On Tuesday I took the day off work to stand in the presence of the Giants World Series trophy, less commonly known as the Commissioner’s Trophy. As you may recall, The San Francisco Giants Are World Champs! Starting January 4th, the Giants organization began taking the trophy on tour all over Northern California (and some neighboring states) allowing fans to bask in their team’s glory. On Tuesday the trophy came to the Santa Clara Convention Center and my buddy Sagar and I went to see it up close.
We got there 45 minutes early, but were too late to witness the trophy arrive in the official Trophy Tour Truck (presented by Visa), and witness it get quickly ushered inside underneath a green sheet.
The line of perhaps 300 people stretched down a long hall and wrapped along the outside of the convention center.
The line went quicker than expected and soon we were in an exhibit hall anxiously awaiting a glimpse of the glorious trophy. Then, it came into sight. Guarded by two Santa Clara police officers, the pinnacle of baseball achievement sat on a table and posed for photos with hundreds of Giants fans.
A large loud woman at the front of the line hurried everyone through, and repeatedly reminded everyone that touching of the trophy was not allowed. A professional photographer was on site to get pictures of everyone, which were available for $15 (or so I heard) online, but there was also a woman who would take a picture of you with your camera, so I doubt they sold many photos. As I was rushed through I cracked a goofy-looking smile and moved along.
After my photo was taken I stuck around to try to get some less-rushed shots, and thankfully I didn’t get shooed out.
Sagar smooth-talked his way into getting shots from where the pro photographer was standing, so he got some great straight-on shots that no one else was allowed to get. We got our fill of shots and were on our way.
I’m disappointed in myself for not fully appreciating being able to stand in the presence of the trophy – I took over a hundred shots of it, but never stepped back and admired it and what it meant. Since the Giants moved to San Francisco, no team had won this trophy – that’s almost twice my lifetime. Well over a thousand players have played for the Giants since their move and none had been World Champs until now. Thinking back on the teams of my childhood with Will the Thrill and Kevin Mitchell that weren’t able to win it all, losing the 1989 Series, the heartbreak of the 2002 Series, and the possibility of it never returning to San Francisco again in my lifetime (however unlikely), the trophy objectifies so much more than one great year – it’s years of hope from millions of fans coming to fruition. Go Giants.
See the remaining tour dates here.
