This article is within the scope of WikiProject Baseball, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of baseball on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.BaseballWikipedia:WikiProject BaseballTemplate:WikiProject BaseballBaseball articles
This article is within the scope of WikiProject Philadelphia, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of Philadelphia on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.PhiladelphiaWikipedia:WikiProject PhiladelphiaTemplate:WikiProject PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia articles
This article falls under the scope of WikiProject Paranormal, which aims to build a comprehensive and detailed guide to the paranormal and related topics on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, you can edit the attached article, help with current tasks, or visit the project page, where you can join the project and discussions.ParanormalWikipedia:WikiProject ParanormalTemplate:WikiProject Paranormalparanormal articles
I removed the characterisation of this as an urban legend. What makes a story an urban legend is how it is spread, and there is nothing about this in the article. If there is information added about how the story is an urban legend, then the claim that it is one (which seems likely to me, offhand) should be restored. (Even then, however, it wouldn't be quite right to call the curse an "urban legend", just as one should not say "Computer architecture refers to the theory behind the design of a computer". It is the story about the curse that may be an UL.)
-- Toby Bartels 19:56, 29 Nov 2004 (UTC)
I don't follow. Distinguishing between the legendary status of an alleged curse and the story about the curse strikes me as needlessly complex. I agree that this is not the usual type of UL (no FOAF, the facts are trivially verifiable, and the story is specific and non-variable). As such, it might be misleading to characterize it as a UL without explanation about different types of UL. On the other hand, the generic sports curse story may qualify: We offended <insert name of legendary and/or tutelary person>, and <insert team or teams> will not win again until the spirit is in some manner appeased. Details vary by location. Hmmm...might be an interesting article! Robert A West 21:11, 20 Jun 2005 (UTC)
I fault this article for talking about this "curse" as if it's a Real Thing. The "alleged" in the first sentence doesn't help dispel this. I mean, does anyone seriously believe this is real? As to its "Origin" (on which there is a whole section), there is nothing about who invented this idea--was it a sports writer? That the gentlemen's agreement concerning building height was "violated" is the "purported" origin, stated by whoever invented the curse idea.--BillFlis12:26, 5 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]
Not that I believe any of this nonsense (it only gives the opposition confidence and the affected team an excuse should they not win), but wasn't there another similar theory regarding the statue of William Penn being adorned with team memorabilia and such? As far as the sportswriter who probably popularized this, I think some credit goes to Stan Hochman. I recall him talking about it's origins on Daily News Live on more than one occasion. From what I can recall offhand, I thought the credit goes to one particular person involved in the infamous gentleman's agreement (Alexander Milne Calder?).
That song is not the origin. I've known of this so-called "curse" for more than a couple years now and it pre-dates that song. I wonder why people didn't consider the Phantoms win in 2005 as the end of the curse. Yes, they are a minor league team, but with no NHL, winning the Calder Cup that year made them the best hockey team in North America. Am I right? As far as whether anybody believes this, I'm pretty sure there are plenty that do. Just take a glance at a Flyers message board every spring and you'll see it firsthand. --Spark1716:31, 29 May 2006 (UTC)[reply]
OK, the article is shaping up, if only as a spoof on pseudo-science. Outrageous premise, "supported" by irrefutable facts. Good work! Things to do: explain the mechanism of the curse--how can it be lifted? Do we have to add some more stories to City Hall? Exorcism in the courtyard? Move Penn's statue atop Liberty One? Let's make it good--the world is watching!--BillFlis10:30, 25 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]
Barbaro
I don't think that the Barbaro section belongs in this article at all. Was he a professional sports team? He was a "Philadelphia area" what..."athlete"? How far does this area extend outward from Penn's statue? Let the wills of the Editors on High be done, but were it my call, I would excise this section.Writtenright22:30, 30 January 2007 (UTC)Writtenright[reply]
I agree. Barbaro is a very minor part of the Philadelphia sporting landscape (if he is at all). I think it's okay to mention him briefly, but there's way too much info on him. That belongs (and is already in) the Barbaro article. And why are we mentioned Pelle & Jerome, and saying that they aren't part of the curse. Bjewiki16:43, 31 January 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Thirded. It's really going overboard to include Barbaro in all this. I've come to accept Smarty Jones as being legitimate, mostly because I saw grown men crying on the Parkway after the last race, but Barbaro is just too much. --Magic07:06, 3 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]
ECW
I know this might not count since it isn't a Real sport. But it started in Philly and you can consider wrestlers Athletes. Since the orgianl shut down could it also be part of the cyurse also
