There’s nothing more enjoyable on a Saturday night than experiencing the piercing shout of a cannon echoing off the concrete walls of Memorial Stadium at a Bakersfield College football game.
At least to Bakersfield cannon captain John Medvigy, there isn’t.
“Me and the crew are here for every home game with this cannon,” said Medvigy, “and I refuse to be anywhere else.”
Medvigy’s admiration for the steel, gunpowder-belching cannon, reflects his experience with explosives, guns, nd ammunition that he was subjected to when he used to be a member of the Navy.
“Oh, the smells, sound, and the feel are what I’ve always liked,” said Medvigy with dire anticipation as he proceeded forward in alerting pedestrians to steer clear from the hazardous device.
Before graduating from Bakersfield College and being shipped off to the Navy, Medvigy was on the team his freshman year.
Since then returned to his appropriate place behind the cannon and next to the football field, where he can now be seen operating it at every home game along with his volunteers.
“Once you hear, ‘fire in the hole,’ I suggest you be in a spot outside the artillery zone, because after I drop my hammer on this metal piece, it’s about a quarter of a second before disaster could strike,” said Medvigy.
“And I don’t ever like wasting a bullet.”
Medvigy’s first round introduced the home team and each one that followed signified a point made by one of its players.
Gunpowder-filled shotgun shells and WD-40 were the components that demonstrated a successful “blast off.”
“Usually the opposing team seems to take offense to the cannon, since it’s somewhat startling, but the only ones who are probably most affected are the kit foxes burrowed in those holes to the back of us,” said Medvigy.
Never used as a weapon, the BC cannon was made by the late professor Thomas Yale.
He originally created the device for the use of war re-enactment purposes and allowed it to be kept by the Veterans Club.
It was later donated for use at Renegade football games.
“He used to fire beer cans out of it when he was home and away from civilization,” said an amused and reminiscent Medvigy.
Supported by other members of the Cannon Crew, it was apparent that Medvigy’s job was not a one-man show only.
Alongside the captain were the Agriculture Department members Sally Sterns and Lindsey Ono, and also agriculture student Tim Chernabaeff, who stood alongside him with their earplugs and smiles as Medvigy hammered away at the victory cannon.
“When the cannon is not on the field, it’s kept at Three Way Chevrolet in storage,” said Medvigy.
“They kindly donated us the plate that props up the cannon.”
The cannon will continue to take its place alongside the field at home games and will sing its victory tune in a boisterous cloud of acrid smoke, gunpowder and lead.