Giants celebrate 3rd World Series title in 5 years with pregame ceremony
SAN FRANCISCO -- The championship banner fell out of the sky, accompanied by a skydiver, and the San Francisco Giants' pregame ring ceremony began with a flourish before Saturday's 4-1 win.
The Dick Bright Orchestra serenaded the sellout crowd with Scott McKenzie's 1967 anthem "San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)."
For the third time in five years, the Giants held a ceremony at AT&T Park to hand out World Series rings to players and staff.
"A lot goes through your mind," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "It's about all the special memories we had and the people who helped us. What's special for me is a guy like Huddy[Tim Hudson], who gets a ring for the first time. It's a time to remember what a special year we had."
Bochy was among the first to receive his ring. The Giants also presented rings to five of their Hall of Famers in attendance: Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Orlando Cepeda, Juan Marichal and Gaylord Perry.
World Series MVP Madison Bumgarner took the field to chants of "M-V-P! M-V-P!", and injured outfielder Hunter Pence received the loudest ovation as he trotted onto the field, emphatically waving his arms.
Catcher Andrew Susac, just recalled from Triple-A, and Travis Ishikawa, who is on a minor league injury rehabilitation assignment, also were in attendance. Ishikawa hit the home run that won the NL pennant for the Giants.
Tim Hudson, who made his major league debut in 1999, earned his first World Series ring and left-hander Javier Lopez his fourth ring, the most among active players. He also won with the 2007 Boston Red Sox.
Former Giants third-base coach Tim Flannery sang the national anthem. For the ceremonial first pitches, players threw balls into the stands.
The Arizona Diamondbacks watched the ceremony and cheered.
"I just think it's cool for them," D-backs manager Chip Hale said. "It's not easy to do, and it's something that everybody, when we start the season, is aiming for. We're all trying to get there."
