Red Sox trophy to visit state

The onset of winter can make a Red Sox fan dream of warmer, happier times.

There was that splendid moment – oh, wait, there were three – when David Ortiz’s bat propelled the Sox against a playoff opponent.

There was a hard-fought comeback against the Yankees that even Muhammad Ali would have admired.

And then there was closer Keith Foulke cradling the ball, for the longest three seconds on record, before gently tossing it to first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz for the World Series-clinching out.

That long-awaited triumph transpired a time zone away, but it hit so close to Red Sox fans’ bleeding hearts that it felt as if it occurred in their back yards.

Well, the magic from that transcendent victory probably will beat the drums of joy again Tuesday, when the Holy Grail of baseball graces the streets of New Hampshire.

The 2004 World Series trophy will be viewed publicly in Manchester, before Sox reliever Mike Timlin hoists it in the air at a rally.

This marks yet another stop on the Red Sox celebration tour – a never-ending, Roman feast of a party.

Fans can walk by the trophy, pinch themselves and take pictures outside Manchester City Hall between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Then the steady reliever Timlin will lead a rally at Veterans Memorial Park at 3 p.m.

Precipitation will not spoil the day; all events will be moved inside to the Verizon Wireless Arena if it gets wet.

The tour kicked off in Boston, where millions of fans cheered on the Sox squad three days after the World Series.

The trophy, some players and some in management have since visited Connecticut, Rhode Island and Worcester, Mass.