World News Tigers' win sends fans into frenzy

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OSAKA (AP) - The Curse of the Colonel is finally over. The Hanshin Tigers defeated the Hiroshima Carp 3-2 on Sept. 15 to clinch their first Central League pennant in 18 years.

The Tigers did it in dramatic style, defeating the Carp when outfielder Norihiro Akahoshi hit a bases-loaded single to right in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift Hanshin to the walk-off victory at Koshien Stadium.

Hanshin's win, combined with the Yokohama BayStars' 12-6 victory over the second-place Yakult Swallows, secured the pennant for the Tigers.

"Our fans have waited so long for this day to come," said Akahoshi. "I'm glad we could do it right here at home. It's a great feeling for everybody on the team."

Hanshin players ran onto the field to mob Akahoshi but had to await the outcome of the game between Yakult and Yokohama at Yokohama Stadium.

When news of Yokohama's win over Yakult came in hours later, Osaka erupted in celebration.

The last time the Tigers won the Japan Series in 1985, overzealous fans threw a statue of Colonel Sanders, stolen from a KFC restaurant, into the murky waters of the Dotonbori River in downtown Osaka.

Jumping into the river when the team wins is a local ritual and the Colonel was tossed in as a substitute for American Randy Bass, who belted 54 homers that season for the Tigers. The statue was never found and Hanshin fans have since attributed the team's dry spell to the Curse of the Colonel.

The Tigers haven't won the Japan Series yet, but Sept. 15's win lifted a huge weight off the players and their die-hard fans.

阪神、18年ぶりの優勝に酔う

15日、プロ野球セ・リーグの阪神タイガースは、3-2で広島カープを破り、18年ぶり4度目の優勝を決めた。

Shukan ST: Sept. 26, 2003

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