SANFORD -- Don Knight bought the shoe store at the corner of Magnolia Avenue and First Street in Sanford 35 years ago, which gives him a front row seat for the annual Christmas Parade that marches through the center of town.

"This year's parade is really something special," he said as the convertibles and zany Shriner cars tooled by his store Saturday morning. "David normally watches it from right here in front of my store, but this year, he's out front as the Grand Marshal. I'm so proud of the city for honoring him that way."

"David" is David Eckstein, the World Series hero for the Anaheim Angels and Sanford resident. He and Sanford's more famous baseball star, Tim Raines, were the Grand Marshal and honorary Grand Marshal for Saturday's parade, which celebrated 125 years of Christmas in Sanford.

"I think I've been in all 125 of them,"' Raines said, laughing at his long-time status as a marquee name around town. "I think I know about everybody on the parade route by first name."

Eckstein, meanwhile, was participating rather than watching at the parade for the first time.

"If they didn't put my name on the car, I don't think anybody out here would know me,"' Eckstein said. "I guarantee you, I could take up my normal spot in the breezeway in front of Knight's [shoe store], and unless they went to school with me, nobody would know I was there."

Which is just the way the 27-year-old likes it. His name has reached celebrity status -- he dined with President George Bush a few days before Thanksgiving -- but at 5-foot-8 and maybe 160 pounds, he's just another face in the crowd in the town he loves to call home.

"I'm proud that they are honoring me here, but anybody who knows me and my family knows we're just ordinary people," Eckstein said. "I'm glad I can just walk around town being myself and not some kind of big celebrity."

Eckstein, who played at the University of Florida, will stay in Sanford until after the first of the year when he'll head up to the University of Georgia to start working out for next season. A Gator going to the Dawgs?

"My brother, Rick, is a coach up there, and I go where ever Rick's at to get ready for a season," Eckstein explained. "He's been really influential in getting me to where I'm at. He knows just what to do so I can be at my best"

Raines has some plans to work out after the first of the year as well.

"Yeah, I'm going to work on my handicap," said Raines, who officially retired in October after 23 seasons in the big leagues. "I'm definitely done with baseball now. I'm going to spend more time at home with my family and relax. My oldest boy [Tim Raines Jr.] is a step away from the major leagues, so I'll sit back and follow him for awhile."

And will he follow his fellow Sanford celebrity Eckstein?

"David? Oh yeah, I've been following David ever since he started in baseball,"' Raines said. "I remember telling him when Boston let him go and he signed with the Angels that there were a number of things he did well and all he needed to do was go to spring training one year and show people.

"He's walking around with a World Series ring now, so obviously he's done that."