Hanshin Tigers baseball team's statue of Colonel Sanders, associated with a "curse," was disposed of due to deterioration.

A statue of Colonel Sanders, linked to a "curse" on a Japanese baseball team, has been laid to rest. The statue became a symbol of good luck for the Hanshin Tigers after fans threw it into a river in 1985 during a championship win. The team went on to suffer a 39-year championship drought, with fans blaming the "Curse of the Colonel." The statue was found in 2009, cleaned, and blessed before being disposed of due to its deteriorated condition.