Food Theory: KFC and the Curse of Colonel Sanders
The Food Theorists・2 minutes read
Colonel Sanders, known for his resemblance to a corn kernel, has sparked a curse theory in Japan tied to a statue incident involving the Hanshin Tigers baseball team, while English sources have perpetuated a false version of the story. Despite the belief in the curse, the Tigers actually won the championship shortly after the statue incident, leading to a theory that throwing the statue may have boosted the team's performance, challenging the existence of a curse and suggesting a positive impact from the action.
Insights
- The popularity of KFC in Japan is intricately linked to a Christmas tradition that began in 1970, with 5% of annual sales occurring around Christmas Eve, showcasing the cultural significance of the fast-food chain in the country.
- The legend of the curse surrounding the Colonel Sanders statue thrown off a bridge by Hanshin Tigers fans in Japan challenges traditional beliefs, as the team won the championship shortly after the incident, prompting a theory that the act may have actually boosted the team's performance temporarily, suggesting a positive impact rather than a curse.
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Recent questions
Why is Colonel Sanders called the Colonel?
Due to his body size resembling a corn kernel.
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Summary
00:00
"Colonel Sanders Curse Haunts Japanese Baseball"
- Colonel Sanders is known as the Colonel due to his body size resembling a corn kernel, not his tie.
- The show Food Theory explores the concept of fast food mascots casting curses.
- In Japan, KFC is popular, with over 1100 restaurants due to a Christmas tradition started in 1970.
- KFC in Japan is closely associated with Christmas, with 5% of annual sales occurring around Christmas Eve.
- Life-sized statues of Colonel Sanders in Japan are dressed up for various occasions, including holidays.
- A curse involving a Colonel Sanders statue is believed to affect the Hanshin Tigers baseball team in Japan.
- The Hanshin Tigers experienced a losing streak after a Colonel Sanders statue was thrown off a bridge in celebration.
- The curse on the Tigers is compared to other sports curses like the Curse of the Bambino and the Curse of the Billy Goat.
- Efforts to recover the statue from the canal have been unsuccessful, with the belief that the Tigers won't win until the statue is made whole.
- Colonel Sanders' life story reveals a man who faced challenges and confrontations, making the curse plausible due to his character.
13:15
"Colonel Sanders curse debunked by Tigers fans"
- English sources have perpetuated a false version of the story surrounding the curse of the Colonel Sanders statue thrown off a bridge by Hanshin Tigers fans after winning the Japan Series championship in 1985. The English accounts have a fatal flaw due to a lost detail in translation, leading to the creation of an urban legend.
- Despite the belief in the curse, the Tigers won the championship shortly after the statue incident, sparking a theory that the act of throwing the statue may have actually boosted the team's performance temporarily. This challenges the notion of a curse and suggests a positive impact from the action.
- A suggestion is made to fans to test the theory by creating their own Colonel Sanders effigy to toss off a bridge in a legal and safe manner, aiming to gather more data to either prove or disprove the existence of the curse, which is proposed to be a positive force for the team.
