Fans of all ages don't mind waiting hours to meet Boston's charismatic outfielder.

09:22 AM EST on Friday, January 28, 2005

BY LAURA MEADE KIRK
Journal Staff Writer

PROVIDENCE -- "There he is! It's Johnny!"

Journal photo / Connie Grosch

Gilda Ricci, 81, of Johnston, declares her love for Boston's Johnny Damon, the star at the convention center car show in Providence.

Claps and cheers rocked the room as Red Sox slugger Johnny Damon made his way through the crowd at the Northeast International Auto Show at the Rhode Island Convention Center last night, shaking hands and slapping high-fives with his adoring fans.

Hundreds of people -- from infants and toddlers to senior citizens in wheelchairs -- had waited in line for up to six hours for the chance to get their photo taken with Boston's star outfielder.

But no one was more in awe than my 11-year-old daughter, Katie, a true Damon Disciple, worshiper of all things Damon.

That's why we were among the fans -- or the fools -- who had sat inside the convention center since just before 3 p.m. to make sure Katie would have a chance to meet the first real man of her dreams -- this long-haired, bearded, self-proclaimed idiot who helped lead the Red Sox to their first World Series championship in 86 years.

Katie had long ago horrified our family by proclaiming herself a Yankees fan. But that changed when Damon joined the hometown team in 2002. Even before he grew his hair and beard, there was something about this freewheeling, wild and woolly center fielder that attracted Katie's attention.

She started plastering her room with Damon photos and news clippings, and signing all her papers -- even schoolwork -- "Katie Kirk, #18." She writes his name on every conceivable surface -- from school notebooks and work sheets to frost-covered car windows. She even dressed like him this past Halloween.

And all she wanted for her 11th birthday last November was a Damon "game shirt" -- a white or blue uniform shirt with the outfielder's name and number on the back. There were none to be found back then. But thankfully, Santa Claus managed to find a Damon game shirt, and delivered it on Christmas morning -- along with a pink Red Sox jacket, a World Series T-shirt, a bright red Red Sox ski cap and a framed photo of Damon at the plate.

So when I heard that Damon would be posing for free photos at the auto show last night, I knew we had to be there.

I also knew it was a long shot. Hundreds of people had waited hours in line at the Red Sox Spectacular last month to pay $20 apiece for admission and up to $250 apiece for autographed balls and bats from Damon and two teammates. This was even better -- a chance for a free photo with him (aside from the $9 admission fee to the show). We were warned that five people were already in line at noon for Damon's appearance at 6 p.m. Any sane parent probably would have said forget it. But, being an insane Red Sox fan myself, I yanked Katie and her younger baseball-loving brother, Chris, age 8, out of school and raced to Providence. We arrived at 3 p.m., and were thrilled to be among the first 10 in line.

Journal photo / Connie Grosch

Eleven-year-old Katie Kirk, center, dressed in her Red Sox finest, waits for a chance to have her picture taken with Boston outfielder Johnny Damon, the star attraction at yesterday's car show at the Rhode Island Convention Center. At right is her 8-year-old brother, Chris.

A three-hour wait was nothing. "I'd wait 20 hours!" declared Jake Paquin, 9, of North Kingstown, who was ahead of us in line.

The hall filled slowly but steadily, with Damon fans in Red Sox shirts forming a long, snaking line around the hall.

"I feel like I'm waiting to sit on Santa's lap," said Tayla Girard, 14, of Cranston.

But as the leaders of the pack, we were definitely among the envied when Damon finally arrived and began posing for photos at 6:15 p.m. -- especially when Kelly Paquin of North Kingstown surprised Damon with a big hug and kiss.

Katie was 12th in line for photos. Unusually shy, even for her, she quietly told him: "I've wanted to meet you for a long time."

Damon gave her a hug, then mugged for the camera. "Oh, my gosh, I just got to meet my favorite star!" she gushed afterward, while her younger brother had his picture taken.

"My daughter is your biggest fan in the whole world," I told him. "Thanks," he replied.

We should have been among the first to get our photos, but there was a glitch with the camera so many of us who'd been first in line had to wait more than an hour for new pictures to be taken and more prints to be made. Was that a problem for Katie? "Ha!" she said. "Not at all. Get serious, Mom. It's Johnny Damon. . . And Johnny Damon rocks!"