the William Penn curse

Last night the Phillies beat the LA Dodgers 5-1 to seal up their shot in the World Series. The last time the Phillies made it to the Series was 15 years ago, 1993, and they didn't win. I remember watching that World Series with my mom and brothers in Utah. John Krunk is especially memorable with his wad of chewing gum and too much facial hair. I thought the Phillies played well and was surprised they didn't win. Now that I am a Philadelphian, I understand why they lost. It all comes back to William Penn. (read more about it here)

Scoff if you must, but ever since 1987 when they built the first skyscraper that was taller than the hat of the William Penn statue on top of City Hall in Philadelphia, none of our major sports teams have won their ultimate competitions. That means no World Series, no Super Bowl, no Stanley Cup and no whatever it is basketball wins (can you tell that is not my sport?). When the Eagles made it to the Super Bowl a couple of years ago, some of the local athletic stores started selling William Penn Curse t-shirts. Philadelphians are nothing if not skeptical of our sports teams to begin with. With the curse overshadowing us the prospect of a victory looks doubtful, no matter how talented the team. When the latest skyscraper in the city was completed the owners placed a mini statue of William Penn on top, hoping to somehow counteract the curse. With William Penn's hat once again the tallest thing in the city, let's hope the Phillies have a chance!