Maine Maritime Academy took on Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Saturday’s homecoming game, and someone thought it would be a good idea to bring a cannon to that game.
Note: It was not a good idea.
During the game, a fan shot off that cannon and injured a referee, striking the official in the head. According to the Bangor Daily News, it is tradition for the Maine Maritime Academy to set off cannons after every score. But this cannon was brought by a fan and loaded with black powder and another substance rather than the typical blanks.
The resulting blast sent the official to the hospital.
Via the Bangor Daily News:
The school said in a statement that the cannon, owned and operated by an alumnus, “was fired from outside the fence behind the end zone. One of the game officials was proceeding along the end line when the cannon was fired and was struck by packing material from the cannon. The Academy’s president has directed that these devices will no longer be permitted on campus for future events.”
The referee was treated for non-life threatening injuries.
