BOSTON -- Under glorious October skies, thousands of devoted fans in Red Sox Nation gathered Tuesday morning in Boston to welcome home the 2007 World Series champions.

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From Fenway Park to the Boston Common and on to City Hall Plaza, fans came from all over New England to cheer their heroes, hailing them like rock stars as they arrived for the start of the parade at their venerable ballpark on Yawkey Way.

Crowds 10 and 20 deep were held behind barricades chanting "Manny, Manny" as Sox slugger Manny Ramirez arrived at the park in a white Escalade and, as promised, Sox pitcher Jonathan Papelbon was given a special kilt by the Dropkick Murphys, an Irish rock band, so he could dance his jig during the festivities.

"I got to say one thing: When we get to City Hall, we're going to party," Papelbon said at a pre-parade gathering at Fenway Park.

Team officials said if there was ever a team that deserved to celebrate, it was the 2007 Boston Red Sox.

"These players kept a certain poise and resilience and confidence up through a long season, so today is a day of great celebration for them," Red Sox president and CEO Larry Lucchino said.

Lucchino said the team performed solidly all year, but he can recall vividly the darkest moment of the season when it looked as if Cleveland had the league championship sewn up with Boston down three games to one.

"We felt a certain sense of, almost humiliation, because of where we were. But the players remained confident and upbeat ... I think we need to remember this is also a great comeback like in '04," Lucchino said.

Sox manager Terry Francona described the moment the team won the series, saying, "Your heart is in your throat, but I wouldn't exchange that feeling for anything else in the world."

Having taken the Sox to two World Series championships, Francona said there was no way to compare the 2004 win with the 2007 victory because the 2004 victory came after the Sox had failed to win a championship for more than eight decades.

"I don't know that you can compare; everybody keeps asking compare '04 and '07, and I don't know if it's fair," he said. "I mean, '04 was 86 years and everything that went along with it and it was some personalities that will never be forgotten. And this year is no less special ... but it is different, and it's probably supposed to be, but that's OK."

Francona added that the '07 win was notable because it proved that the 2004 title wasn't a fluke.

"I don't know whether you win one or five or 100, it can ever be a fluke, and I don't know whether I really care if it was, because we won," Francona said.

For the players, the victory is sweet no matter what.

"We proved to everyone from day 1 that we were the best team in baseball," first baseman Kevin Youkilis said.

Every player said one of the keys to the victory was just focusing on the game at hand.

"You just got to make it as simple as possible and just go out and execute pitches," Josh Beckett said.

Designated hitter David Ortiz said one of the keys was teamwork. Everyone contributed. He said he called a team meeting in Cleveland when the Sox' chances looked slim.

"I pretty much told everybody that we need to take things personally when we're playing out there. You can't look back and think about the guy behind you ... I told everybody, 'Hey, when you wear the Red Sox on your chest, you're good or something. So keep it up.'"

Series MVP Mike Lowell added that it always makes a difference to play in Boston among the fans who love the team with such intensity.

"I think our first goal was to get it back to Boston. Once we did that we felt like OK, we'll have a different energy, you know, the buzz will be on our side, with the whole crowd," Lowell said.

The Boston fans, he said, are unique.

"I've been spoiled these last two years playing in front of this crowd, and we're truly blessed. They make us feel like the most privileged athletes out here," Lowell said.

Pitcher Curt Schilling, who led the team in its 2004 victory, said this year's win was every bit as special as that one.

He credited pitching coach John Farrell with much of the pitching staff's success, and singled out teammate Beckett for a special accolade.

"Game 1 in Anaheim, Josh Beckett, setting the tone for the postseason for us. Stepping up, if possible, into a little bit higher pantheon of superstardom and establishing himself as probably the best pitcher in the game right now, and we fed off that," Schilling said.

As for the future, the 40-year-old pitcher, who will become a free agent next year, said openly that he would like to play one more year for the Red Sox. Ortiz said he plans on having knee surgery Monday.

"Get ready for next year and get it going, get another one of these," Ortiz said, referring to the World Series trophy in his hands.

Boston Mayor Thomas Menino said before the parade began that he planned to enjoy the festivities down on the city's Tremont Street among the fans, saying, "The fans are what made this team what it is today."

Some fans from New Hampshire arrived before dawn to grab choice spots along the parade route.

For Granite State resident Melissa Martin, there was no question about it. She roused her school-age children out of bed at 3 a.m. Tuesday for the long drive to Boston in the dark.

Clutching a cup of coffee and bundled in Red Sox cap and jacket outside Fenway, she said her kids were only too happy to miss a day of school.

"You got to get here early to get the good spots," Martin said. "That's what we did in '04 and that's what we're doing this year."

Thousands of faithful fans were expected to join her along the parade route, which began at Fenway Park and ended at New Chardon Street near the J.F.K. Federal Building. In between, Duck Boats carrying Sox players and management were planning to travel up Boylston Street, stopping at Copley Square, the Boston Common and City Hall Plaza on the way. Jumbotron screens will be placed at those locations.

"In 2004 I stood right over there by the Four Seasons and cheered 'em on. They stopped right in front of us," Conrad Centeno said as he prepared to stake out his space again early Tuesday.