The curse surrounding the William Penn statue is a popular myth in Philadelphia. The statue, which stands atop Philadelphia City Hall, was completed in 1894 and was the tallest statue in the world at the time. For over a century, the statue was said to possess a curse that brought bad luck to Philadelphia's professional sports teams. According to legend, the curse began when the statue's hat fell off during a major renovation in 1987. The workers decided to leave the statue without its hat for several months, which many believed angered the spirits and led to a series of misfortunes for the city's sports teams. During this time, Philadelphia's major professional sports teams, including the Eagles (NFL), Phillies (MLB), 76ers (NBA), and Flyers (NHL), all failed to win a championship.
1997 | Konami | PS
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During this time, Philadelphia's major professional sports teams, including the Eagles (NFL), Phillies (MLB), 76ers (NBA), and Flyers (NHL), all failed to win a championship. The curse gained even more notoriety in 2008 when the Philadelphia Phillies, who had not won a championship in 28 years, decided to place a miniature statue of William Penn on top of their stadium as a way to break the curse. That year, the Phillies won the World Series, leading many to believe that the curse had finally been lifted.
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 (commonly abbreviated as PS2) (known in Japan as プレイステーション2 Pureisutēshon 2) is Sony's second video game console and the successor to the original PlayStation. Its development was announced in March 1999 and had a press conference in September later that year. The system was first released in Japan on March 4, 2000 and in North America and Puerto Rico on October 26, 2000. It later made a release in Europe on November 24, 2000. It primarily competed with the Sega Dreamcast, Nintendo GameCube and Microsoft’s original Xbox.
The PlayStation 2 is part of the sixth generation era of gaming and has become the fastest selling gaming console in history, with over 100 million units shipped worldwide by November 2005, thus beating the previous record holder, the PlayStation, by three years and nine months.
Despite the Phillies' success, the curse seemed to still linger over the other sports teams in Philadelphia. The Eagles, in particular, experienced a series of heartbreaks and near misses, including multiple Super Bowl losses. Fans and sports analysts often pointed to the curse as an explanation for the team's struggles. In 2017, the curse surrounding the William Penn statue was officially lifted when the Philadelphia Eagles won their first-ever Super Bowl championship. This victory was seen as a triumph over the curse and a sign that the city's sports teams were finally free from its grasp. While the curse around the William Penn statue was likely just a coincidence, it became a famous part of Philadelphia sports folklore. The idea that a statue could have such a profound impact on the success of sports teams captured the imagination of fans and added a unique element to the city's sports history..
Reviews for "Philadelphia's haunted icon: the curse of the William Penn statue"
- John Doe - 1 star - I found the Curse surrounding the William Penn statue to be extremely gimmicky and underwhelming. The so-called curse was just a bunch of superstitious nonsense, and it made me feel like I was wasting my time. The tour guide didn't provide any historical context or interesting information about the statue either. Overall, I was highly disappointed with this experience and would not recommend it to anyone.
- Jane Smith - 2 stars - I had high expectations for the Curse surrounding the William Penn statue, but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The whole concept of a curse seemed intriguing, but the execution was poor. The tour was disorganized, and the explanations given by the guide were confusing and lacked depth. I also felt like there wasn't much to see or explore around the statue itself. It was a letdown, considering the hype surrounding this tourist attraction.
- Robert Johnson - 2 stars - I was quite excited to learn about the Curse surrounding the William Penn statue, but it turned out to be a forgettable experience. The tour was too short, and the information provided was superficial. There was no real attempt to create an eerie or mysterious atmosphere surrounding the curse. It felt more like a rushed tourist trap than a meaningful exploration of the statue's history. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone looking for an engaging and educational experience.