three are city employees, and daughter Kristina, who works as a park ranger, was on duty guarding the main doors to the council chamber. Although Kristina was in her official park ranger uniform, mom Kimberly and sister Michelle were proudly sporting their black and orange attire.

City human resources employee Gloria Rodriguez wiped away tears as she explained why a man had posed with the trophy holding a photo of a woman.

"He told me the photo was of his aunt who passed away last year. She was a diehard Giants fan and he said she would have loved this moment," Rodriguez explained.

San Mateo is one of dozens of stops on the World Champions Trophy Tour, which stretches from New York to Oregon during the lead-up to the 2011 season. The trophy will take a detour south later this week when it travels to Scottsdale, Ariz. to join the Giants during their spring training.


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