BALTIMORE — Hundreds of giddy Ravens fans poured into the streets Sunday night, whooping, hollering, dancing, and high-fiving complete strangers as they celebrated the team’s 34-31 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.
Patrons who had packed into Mother’s Federal Hill Grille to watch the team’s second Super Bowl appearance since it arrived in Baltimore in 1996 jumped up onto the bar and began belting out a rendition of the Queen song “We are the champions,” as bartenders sprayed purple party string into the air.
“I love this team. I love this city!” screamed Andrew Bieler, 21, immediately after the game ended.
Michael Falls, 25, said he plans to take Monday off from his accounting job and his boss was going to do the same.
“I’m going to live up the night,” he said.
Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake joined in the fun, dancing and singing alongside the fans.
“The Baltimore Ravens once again demonstrated strength, poise, and perseverance as they prevailed in Super Bowl XLVII,” Rawlings Blake said in a statement.
In a live interview from New Orleans on WBAL-TV, Rawlings-Blake said the city will hold a parade in the team’s honor on Tuesday that will start at City Hall and end at the Ravens’ stadium.
She also urged fans to celebrate peacefully, while local television footage showed police mounted on horseback circling the crowds to maintain order.
Fans wearing the team’s signature black-and-purple jerseys and purple-feathered boas said they were especially happy for retiring middle linebacker Ray Lewis, No. 52, the only current player who started with the team when it came to the city.
The victory celebration is “90 percent for Ray, 10 percent for the city of Baltimore,” said Darren Love, 40.
