Curse of William Penn (City Hall)

An urban legend holds that Philadelphia's major professional sports championship drought began after skyscrapers built in 1987 exceeded the height of the William Penn statue atop Philadelphia City Hall. The story gained renewed attention when a small William Penn figurine was placed on top of the Comcast Center in 2007 and the Philadelphia Phillies won the World Series in 2008, leading some to link the events. Sportswriters and historians treat the 'curse' as folklore rather than a causal explanation, and its significance is debated.