Series trophy at Auditorium Saturday a.m. Tour moves on to Augusta

Call it the Maine swing of the Boston Red Sox’ postseason World Series championship tour through New England.

The last stop on the tour is so involved, it takes two days to get it all done.

The Sox victory caravan will pull into Portland Friday for a three-pronged visit involving a public viewing of the 2004 World Series trophy at Hadlock Field from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., a rolling rally/parade on Congress Street starting at 2:30 p.m., and a rally at Monument Square in downtown Portland at 3 p.m.

The second day will see the trophy and team officials start Saturday in Presque Isle and wind up in Newry.

After starting the day with an 8 a.m. rally at the Aroostook Centre Mall in Presque Isle, the World Series trophy will travel to Bangor for an 11 a.m. date at the Bangor Auditorium. The whirlwind tour moves on to Augusta and the Blaine House for a 2 p.m. appointment, then the Colisee in Lewiston at 4 p.m., Telstar Regional High School in Bethel at 6:30 p.m., and Sunday River Ski Resort’s The Phoenix at 7:30 p.m.

The final two Maine stops were added, presumably, due to Red Sox vice-chairman and part-owner Les Otten’s influence. Otten also owns Sunday River and other resorts.

Joy Leach, deputy director of communications for Gov. John Baldacci, said it was not known which players, if any, would be accompanying the trophy either Friday or Saturday and that details would be released as soon as the Governor’s office received them.

Players such as Mark Bellhorn and Kevin Youkilis have accompanied the trophy at other spots on the tour, which included Boston; Burlington, Vt.; and Manchester, N.H.; and Providence, R.I.

Bangor also hosted the Vince Lombardi Super Bowl trophy as New England Patriots team owner Bob Kraft visited the city with players Lawyer Milloy, Adam Vinatieri and Bobby Hamilton in April of 2002.

The Red Sox won their first World Series title in 86 years when they swept the St. Louis Cardinals in four games. They captured the American League Championship Series when they beat the New York Yankees in four straight games after losing the first three games.