[NA] Attention Aggie Pilots [NA]

[AggieMike88]

Fellow Aggie Pilots...

I want to call your attention to something that might be happening without you being aware of it.

The school administrators are trying to change a long standing tradition having to do with our beloved cannon, The Spirit of '02. They want to remove it from Kyle Field so it will not be there to fire when the Aggies score.

I spent 3 of my college years with Parson's Mounted Cavalry and thoroughly enjoyed being able to keep alive the traditions associated with both the Cav and the Cannon. Firing a 6-inch long 75mm shell full of black powder was a real thrill, especially at the games, yell practices, and during the road trip parades. And not just to me, but all Aggies who were in attendance.

Please speak up and do not let the current administrators mess with this.

--Mike Farlow
Fighting Texas Aggie Class of '88
Corps of Cadets Squadron 13
Parsons Mounted Cavalry

GIG'EM!!

Ags, it's time to start making a lot of noise about this. It is complete BS that they have gotten rid of the cannon at Kyle Field. We were promised that with the renovation of Kyle Field all our beloved traditions would be preserved and enhanced. Let the A&M administrators know that we will not stand for another tradition being tossed aside for the sake of "progress". #SaveTheCannon

From the Texas Aggie Corps of Cadets Commandant:

I know there are LOTS of rumors flying around about the cannon and what will happen in the future with it, and I have done my best to explain what we're doing in previous posts.

Based on the fact that we had to move the cannon again for this weekend, and we do NOT have time to get a live feed of the cannon to the jumbotron from the new location (the quad), here are the FACTS about what we are going to do for this weekend's game:

1. The new M101A1, 105mm cannon IS going to be placed at the SE corner of the east plaza of Kyle Field. That is where it was ALWAYS planned to go. It will NOT fire there, but will be on display for folks to take pictures if they choose to do so.

2. The Spirit of '02 will fire for Step-off, then will march-in with the PMC, as always (assuming it doesn't rain and the field isn't too soggy). After the march-in, the Spirit of '02 will return to the Fiddlers Green with the remainder of PMC.

3. There WAS discussion about running a videotaped version of the cannon firing for this weekend's game, but we decided that was NOT a good idea. We are NOT going to have a taped version of the cannon firing for this weekends game. Because we cannot get a live feed for this weekend's game, there will be NO cannon for this weekend's game.

4. Between now and the Ol Miss game on 11 Oct, we will get the live feed worked from the Spirit of '02 on the quad to the jumbotron in the stadium so that for all future home games we WILL get a live feed of the Spirit of '02 firing after our team scores. I know there are many who don't like a live feed to the jumbotron, but we feel its the best way possible this season to keep the cannon an active part of the game day activities.

I hope this clears things up for all. I know its not the optimum solution, and is disappointing to many, as I have said before, but its the safest and best solution.

As always, I thank all of you for your support of our Corps. Beat the HELL Outta Rice!​

 

[David7700]

So whats the deal? Do they feel it's dangerous to fire it close to the stadium?

Virginia Tech fires one after each time they score at home games. My father helped raise the money to buy it when he was in the Corps of Cadets including giving his brass buttons to melt down to make it, I think. I love hearing that cannon fire when the Hokies score.

 

[AggieMike88]

So whats the deal? Do they feel it's dangerous to fire it close to the stadium?

When I was there (1984-1989), Kyle Field was open on the South end and the Cannon was placed on the SE corner of the field, muzzle facing the open space toward the parking lots.

And we fired it INSIDE the boundary of Kyle. The crew had a running bet on how many times they could set off the motion sensitive car alarms. ("And the Aggies Score!!!" "Crew! Atten--shun!! Ready! FIRE!" Bweep Bweep Bweep)

Part of the problem was the redesigns of Kyle Field closed off the south end and replaced the area where the shock wave would travel with seating. Now it's gonna be "bowl" shaped and one of the largest college football venues in the US.

The amount of powder used in each shell is now cut back to only 1/3rd full compared to full and 75% full my class did. So it's not as loud or dangerous of a bang. But still fills the job to celebrate the touchdown or field goal.

I still need to get the final word, but I speculate someone is afraid someone will get hurt by the shockwave, noise, or any gunpowder that lands on them.

What's crap is that this has been a tradition for a very long time and they planners and approvers are tossing it away.

And us Aggies are very big about keeping our traditions.

 

[murphey]

Money trumps traditions every time.

 

[Yeti Niner Five]

I'm with you, Mike! I'm Class of '95, E-1. The cannon is iconic. Everyone loves feels the thump on their chest when that thing fires after a touchdown.

 

[Zeldman]

My dad was a professor and research scientist at A&M from 1953 to 1994. I was born in Bryan and raised on campus. My mother worked for A&M from 1973 to 1993. My sister and myself graduated from A&M. You can say I bleed Maroon.

I have seen many traditions get shot down and destroyed. I am tired of A&M losing traditions. I will gladly support keeping the cannon.

gig'em

 

[kyleb]

SWMBO's an Aggie and I'm pretty sure the only reason she married me was my name.

I'll sic her on this. She'll engage her hoard of (pretty big contributor) Aggie friends and whoever suggested this will rue the day...

 

[Archammer]

I attended every Aggie Bonfire from the time I was 2 until they shut it down after the accident (21 years). I felt that was unfair, but understood why. I haven't attended a Unity Project Bonfire yet.

Getting rid of the Spirit '02 Cannon for any reason is pure idiocy. I won't speculate as to why, but I assure you, that 104,000 people enjoy the hell out of that cannon! #SaveTheCannon

And you aren't kidding, the report that cannon provides is substantial and fantastic! Oh and Dat Nguyen rules forever!

Aggie heart, from an Aggie family! Gig em! Beat the hell outta T.U.

 

[JoseCuervo]

Aggy has some funny traditions......

And, the fake army probably tops the list....

 

[murphey]

Aggy has some funny traditions......

And, the fake army probably tops the list....

As a land grant college in Texas, A&M and other land grants all over the country were expected to provide army officers. Go read about the Morrill Act in 1862. It's considered a military college, same as the Citadel, the service academies, etc.

Just because the opening of the fight song segues perfectly into the Mickey Mouse Club theme doesn't mean it's a mickey mouse army.

UT grad, damn proud of it, but we'll always stand with the Aggies when it really counts.

Beat the hell outa UCLA (unlikely, but you never know)

 

[AggieMike88]

Aggy has some funny traditions......

And, the fake army probably tops the list....

Jose, Highway 6 runs both ways, don'tcha know....

 

[SCCutler]

Me, I went to the big college in Austin, but also appreciate the Ags for a lot of things.

I would be interested in hearing just why the cannon is being removed. Hell, even UT has a cannon, which is fired whenever UT score; I fear ol' Smokey will be underused this year!

 

[Mike Smith]

Auburn fan here. We understand traditions being threatened and sympathize. And since you are now in my beloved SEC, I stand with you.

 

[Warlock]

Wish you luck, my niece was president of the senior class last year...Went to the Commencement and Commissioning ceremony last semester and 105 member of the Corps entered as Officers....must be less than 20% join the military...Then again when I was Commissioned I was 33% of the Cadets that year from Rice but 100% all three of us went into the Army....eaTme...

 

[yetti]

Is it possible that there is not an open space to fire it to with the renovations? Have not seen the new arrangement, but it seems that most every place is down range if it were inside the stadium. Possibly maybe have to scale back and get a smaller cannon. I believe my cousin was working in a gun store when they figured out the original charge. I think the big shell has a .38 caliber shell as a primer is what he said. I was on the Pistol Team in 1984 - 1987 at TAMU.

 

[Scott@KTYR]

Mike I feel your pain. Some traditions at A&M are always changing. Some of the ones I had in the 70’s are not around today. My dad played football their in the mid 40’s and he said they had a cannon mounted on the back of a jeep. He told me when it went off you could not hear for several minutes. We had a saying when I was in school their, if you do something twice at A&M it becomes a Tradition. J

 

[AggieMike88]

scale back and get a smaller cannon

Blasphemy! Part of the tradition about the Spirit of '02 is that it was an actual field piece that was used to train Aggie Artillery Officers in the pre-World War One era.

"Replacing it with a new one" or a smaller scale replica isn't desirable.

If a propane powered pop gun was desired, we just go "borrow" Ol' Smokey from the t-sips.

But that's not the point. Part of this is to get the cannon back where it belongs, and the bigger point is to tell the administration to quit effin with the long standing and proud traditions just because it's not convenient.

the big shell has a .38 caliber shell as a primer

I don't know the exact detail, but yes, the shells used were 75MM's donated from Fort Hood, and modified to accept a modern primer. For the metric challenged, this a 3" field piece, first introduced in 1902. Wikipedia article

 

[Ghery]

As a land grant college in Texas, A&M and other land grants all over the country were expected to provide army officers. Go read about the Morrill Act in 1862. It's considered a military college, same as the Citadel, the service academies, etc.

Just because the opening of the fight song segues perfectly into the Mickey Mouse Club theme doesn't mean it's a mickey mouse army.

UT grad, damn proud of it, but we'll always stand with the Aggies when it really counts.

Beat the hell outa UCLA (unlikely, but you never know)

And I'll be that A&M has a Morrill Hall somewhere on campus. Washington State University does.

Back in the 1960s the ROTC cadets had a machine gun they'd blast blanks out of whenever the Cougars scored. I've still got 30.06 handloads using that brass.

Then they shifted to a BIG carbide cannon. That sucker was loud, scared the heck out of our dog a good quarter mile away from the stadium (in all fairness, that dog was totally gun shy and paniced easily. Not good for a golden retriever.). Now the National Guard has a 75 mm field piece on top of a nearby building that they fire when the Cougars score.

Traditions are important. Best of luck to you in keeping yours.

 

[murphey]

Mike

the key is to get the alumni, particularly the wealthy alumni, to raise a stink. Money vs the lawyers worried about liability is always a fascinating contest.

 

[yetti]

Looking at Google Earth. There kind of is no place for it without endangering people downrange. I am sure that it was displacing too many revenue seats. Why not just put in the field where Mt. Aggie used to be. Get the signal corps guys out with their flags and get some semaphore going when they need to fire it off. My Grandfather (37) would have had some pull, but he has been gone for awhile.

 

[BigBadLou]

I am not an Aggie (nor a Longhorn) so I do not have any emotional or other ties to the cannon. But I feel that old traditions should be honored if they bring good spirits.
Fight it, guys, get the Aggie crowd to petition, get a rally going, get the attention of the penny pinchers somehow.
Good luck!

 

[Old97]

BQ '97 here. If they get rid of the cannon at games, it won't be long till they get rid of the band or the yell boys. We have to stand together. Gen. Ramirez is not worried - i wish he was.

I shouldn't say get rid of - more like bastardize into some unrecognizable watered-down form.

 

[Henning]

I think they should use it until it blows up.