Sergio Romo not afraid to speak his mind

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The Giants championship parade was a sea of orange and black, but it was Sergio Romo's blue T-shirt that had everyone talking.

"I Just Look Illegal," read the shirt Romo wore as he soaked in the cheers from fans along the parade route. Romo has referred to his Mexican heritage in the past by wearing a "Made in the USA With Parts From Mexico" T-shirt.

Though he didn't specifically mention the shirt, Romo praised the team's and the Bay Area's multicultural makeup while addressing the crowd at Civic Center Plaza.

"Look at the diversity ... the different faces from different places, the different strokes," said Romo, who was born in Brawley, about 30 miles north of the California-Mexico border, and played winter baseball in Mexicali. "We all had one, how do you say, dream. ... You should be proud. ... I am very proud."

The provocative shirt had parade viewers headed to eBay and other online vendors selling the design. More than 100 people ordered the $12 shirt Wednesday from Wicky Tees of Los Angeles. Founder Jack Chan said he usually only gets five to 10 orders a day.

"For some reason, my sales went 'boom,' " said Chan, who never even heard of Romo until Wednesday. "It's been a very busy day."

Supervisor John Avalos, a third-generation Mexican American and an advocate for undocumented immigrants, said Romo doesn't have to worry about being racially profiled in the city.

San Francisco Giants pitcher Sergio Romo greets the fans as he is introduced to the crowd during the World Series victory celebration, Wednesday Oct. 31, 201, in San Francisco, Calif. San Francisco Giants pitcher Sergio Romo greets the fans as he is introduced to the crowd during the World Series victory celebration, Wednesday Oct. 31, 201, in San Francisco, Calif. Photo: Lacy Atkins, The Chronicle Photo: Lacy Atkins, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 8 Caption Close Sergio Romo not afraid to speak his mind 1 / 8 Back to Gallery

"It's not like he's in Arizona," Avalos said. "San Francisco's a sanctuary city."

Romo's political fashion statement was also praised by immigration activists on Twitter.

"You cannot tell who looks 'illegal,' " tweeted Jose Antonio Vargas, an undocumented immigrant, activist and journalist. "No human being is illegal."