Updated: 2007-10-31 10:59

BOSTON - Red Sox closing pitcher Jonathan Papelbon stole the show in a parade on Tuesday to celebrate Boston's World Series victory, dressed in a Scottish kilt and rousing tens of thousands of fans with an Irish jig.

Aboard amphibious "duck boat" tour buses with confetti blowing on a bright autumn afternoon, the Red Sox basked in the cheers of supporters who lined the streets from historic Fenway Park to Boston's City Hall.

But while most players waved politely or chanted from the open-top World War Two-era buses with their families, Papelbon's jig had the crowd roaring.

Wearing dark sunglasses, a kilt and waving his arms wildly at times, cigar in mouth, Papelbon handled a broom like an air guitar as he jammed with Boston-based Celtic punk rock band Dropkick Murphys on a flatbed truck.

Papelbon, known for an icy stare on the mound and a blistering fastball, indulged the crowd with a reprise of an impromptu Irish folk dance he performed on the infield when Boston clinched the American League East title last month.

Car horns blared in support of his rendition of the step-dancing made famous by the "Riverdance" show.

The 26-year-old closer, who retired the last batters in Sunday's 4-3 win over the Colorado Rockies that sealed Boston's sweep of the World Series, grabbed the arm of Japanese reliever Hideki Okajima to join him in the dance.

The parade, which also featured slugger Manny Ramirez on microphone inviting the crowd to his house later for drinks, followed a similar route to celebrations staged after Boston ended an 86-year championship drought in 2004.

Sunday's win over Colorado was hailed as a new era for the Red Sox, which had been dismissed as baseball's perennial also-rans before their 2004 World Series victory.

"These people they deserve this. They supported us all year round," slugger David Ortiz said at the start of the parade, as he gripped the World Series trophy.