Skule Cannon: Difference between revisions

The Engineering Society decided to put up the Mark I Cannon as a trophy, to be presented annually to the faculty or college donating the greatest number of pints of blood per capita during the Red Cross Blood Drive. The objective of this measure was to provide an extra incentive for blood donations and increase the total amount donated, which was achieved. The engineers even arranged a mock theft of the Cannon by the Meds, to increase publicity. Unfortunately, Engineering lost to Forestry and the Cannon was mounted on a plaque and handed over.

Medsmen, knowing that the Cannon was usually carried inside the engineering float during the parade, launched a tear gas attack on it. The Meds outnumbered the SkuleTMmen and a fierce fight ensued that lasted for over half an hour. The SkuleTM float was almost completely destroyed, but the Cannon remained safe thanks to the ingenuity of the CA who removed it from the area without anyone noticing.

An Indy attempts to steal the new Cannon. He is unsuccessful, and spends some time in the Toronto General Hospital.

The year 1971 was the year of the first gangbang with the Ryerson Engineers. The purpose of the gangbang was to see who had the better Cannon. Not only did the SkuleTM Cannon win, but the UofT engineers made off with the Ryerson Cannon and the distributor wire to their bus!

The Cannoneer at the time, Robert Gilmour did not want to fire the Cannon at his own Grad Ball, so a former Cannoneer named John Vanneste was called from retirement to fire the Cannon. The Cannon was found to be badly corroded and in need of cleaning. When the barrel was removed from the base, Gilmour's name was found chiseled into the bottom. The Engineering Society executives passed a motion of censure against Gilmour, and the entire deed was exposed in the Toike Oike. At John Vanneste's suggestion, the Cannon Guard wore black hardhats (as opposed to the traditional red) for one year to show the Engineer's displeasure. After the year was up, they decided to keep wearing the black hardhats, and they also decided to wear black t-shirts to create a new image.

In 1978, Ryerson made another weak attempt to outdo the SkuleTM Cannon. On the day of the scheduled gangbang, a message was "supposedly" left at EngSoc informing UofT that Ryerson wasn't coming because of the rain. Due to the no-show, UofT declared themselves the winners and called Ryerson to tell them. It was only after that phone call that Ryerson decided to show up. So on that rainy day, 200 UofT engineers and 5 Politechs witnessed the 2nd ever gangbang. The Ryerson judge declared Ryerson winners, but the UofT judge declared the SkuleTM Cannon superior. Once again, UofT came out on top. No one was interested in stealing Ryerson's feeble cannon, so they were allowed to return home unharmed.

January of 1979 was yet another gangbang versus RyeHigh. The LGMB showed up to play at the event; however due to the extreme cold, the instruments froze up, and nobody could play. The cannons fired anyway, and yet again Ryerson went home with their tails between their legs as UofT was announced the winner.

Godiva Week in 1982 saw another gangbang between our Cannon and Ryerson's, Devonshire House's and a fraternity's on front campus. Decibel meters quickly eliminated Devonshire's and the frat's cannons from the competition. Both SkuleTM's and Ryerson's were off the scale. A second round was held at Ryerson, this time using heavy-duty audio equipment with special shielding. Ye Mighty SkuleTM Cannon triumphs, being measured at 113 decibels from 200 yards away.

For the second year in a row, the SAC president led a conspiracy to steal the Cannon during the homecoming parade. Due to a leak (the president's boasting), the guard learned of the plot. The guard left the uniforms behind and showed up at the parade undercover. The Cannon was fired before the thieving group found out what happened.

In 1991-92 SkuleTM witnessed the birth of a new Cannon tradition - for lack of a better name, the "How many windows can we break this time?" custom. Ironically, on both occasions the shattered panes were a direct result of the interference by the management of the buildings in question. At Hart House, during the Alumni Reunion, the Chief Attiliator prepared to fire the Mighty Cannon down the hallway bordering the Great Hall. As the meticulous preparation was being carried out, an ignorant, stubborn, and quite worried staff insisted that the Cannon must be fired in the main floor hallway. Not being the querulous type (yeah right!) the Chief Attiliator acquiesced to the management's demands. With the customary earth shattering KA-BOOM the Cannon expelled its fiery breath into the quad while, simultaneously, the concussion shattered five windowpanes in the hall. The Hart House staff uttered a collective 'gasp!' as the Alumni expressed an equally unified 'cheer!' Some of these pillars of society, to the dismay of the management, even called for an encore.