Injury from cannon at pep rally

**sstack** · 12-13-2008, 04:48 PM

Friday night a parent of a Highlands football player, had a sever hand injury when the cannon used to signal touchdowns missfired. My question is, should Highlands stop the use of the cannon? I am a huge Highlands fan and a fan of the cannon tradition, but I have to question if it should be used agian. If it is, I think an expert on how to operate it needs to be brought in and people trained in the proper use of it. My prayers are out for the man injured, I heard he had between two and four fingers blown off. Hope he has a quick recovery.

~~BatCat11~~ · 12-13-2008, 04:49 PM

Ouch here's to a full speedy recovery

Memorial Gym #5 · 12-13-2008, 04:57 PM

Didn't another school already stop the cannon thing this year when someone was injured? Can't remember what school to save my life, anyone know? Hope the parent gets better soon!!!

**EKUAlum05** · 12-13-2008, 05:05 PM

Memorial Gym #5 Wrote:Didn't another school already stop the cannon thing this year when someone was injured? Can't remember what school to save my life, anyone know? Hope the parent gets better soon!!!

Scott County... guy accidentally walked in front of cannon's blast area as a TD was scored, ruptured his ar drum I believe

Memorial Gym #5 · 12-13-2008, 05:09 PM

EKUAlum05 Wrote:Scott County... guy accidentally walked in front of cannon's blast area as a TD was scored, ruptured his ar drum I believe

Thats it!! Thanks :Thumbs:

firechief · 12-13-2008, 05:50 PM

They are too close to the field. I know the Highlands is upon a building but others are on the field.

**EKUAlum05** · 12-13-2008, 05:53 PM

I hope this doesn't take away Highland's cannon for the record. That cannon has become synonomous with the Bluebird program and this is the first incident in 20+ years of it's use

**sstack** · 12-13-2008, 05:54 PM

EKUAlum05 Wrote:I hope this doesn't take away Highland's cannon for the record. That cannon has become synonomous with the Bluebird program and this is the first incident in 20+ years of it's use

30+ years

tradition · 12-13-2008, 06:28 PM

sstack Wrote:30+ years

Actually it is 40 years to be exact. It was first fired at a Highlands game in 1968 against Covington Cathlic.

~~Mr.Kimball~~ · 12-13-2008, 06:40 PM

sstack Wrote:Friday night a parent of a Highlands football player, had a sever hand injury when the cannon used to signal touchdowns missfired. My question is, should Highlands stop the use of the cannon? I am a huge Highlands fan and a fan of the cannon tradition, but I have to question if it should be used agian. If it is, I think an expert on how to operate it needs to be brought in and people trained in the proper use of it. My prayers are out for the man injured, I heard he had between two and four fingers blown off. Hope he has a quick recovery.

I'm willing to wager that there are a bunch of lawyers out there just watering at the moutrh to get involved in this one. My guess is that this is the end of the cannon.

tradition · 12-13-2008, 07:52 PM

Mr.Kimball Wrote:I'm willing to wager that there are a bunch of lawyers out there just watering at the moutrh to get involved in this one. My guess is that this is the end of the cannon.

First and foremost our thoughts should be with the injured parent. What happens with the cannon should be the furthest thing in anyones mind. Who cares about a cannon when you have a family hurting.

centralfan57 · 12-13-2008, 10:38 PM

sstack Wrote:Friday night a parent of a Highlands football player, had a sever hand injury when the cannon used to signal touchdowns missfired. My question is, should Highlands stop the use of the cannon? I am a huge Highlands fan and a fan of the cannon tradition, but I have to question if it should be used agian. If it is, I think an expert on how to operate it needs to be brought in and people trained in the proper use of it. My prayers are out for the man injured, I heard he had between two and four fingers blown off. Hope he has a quick recovery.

I agree, someone with experience with cannons should be found, but a school shouldn't lose a time-honored tradition because of one mishap. Best of luck to the injured parent!

Sarrr · 12-13-2008, 10:51 PM

Just get a musket like WVU instead Tongue

Seriously though, tradition has to take a back seat to safety. Sure, keep the cannon, but you need someone to come and train the people who are going to operate it on proper safety so you avoid things like that from happening.

**sstack** · 12-13-2008, 11:41 PM

Sarrr Wrote:Just get a musket like WVU instead

Seriously though, tradition has to take a back seat to safety. Sure, keep the cannon, but you need someone to come and train the people who are going to operate it on proper safety so you avoid things like that from happening.

I agree. There have been several traditions that Highlands had when I was going there in the 80's that no longer are being done, and they still win. Althought it is fun to carry on traditions, safety is first. Highlands will continue to win and new safe traditions will continue. I would like to hear from some current players about what traditions they still do. Do you still get "buzz" haircuts? I see alot of long hair these days. Do you still have to ride bikes to practice in the summer? Do the seniors still get carried up death valley on last day of practice? Do players still wear ties to school on game day and coat and tie to state game? I do not think these traditions are still on going so if the cannon stops, football will still continue with great success at Highlands.

**jgrubby** · 12-14-2008, 12:21 AM

sstack Wrote:30+ years

Should have gotten rid of it after the first one!! That proves negligence knowing it could hurt someone again.

**sstack** · 12-14-2008, 12:36 AM

jgrubby Wrote:Should have gotten rid of it after the first one!! That proves negligence knowing it could hurt someone again.

This is the first time anyone has been hurt with the cannon since it has been used.

Bleacher_Creature_10 · 12-14-2008, 01:25 AM

If its the first incident in 40+ years then keep it an designate a blast area to let fans know not to get with in the area to prevent injury.

~~Mr.Kimball~~ · 12-14-2008, 01:26 AM

tradition Wrote:First and foremost our thoughts should be with the injured parent. What happens with the cannon should be the furthest thing in anyones mind. Who cares about a cannon when you have a family hurting.

Not saying you are not 100% correct. That fact is, that' s just the way things operate in this country now.It's enough to make you sick to your stomach.

Hope I'm wrong , but just wait and see if it dont turn out that way.

Hilbily · 12-14-2008, 02:04 AM

Get well soon!!!!

**Can you dig it?** · 12-14-2008, 02:42 AM

Bleacher_Creature_10 Wrote:If its the first incident in 40+ years then keep it an designate a blast area to let fans know not to get with in the area to prevent injury.

It generally sits atop the school, but I think it was brought down for part of Friday's sendoff.

Bleacher_Creature_10 · 12-14-2008, 02:46 AM

Can you dig it? Wrote:It generally sits atop the school, but I think it was brought down for part of Friday's sendoff.

Oh well if this thing has been fired after every TD for the last 40+ years then the person should have known it was going to be fired.

**sstack** · 12-14-2008, 10:19 AM

Bleacher_Creature_10 Wrote:Oh well if this thing has been fired after every TD for the last 40+ years then the person should have known it was going to be fired.

It was the person firing it off who got hurt. From what I heard, he was trying to clean it or reload it when for some unknown reason it fired off with his hand at the end of the cannon. It had misfired one other time this year during a game, so obviously something is wrong with it or the cannon crew is doing something wrong. Can not use it agian until they find out what is causing this.

**jgrubby** · 12-14-2008, 01:08 PM

sstack Wrote:This is the first time anyone has been hurt with the cannon since it has been used.

They just said two people have gotten hurt. One was an ear drum, then the one with the hand injury. By the way hope the injured person is doing ok.(my mistake, different school)

**Can you dig it?** · 12-15-2008, 01:21 AM

sstack Wrote:It was the person firing it off who got hurt. From what I heard, he was trying to clean it or reload it when for some unknown reason it fired off with his hand at the end of the cannon. It had misfired one other time this year during a game, so obviously something is wrong with it or the cannon crew is doing something wrong. Can not use it agian until they find out what is causing this.

I think we've seen the end of our cannon days. Sad

I've already heard talk of this. (I don't claim to have any inside info or anything. It's one of those "know people who know people" kinda things. Best wishes to the Roller family. It's been a rough playoff season for them.

Bleacher_Creature_10 · 12-15-2008, 01:47 AM

sstack Wrote:It was the person firing it off who got hurt. From what I heard, he was trying to clean it or reload it when for some unknown reason it fired off with his hand at the end of the cannon. It had misfired one other time this year during a game, so obviously something is wrong with it or the cannon crew is doing something wrong. Can not use it agian until they find out what is causing this.

Yeah this sounds like a human error or a malfunction with the cannon maybe after 40+ years they need a new one.

charlie22 · 12-15-2008, 07:52 AM

sstack Wrote:It was the person firing it off who got hurt. From what I heard, he was trying to clean it or reload it when for some unknown reason it fired off with his hand at the end of the cannon. It had misfired one other time this year during a game, so obviously something is wrong with it or the cannon crew is doing something wrong. Can not use it agian until they find out what is causing this.

I really don't want to get into this, but to prevent the spreading of false information that, once out there, takes on a life of its own, people need to know that the cannon did not malfunction and there is nothing wrong with it. I'm not going to say anything more than that out of respect for Steve and his family, which is where our focus should be right now. Whether they bring back the cannon down the road is the least of my concerns right now. Say some prayers for them and forget about the cannon.

Jay#4 · 12-15-2008, 11:24 AM

sstack Wrote:Friday night a parent of a Highlands football player, had a sever hand injury when the cannon used to signal touchdowns missfired. My question is, should Highlands stop the use of the cannon? I am a huge Highlands fan and a fan of the cannon tradition, but I have to question if it should be used agian. If it is, I think an expert on how to operate it needs to be brought in and people trained in the proper use of it. My prayers are out for the man injured, I heard he had between two and four fingers blown off. Hope he has a quick recovery.

Ouch.

Protect_This_House26 · 12-15-2008, 07:59 PM

jgrubby Wrote:Should have gotten rid of it after the first one!! That proves negligence knowing it could hurt someone again.

Gotten rid of it and got a scoreboard that shot flames out when the home team scored a TD!! Lol.