San Francisco Celebrates Giants Trip To World Series
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS / AP / BCN) - Even though the San Francisco Giants clinched their first World Series berth since 2002 on the road in Philadelphia on Saturday evening, much of the city of San Francisco erupted in cheers while watching on TV as the Giants defeated the Phillies to win the National League pennant.
Steady rain and gusty winds did not dampen the spirits of thousands of Giants fans as they streamed out of bars and restaurants to fill the streets outside of AT&T Park and elsewhere in the city.
Fans, many dressed in the team's colors of orange black, blocked traffic, while cheering and waving in celebration.
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"People are walking around screaming about the Giants," said Joel Karpiak, a University of California at San Francisco Ph.D. student who lives in the area near the ballpark. "The street outside my window is like a parade of cars honking."
Vendors stood shouting on some city street corners and at news stands, hawking a special extra edition of The San Francisco Chronicle hot off the presses that proclaimed in a huge headline, "To The Series."
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"Tonight, San Francisco is overflowing with Giants pride as this amazing team continues the quest to bring the first-ever World Championship home to San Francisco," Mayor Gavin Newsom said. "Against the odds and the expert predictions, the Giants have captured the National League pennant."
The mayor said a Giants flag would remain over City Hall, which will be lit orange along with Coit Tower, the War Memorial Opera House, and the Treasure Island Administration Building in honor of the team's victory.
"As the nation turns its attention to San Francisco and to the World Series next week, the entire city is behind the orange and black," Newsom said.
Yelling and whistling erupted throughout the final NLCS game inside MoMo's, across from AT&T Park, including a thunderous roar after Juan Uribe's solo home run in the eight inning put the Giants ahead for good.
"It's great, we're going back to the Series," Gabriel Gaca said inside MoMo's. "I've been waiting for this for eight years."
The 38-year-old San Francisco resident, who celebrated by showering the crowd with champagne, said he had been a fan since he was 10.
Strangers in the standing room only crowd exchanged high-fives after the final out, sending the Giants to the World Series.
Photo Gallery: Giants' 2010 Playoff Run
"Heart attack. Torture all the way," Janet Labberton, 53, a fan since 1967, as she described the close game.
Nearby, excited fans cheered and yelled as they crowded into the Giants Dugout store, a Giants clothing and merchandise store, outside the ballpark where the Giants will face the Texas Rangers on Wednesday.
"The Giants are gonna beat 'em up," Anto Fly, a Giants fan said.
Hundreds of fans also took in Saturday night's NLCS victory at Lefty O'Douls cocktail lounge near Union Square, where owner Nick Bouvis erected a sign outside proclaiming his bar the "Giants World Series Headquarters."
At points during the contentious NLCS, the air in Lefty's packed bar was so thick with baseball past you almost expected to see someone hovering over an Ouija board. Bartender Paul Stengel described one particular Giants super fan and his trusty Giants' jersey.
"He hasn't taken off his shirt since two weeks prior to the post season," said Stengel, whose grandfather was New York Yankees great Casey Stengel. "He's been wearing the same shirt and he's starting to get a little ripe."
At the Sports Authority store in downtown San Francisco, Giants NLCS championship gear went on sale immediately following the Game 6 win. The store stayed open late into the night for rabid Giants fans looking to celebrate the victory.
Outside bars near Mission and 30th streets, screaming and cheering for the team's victory could be heard while firecrackers went off and a group of people banged on drums.
Police did not have specific numbers of any possible arrests from the night of celebration, but SFPD Sgt. Troy Dangerfield said the night was "nothing out of the ordinary, it's just busy."
"A lot of excited people are out, so police have to be a little more vigilant to make sure people aren't partying too much," Dangerfield said.
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