▁Colonel ▁was ▁used ▁to ▁explain ▁the ▁team ' s ▁subsequent ▁ 1 8 - year ▁losing ▁stre ak . ▁Some ▁fans ▁believed ▁the ▁team ▁would ▁never ▁win ▁another ▁Japan ▁Series ▁until ▁the ▁statue ▁had ▁been ▁recovered . ▁They ▁have ▁appeared ▁in ▁the ▁Japan ▁Series ▁three ▁times ▁since ▁then , ▁losing ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁and ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁ ▁Compar isons ▁are ▁often ▁made ▁between ▁the ▁Hans hin ▁Tig ers ▁and ▁the ▁Boston ▁Red ▁So x , ▁who ▁were ▁said ▁to ▁be ▁under ▁the ▁Cur se ▁of ▁the ▁B amb ino ▁until ▁they ▁won ▁the ▁World ▁Series ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁The ▁" Cur se ▁of ▁the ▁Colonel " ▁has ▁also ▁been ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁b oge yman ▁threat ▁to ▁those ▁who ▁would ▁div ul ge ▁the ▁secret ▁reci pe ▁of ▁eleven ▁her bs ▁and ▁sp ices ▁that ▁result ▁in ▁the ▁unique ▁taste ▁of ▁his ▁ch icken . ▁ ▁History ▁▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁Japan ▁Series ▁ ▁The ▁Hans hin ▁Tig ers ▁are ▁located ▁in ▁K ans ai , ▁the ▁second ▁largest ▁metropol itan ▁area ▁in ▁Japan . ▁They ▁are ▁considered ▁the ▁et ernal ▁under d ogs ▁of ▁N ipp on ▁Professional ▁Baseball , ▁in ▁opposition ▁to ▁the ▁Y omi uri ▁Gi ants ▁of ▁Tokyo , ▁who ▁are ▁considered ▁the ▁k ings ▁of ▁Japanese ▁baseball . ▁The ▁devoted ▁fans ▁f lock ▁to ▁the ▁stad ium ▁no ▁matter ▁how ▁badly ▁the ▁Tig ers ▁play ▁in ▁the ▁league . ▁