BOSTON -- Much of Red Sox Nation is still in a state of shock. After 86 years, the old town team has finally won a World Series.

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NewsCenter 5's Janet Wu took the pulse of Boston Thursday to find out what the crushing of the Curse of the Bambino means to the city.

Johnny Bell spent all morning uprighting newspaper boxes.

"I had to pick them all up at 3 p.m. and put them all down again. It is crazy. That's what it is all about -- 86 years. It feels good," he said.

Everyone wants a piece of history -- including copies of Thursday's Boston Herald and The Boston Globe.

"I have to get them to my family across the world," said one fan.

"My grandfather died before they won. I am so glad that I can wear the hat in his honor. He was Ted Williams' doctor, and it was kind of fun to have that in our family legacy," said fan Dan McNichol.

At Fenway Park, fans stood in line for 90 minutes to buy Red Sox T-shirts. In the North End, bakeries worked overtime to create some Red Sox sweets.

Gov. Mitt Romney helped take down a traffic sign that was altered by fans 30 years ago. The sign originally read, "Reverse Curve" but fans changed it to read "Reverse Curse."

Romney said that the sign will be auctioned off with the proceeds going to the Jimmy Fund.

Earlier Thursday, after a flight from St. Louis that must have been as much fun as a plane ride could be, the Boston Sox arrived at Fenway Park, and the faithful were there with open arms.

Hours after the team arrived back at Fenway Park and went their separate ways, fans continued to gather at the ballpark.

They were among the chilly faithful who waited up all night to welcome the team home. They were rewarded when the hometown heroes emerged from buses about 7:30 a.m., ace pitcher Pedro Martinez giving elated thumbs-up victory signs from his vehicle as sirens blared and crowds cheered.

David Ortiz, Kevin Millar, Curt Schilling and Manny Ramirez all greeted Red Sox Nation as the new slayers of "the curse," the athletes who, for the first time in 86 years, won the city a World Series trophy.

"Can't even believe it right now. After the Yankees (defeat) it was all euphoria," said one tired but ecstatic fan.

"My favorite expression of the whole thing was, 'Why not us?' and I think everybody can take that into their lives. You take any dream you've got and just go, 'Why not me?'" another fan said.

Meanwhile, Boston police reported that at least 35 people were arrested in post-game rowdiness Wednesday night in the Kenmore area. Many were in court Thursday, facing charges of disorderly conduct or resisting arrest. Some went to court accompanied by their parents. Despite unruly behavior after the victory, most were subdued in Roxbury District Court.

"I really don't want to talk about it right now," said Erol Sarikaya said.

"Without being specific with respect to any client, I think a recurring theme is that they weren't given enough time to disperse. They were there on the street, minding their own business one minute, the next minute they were lugged by police," defense attorney Richard Doyle said.

Police also reported more than 40 people injured, with several people hurt seriously enough to be hospitalized, including at least two police officers. In western Massachusetts, at least 25 people were arrested on the campus of the University of Massachusetts in Amherst.