SALISBURY — A line of hundreds of people — everyone from toddlers to the retired — snaked its way through the dining room and out the front door of the Winner's Circle yesterday as eager fans waited to have their picture taken with the World Series trophies from 2004 and 2007.
The 2-foot-tall, 30-pound trophies.were displayed on a table in the restaurant's billiards room, with Red Sox and Massachusetts State Lottery officials presiding over the event, snapping pictures and keeping the line moving along.
The line had already formed two hours before the trophies were scheduled to arrive.
"We got here at 12:30," said Judy Murphy of Newburyport, the first person in line. "We ate some lunch and played video games (to kill time)."
Murphy's son Colin, 5, watched eagerly as Red Sox officials announced the start of viewing. After the Winner's Circle management had their photos taken, Murphy and Colin were the first to get up close to the trophies.
"I'm very pleased," said restaurant manager Jeff Duford as he looked around the crowded restaurant. "A lot of the local baseball teams are here. It's cool for them."
The preliminary tour, sponsored by the Massachusetts State Lottery, included Gloucester, Haverhill, Peabody and Lynn, but Greater Newburyport was out of luck.
"We tried to make it so as many people as possible can see it," Lottery spokesman Dan Rosenthal said when the original schedule was released. "When choosing 30 places, we knew it would be difficult to get everywhere."
Yesterday some fans waited more than an hour to have their pictures taken by Lottery officials before the trophies had to leave to make another scheduled stop in Danvers at 5 p.m.
Each fan was given a card with a number so they could view and purchase their photo online. Deanna Johnston, 22, of Salisbury, and Bill Lester, 32, of Newburyport, got a spot toward the front of line.
"I have to be at work in 10 minutes at Mr. Moe's Package Store," Johnston said. "I had to come though. My father would have shot me if I had the opportunity to see the trophies and I didn't go."
Lester said standing in line was a no-brainer when it came to the Red Sox.
"It's the Red Sox World Series trophies," Lester exclaimed. "You have to see them."
Kingston, N.H., Little League pitcher Logan Gordon was elated to see the trophies for the first time in person. His favorite Red Sox player is David Ortiz.
It was only natural he visited the Winner's Circle with his mom to see the trophies in person. "It was good," Logan said after having his picture taken. "I only ever saw them on TV."
Lottery workers handed out baseballs and T-shirts to lucky fans, and all patrons were able to enter losing Red Sox scratch tickets into a drawing for game tickets. The winner will be drawn at Lottery headquarters at a later date.
After the 2004 Red Sox World Series win, the trophy was shown at several local locations.
Nearly 1,000 people went to Newburyport High School to view it in April 2005, when some waited in line for more than 30 minutes to get their picture taken with the trophy.
The trophy was also displayed throughout Amesbury and Salisbury as well as at the Newbury Town Library, the Merrimac Public Library, the Page Elementary School in West Newbury, the Rowley Public Library and the Georgetown Middle/High School.
