TOKYO: A plastic statue depicting Kentucky Fried Chicken’s founder, Colonel Sanders, which became a symbol of luck for superstitious Japanese baseball fans, has been “disposed of” by the company after 15 years.
Supporters of Osaka’s Hanshin Tigers, renowned for their fervent dedication, tossed the effigy into Osaka’s Dotonbori river in 1985 following the team’s victory in Japan’s equivalent of the World Series. Subsequently, a belief known as the “Curse of the Colonel” emerged among fans, suggesting that the team’s success hinged on retrieving the statue.
After years of misfortune for the Tigers, the statue was eventually recovered from the river during construction in 2009, albeit in a dilapidated state. Despite its condition, the effigy was cleaned, blessed by a priest, and put on public display.
It took time to dispel the alleged curse, but the Tigers finally broke the spell last year by winning the Japan Series after a 38-year drought, leading to jubilant celebrations and a resurgence of fan rituals, including jumping into the river.
KFC announced on Tuesday that due to the statue’s deteriorated state, it would be disposed of. However, before its disposal, a ritual expressing gratitude was conducted at a temple, attended by KFC’s Japan president Takayuki Hanji, who offered Japanese sake alongside the chain’s iconic fried chicken.
