April 02, 2007

Doug Cannon Returns

It looks like the Douglas Cannon will be returning soon to Wesleyan.

Regular comments section troll TDP might have some inside knowledge about that, as the cannon in its crate served as the coffee table in his grad school apartment for about 2 years.

When it does return, and they remount it, they might think about ways to make it so that you can't steal it with two hydraulic jacks, a bolt cutter and a crow bar.

Posted by Steve-O at April 2, 2007 03:47 PM | TrackBack
Comments

Notre Dame's bust of Rockne in the Rockne Memorial has a similar history, famous for his worldwide perambulations. He is fastened securely to a marble pedestal now. A picture of it is on my site here; the tradition around it now is to rub his nose for good luck.

http://www.colossusblog.com/mt/archives/2006/09/play_like_a_cha.html

In my unpublished coming-of-age novel -- which is so dreadful a thing that it might be opened by an angel at the Apocalypse -- a character of mine manages to steal it.

Posted by: The Colossus at April 2, 2007 06:33 PM

As usual, some guy with tenure has made a complete hash of the facts. To the best of my recollection, I do not recollect those particular particulars.

What I CAN say is that Wesleyan pretty much guaranteed the cannon's immediate liberation back in 1989: the school said that it couldn't be done; that the new construct made theft 'virtually impossible'. Why not just come out and double-dog-dare the student body?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGZQno6p1Bc

Final result: the previous record for shortest time on campus was 30 days. In 1989, it lasted 29 days.

It's most bizarre exploit during its subsequent travels, or so I am told, was when it was confiscated by Venezuelan military authorities after a bird-watching trip. Timely intervention by the Japanese mission to the UN (don't ask) and an inebrietated Venezuelan diplomat led to Doug's repatriation.

Posted by: TDP at April 2, 2007 07:29 PM