An official was shot by a cannon while working Maine Maritime Academy’s homecoming football game Saturday against Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Yep, a cannon. In the head. During the game. He’s on the right side of the frame in the video:
The cannon wasn’t loaded with a cannonball, so it was only an injury and not a decapitation. A Maine Maritime alumnus brought his own cannon to the game in order to keep up the tradition of firing off a blast for every touchdown. As college football traditions go, this one’s pretty widespread. However, cannons are usually loaded with blank shells. This one was loaded with black powder and “a substance that he had made into a wad,” per the Bangor Daily News. That’s what hit the ref in the head.
The referee was taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office will investigate the matter, and the school said in a statement that it would no longer allow random alumni to bring cannons to home football games, which seems reasonable.