Written by Mac
From the murky depths of the Dotonbori River emerged a symbol of the Hanshin Tigers’ prolonged championship drought: a plastic statue of Colonel Sanders.
The Colonel was thrown over (ed note: as in “over the railing of”) the Ebisu Bridge and into the river during a wild celebration following Hanshin’s only Japan Championship in 1985. It was said that the Tigers would never win another championship until the statue was located and returned to the front of the KFC from which it was taken.
The Curse of the Colonel, entering its 24th season, kept the Tigers in last place for ten out of 17 years and has repeatedly put the whammy on them in recent playoff appearances.
Brave divers located all but the Colonel’s glasses, shoes, and left hand over two days earlier this week. If I had come face-to-face with that creepy, algae- and river muck-ridden smile, I would have soiled my SCUBA gear and escaped to the surface.
Or maybe I would have left it down there because Hanshin fans are insufferable and go absolutely ga-ga for very average players.
I’m putting my money on the Hanshin Tigers to win the 2009 Japan Championship. The exhumation of Colonel Sanders will lead this year’s bunch of forty-somethings, punch-and-judy hitters, role players, and five-inning starters straight to the top.
11 responses so far ↓
1 Christopher Amano-Langtree // Mar 13, 2009 at 8:18 am
The Colonel statue was thrown FROM Ebisu Bridge because it resembled Randy Bass, Tigers foreign star at the time. You might also want to revise your comments about Hanshin fans and players. The fans are enthusiastic and show genuine commitment which makes a change. Furthermore one cannot call Fujikawa, Kanemoto, Iwata, Toritani, Lin Wei Chu, Cheng, Jeff Williams average. Think before you put your foot in your mouth.
2 yakamashii // Mar 13, 2009 at 8:59 am
I believe the article says that the statue was thrown over the Ebisu Bridge, and that a native English speaker with reasonable thinking skills can interpret that as “thrown over the side.” Forgive the guy for shortening a prepositional phrase.
And you know what? By some standards, all of those players you listed are average.
3 Christopher Amano-Langtree // Mar 13, 2009 at 10:03 am
The ball was hit OVER the fence. The statue was thrown OVER the parapet INTO the river below. FROM is the correct preposition as it means from a higher place to a lower place. Furthermore, the players I list are all clearly above average by any standard.
4 Chady // Mar 13, 2009 at 10:20 am
Wow, when did this turn into grammar class? I agree that any fairly competent English speaker would get Shinsano’s connotation.
Maybe I’m wrong, but I think it’s pretty obvious he’s being tongue-in-cheek about the players. I’ve always heard that the Tigers can be compared to the Cubs in many ways and if that’s the case then the same sorts of statements can be said for the players and fans.
Was Matt Murton ever an above average player? Sure on paper it looked like he had the potential to be, but he wasn’t actually. And yet? Wrigleyville worshiped the ground “The Murkin” walked on. It’s all in good fun.
5 Shinsano // Mar 13, 2009 at 10:23 am
Sorry to throw Mac under the bridge here…but I didn’t write it.
Grammar has been discussed in this forum before, by a copyeditor who goes under the name Grammar Crank and/or Eric and/or EW. Watch your step. He’s lurking so long as there aren’t any NSFW pics being posted.
6 Christopher Amano-Langtree // Mar 13, 2009 at 10:26 am
The article was written by Mac not Shinsano (I take it the two are different). To my mind it is ill-informed and ignorant and not representative of the normal standard of this site.
7 Shinsano // Mar 13, 2009 at 10:33 am
Actually, I should take some of the blame since I edited the piece.
But at any rate, I’m wont to forgive since Mac did manage to get “punch-and-judy hitters” into the post.
8 Shinsano // Mar 13, 2009 at 10:55 am
Slightly on topic….the Korean media is reporting that Hanshin is very interested in signing both Kim Tae-keun and Lee Dae-ho.
http://news.naver.com/sports/index.nhn?category=baseball&ctg=news&mod=read&office_id=003&article_id=0002572157&date=20090313&page=1
I think it’s safe to say that would make Hanshin the heaviest team in Japan. But also one of the most powerful.
9 simon // Mar 13, 2009 at 2:30 pm
For next season you mean?
Anyways, with a team like Hanshin, the rumour mill’s always in full swing.
10 Shinsano // Mar 13, 2009 at 3:26 pm
The article doesn’t say, but it wouldn’t be for 2009. Kim is a free agent after this season. I didn’t think Lee Dae-ho was though.
11 hansioux // Mar 13, 2009 at 6:59 pm
I liked this article. I do see how some fans might take offense when their players are said to be average. But I think it does depend on what standard is used. If one has to be at the level of Matsusaka or Ichiro to be great players, therefore above average players, then the comment is not too far off. If one only want to consider average players in the sense of replacement level players then most everyone on that list is above average players.
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