File this under Totally Unsubstantiated. I could find no support for this via Googling and I tweeted it out and no one has either supported it or debunked it. The story is about Mickey Lolich, who I mentioned in this morning’s recaps. He ended his career in San Diego and commenter gloccamorra posted this about his time at Jack Murphy Stadium:
I’m going to try to get Lolich’s phone number and find out if there’s any truth to this and, for now, I’m going to assume it’s phony. But my God, I’ve never wanted anything to be more true in my life.
Mickey Lolich retired after depriving Chargers fans of the cannon that was fired after Dan Fouts & Co. scored. Mickey was in the Padres bullpen in 1979, and was smoking a cigarette, when he walked by the cannon and flipped the butt into the barrel. He took two steps and *BOOM*.
The City was unaware the Chargers were keeping a loaded (with powder) cannon in the Padres bullpen in the off-season and demanded its removal. That was the end of the cannon.
I’m going to try to get Lolich’s phone number and find out if there’s any truth to this and, for now, I’m going to assume it’s phony. But my God, I’ve never wanted anything to be more true in my life.
The 70s were weird, man.