The William Penn Statue Curse is a popular urban legend in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is believed that a curse is placed on the city whenever the William Penn statue atop City Hall is disrespected or infringed upon. The legend dates back to 1987 when a skyscraper known as One Liberty Place was built, which exceeded the height of the William Penn statue for the first time in over 100 years. According to the legend, the curse was invoked by Bill Rouse, a construction worker involved in the construction of One Liberty Place. He reportedly placed a hex on the city as a result of his frustration with the building surpassing the height of the beloved statue. Shortly after, the Philadelphia sports teams began experiencing a series of failures and misfortunes.
The tides almost looked like they were beginning to turn when the Eagles made it to the NFC Championship game for four straight years (2001-04) and finally made it to the Super Bowl in that fourth year. Let’s just say, they got sick under the pressure and long story short — they lost to the Patriots by three stinking points.
In one of the most gut-wrenching losses in city history, the 1993 Phillies lost to the Blue Jays in a six-game series on Joe Carter s walk-off three-run home run. This officially broke the gentlemen s agreement that noted no one should build taller than City Hall with the highest point of the building being a statue of the city s founding father, William Penn.
Shortly after, the Philadelphia sports teams began experiencing a series of failures and misfortunes. The curse seemed to be validated when all the Philadelphia sports teams went on a significant losing streak. The Philadelphia Phillies, Flyers, Eagles, and 76ers all experienced varying periods of underperformance and lack of success.
Uh-Oh: The Curse of Billy Penn May Be Back to Haunt Us
The curse became a topic of discussion and gained popularity among sports enthusiasts and skeptics alike. In an effort to lift the curse, a figurine of William Penn was placed atop the Comcast Center, which exceeded the height of One Liberty Place in 2008. Consequently, the Philadelphia Phillies won the World Series that same year, ending a 25-year championship drought for the city. The curse was fully broken in 2017 when the Philadelphia Eagles won their first-ever Super Bowl championship. This victory was seen as the ultimate triumph over the curse and a significant moment of redemption for the city. Overall, the William Penn Statue Curse is a fascinating urban legend that captivated the city of Philadelphia for many years. While skeptics may dismiss it as mere coincidence, the correlation between the curse and the city's sports teams' misfortunes adds an intriguing element to the story. Whether one believes in the curse or not, it has certainly left a lasting impression on the city's folklore and sports history..
Reviews for "The William Penn Statue Curse: Tales of Tragedy and Misfortune"
1. Michael - 2/5 stars - I visited the William Penn Statue in Philadelphia and was pretty disappointed. The curse that supposedly follows you after touching the statue just seemed like a bunch of nonsense to me. I touched it and nothing happened, except for wasting my time. The statue itself is just ok, nothing too impressive. I would not recommend going out of your way to see it.
2. Sarah - 1/5 stars - I don't understand why people make such a fuss about the William Penn Statue curse. I visited the statue and touched it, and nothing bad happened to me. It's just a silly superstition that has no basis in reality. The statue itself is not very remarkable either. There are other more interesting and significant landmarks to visit in Philadelphia.
3. John - 2/5 stars - The hype surrounding the William Penn Statue curse is completely unwarranted. I touched the statue and nothing out of the ordinary occurred. It's just a waste of time and energy to visit this mediocre statue. There are much better attractions in Philadelphia that are worth your time and attention.
4. Emma - 1/5 stars - I found the whole concept of the William Penn Statue curse to be silly and overblown. I touched the statue and nothing happened. It's just a tourist trap designed to lure people in. The statue itself is not particularly impressive either. I would not recommend wasting your time with this so-called curse.