Giants Fans Glimpse Golden Trophy

At 60 years old, Jim Thelemann has been waiting a long time to see his team's World Series trophy roll through town. His wife, Bobbi, joined him on the patient journey 35 years ago.

It ended when the San Francisco Giants beat the Texas Rangers and snagged the 2010 title. And on Tuesday, the 24-pound trophy made a stop in Palo Alto's Lytton Plaza, where hundreds of fans clad in orange and black paid homage.

"All my life," Thelemann said when asked how long he's been waiting. "By the last game of the playoffs, my hands were so sore. This is golden."

The trophy was on its 22nd stop on a multi-state tour, including Arizona, Oregon, Nevada and, of course, New York, the Giants' birthplace. The team moved to San Francisco in 1957 after winning the World Series Championship five times.

"New York — that's a no-brainer," said Giants' community relations representative Erin Reilly. 

Featuring thirty flags for each team in the league and sterling silver with gold vermeil, a 14 carat coating, the trophy brought nearly 4,000 fans in Sacramento, Reilly said, and was expected to bring close to 600 on Tuesday in Palo Alto.

A band of misfits, a pool of raw talent and aging characters, and a fan-base that's prayed for a snapshot of the trophy for decades, the Giants had people crossing their fingers as every batter came to plate, said David De Alva as he and his girlfriend waited to get a picture with the trophy.

"They didn't have it on paper, but they have chemistry," he said. "I've been a fan my entire life."