Duck Boats Riding on one of the 17 Duck Boats down Boylston Street in Boston, is Larry Lucchino, one of the Red Sox owners, holding up the World Series trophy. (Photo Paula Gibbs)

And so, if it was number 26, it was Wade Boggs. That was 17 years ago.

Now a college freshman, the former Wiscasset High School basketball player got up at 4:30 a.m. Saturday morning, drove to Portland with family members and friends, and got on a Concord Trailways bus bound for the biggest victory parade in Boston's history. The bus line was well prepared for the influx of riders, with maps of the parade route on display and stand-by buses ready for the overflow.

Hooking up with two other Mainers, Allison and Meredith Miller, sisters from Portland who now live in South Boston, the Maine contingent went by car from South Station to a side street near Boylston Street. Then it was by foot to a parking lot next to MacDonald's.

Despite the fact that some fans had camped out in pup tents the night before, there was still plenty of viewing room by 9 a.m. The crowd was awash in Red Sox victory signs ("We're Number 1," "Red Sox - World Champs") printed up by corporate sponsors and handed out free.

There were homemade signs as well, one of which Manny Ramirez was given by a fan along the parade route. It said, referring to New York Yankees player Derek Jeter, "Jeter Is Playing Golf Today, This Is Better."

Another homemade sign read, "Never Mind Disney World, I'm Going To Boylston Street."

Joe Palmer from Brookfield, Conn. and Stephen Beggan from Norwalk, Conn., had some of the best one-liners of the day. "Oh, it's starting to mist," said one of the fans.

"Let the reign' begin," said Palmer, who was sporting one of the most popular t-shirts of the day: "YANKEES CHOKED, Biggest Collapse In Sports History." Palmer said he felt a bit like a celebrity himself, as people stopped to take his picture.

The slow drizzle became a steady rain a few minutes before the 10 a.m. starting time, but those with umbrellas, blocking the view of those behind them, were told to "Suck it up, and put down those umbrellas."

Another Mainer, Sally Anson, from Boothbay Harbor, was watching the festivities at Fenway Park prior to the parade on a yellow portable TV held high above her head to get the best reception.

"Okay, the ducks are leaving," she yelled to those around her. Red Sox team members, their families and friends, and members of the team from days gone by were riding in (or on) amphibious World War II landing craft, now the famous "Duck Boats" which carry tourists around the streets of Beantown and onto the Charles River.

Although the parade route was initially going to be only three miles long from Fenway Park to City Hall, on Friday night the decision was made to extend it to the Charles River, providing more viewing areas for the expected three to five million fans. Storrow Drive on the Boston side of the river, and Memorial Drive on the Cambridge side were both shut down for the parade.

At 10 minutes after 10, the crowd started to get restless as fans started to chant, "Let's go, Red Sox." This was followed by another one-liner from Palmer:

"Oh well," he said, "We've waited 86 years, we can wait a few more minutes."

Suddenly there was the unmistakable rumble of motorcycle engines, and Boston's finest made their way, riding two by two, down Boylston Street toward the heart of the city.

As the first duck boat came into view, a roar went up from the crowd as fans leaned out apartment windows, stood on rooftops, and climbed trees and lampposts for a better view. Arms stretched skyward, fans pushed the buttons on their digital cameras, hoping for a shot of their favorite player, as each of the duck boats went by with names of the famous and formerly famous players posted on the sides.

"Where is Pedro from?" asked one of the fans. "The Dominican Republic," answered another. "See the flag on his back?" she said, pointing to the red and white flag draped over the shoulders of the famous pitcher.

"Where's Curt Schilling from?" asked another fan. Once again the Connecticut contingent jumped in: "Heaven," said Stephen Beggan.

Many of the fans were on cell phones, describing the action to friends back home who were watching the live broadcast on tv. "Yeah, look for me, I'm the kid with the Red Sox hat on - I'll be waving," one of them said, as if this would somehow distinguish himself from the hundreds of thousands of other kids with a "B" on their hats.

It was all over too quickly, as the somewhat hoarse Maine crowd made their way back to Charlesgate West, a street near Storrow Drive, to the apartment of Quincy native Matt McGowan to relax, have some cheese (on a plate), a diet beer, and watch the festivities on television.

The planned "round two" for the group was a hike over to the Charles River to watch the flotilla make its way toward the Longfellow Bridge as thousands yelled their affection for the Sox. On the way over, a couple was heard talking about a recent gaff by John Kerry, who referred to one of the players as "Manny Ortiz."

"Oh boy, and I was going to vote for him, too," she said.

As the last Duck Boat and the last Coast Guard boat made the turn at the bridge and the crowd started to break up, Bostonians got a chance to do what many never will - walk, in the middle, of Storrow Drive. Some fans recorded the historic event by posing for pictures underneath the huge green sign that says, "Fenway, Next Left."

But the Maine group was in for an unpredicted "round three," as they relaxed again in McGowan's basement apartment, affectionately named by the two bachelor renters as "Haiti," given its meager but sturdy furnishings and casual approach to housekeeping.

Just as the excitement of the day was starting to die down a little, someone yelled, "Ducks," and the entire entourage emptied out of the apartment onto the sidewalk to catch, yes, their third view of the parade - this time with a totally unrestricted view as the Duck Boats came off Storrow Drive, heading back to Fenway Park.

The players, like the fans, looked tired, but the smiles were still there.

"We have to get tickets for opening day at Fenway," said one of the group as they headed back to the apartment.

"Yes," agreed another. "It's April 11, and they're playing the Yankees."