Giants World Series trophy a big hit in Tahoe

By Susan Wood

It was a win-win Saturday.

Thousands of the orange-and-black faithful enjoyed a dominant 10-0 win by San Francisco Giants pitcher Matt Cain over their rival Los Angeles Dodgers, while hundreds of fans remembered last year’s performance by coming out to view the World Series Championship trophy on tour in South Lake Tahoe that afternoon.

The line to see the cherished symbol formed at 9am when the city recreation complex opened with first-in-line, die-hard fans Paula Bruyn and Jahn Henderson of South Lake Tahoe. It wrapped around the building, which was decorated in orange and black along with a sea of fans adorned in Giants gear.

“Matty’s gonna do it,” Henderson predicted of Saturday’s game, while waiting in line. He had the confidence that Cain would bring home a win on such a big day for he and Bruyn.

At the 2pm trophy showing start time, both Giants and city parks staff allowed the loyalists to enter the room to the sounds of whoops and whistles. In sheer Tahoe style, dogs, babies and others reading books or watching Saturday’s game passed the time until it was their turn to have a photo taken with the trophy.

Giants tour organizer Casey Conroy said it’s like bringing a rock star to town. The trophy is wrapping up its multi-city tour that has taken it from San Francisco to New York and back. It’s the first time the Giants have won the World Series in the Bay Area. The team left New York in 1957. Three years before, the New York team won the World Series.

Mick Flaire, “Bowler Bob,” remembers that time as if it were yesterday. He happened to catch opening day in 1962 when Willie Mays hit a home run during a 6-0 shutout. Hence, the true baseball fan recalls statistics like a family recipe.

“I literally waited since I was 3 months old for this championship,” said the Brisbane resident, who came up to Lake Tahoe for the weekend. He now has a place to perhaps stay as he made friends waiting in line with local sports enthusiast Don Bosson, who taught Little League baseball for 16 years.

“Here’s my card,” Bosson said, as he handed Flaire his business card. Flaire was holding a “Giants” labeled bowling ball. Bosson said he feels like he knows Flaire because the Bay Area resident frequently calls in to KNBR, the station with a Giants radio show.

“I’ve listened to him on the radio forever,” Bosson said.

After she viewed the trophy, Lyn Maher of Incline Village moved over to a cardboard cutout of veteran first baseman Will Clark to have her photo taken with the Giants prop.

“I’ve been heartbroken since 2002. But all the pain and suffering is gone now,” she said, referring to when the Giants lost the Series to the Anaheim Angels, which later became the Los Angeles Angels. With a photo of the trophy now, Maher has even “one-upped” her sister who got to see the Giants win in Game 2 of the World Series at home.

She has the right to claim the fame.

“I named my cat after him,” she said, pointing to the life-size Clark cutout situated behind the trophy presentation.

All types got to have their photograph taken.

There was Argo, the police dog on a break from duty. Sandra Sandoval of Sacramento brought “Clutch” the boxer up for the weekend. Dustin Robinson pulled into the recreation center parking lot and asked if he could bring 1-year-old Roscoe in for a photo op. His request was granted, and it appeared the pit bull was happy.

The award for the youngest person might have gone to 7-month-old Zephyr, who showed up in Giants fashion gear reading: “My first Giants T-shirt.”

“They’ve been world champions his entire life,” said a wild-eyed father, Bill Pappani of Nevada City as his wife, Laura, took in the long-awaited moment by fixing the baby’s shirt.

Once wasn’t enough to go through the line for South Shore resident Sue Novasel – despite her husband Robert not accompanying her. Being from Cleveland, he’s an Indians fan.

“He’s just jealous,” a defiant Novasel described her husband. She returned the second time around with her Giants buddy, mom Vernice Rianda. Mom knew to hold up the strike-out “K” foam finger ornament, while her daughter watched Saturday’s game on a Sling Box program. A crowd had gathered around Novasel to watch the tiny screen on her smart phone.

Outside the recreation center, another attraction was two San Francisco men – one referring to himself as Ira Supreme – who have followed the trophy on its multi-city tour. Wrapped in full Giants gear including a cape, “Supreme” said they’re groupies “trying to sleep with the trophy.” At the same time, the buddies were making money selling Giants shirts.

After all, the team is based in San Francisco – the city of character. South Lake Tahoe seemed to fit right in.