[charlie22]

Cant say it was intimidating? Name one other high school field display that was more intimidating? an explosion that can be heard for miles? and the thing went off 10 times a game. What do you want someone to get their head sawn off on the 50 yard line?

I think Old Betsy might be common nickname for old cannons. And when I played the entire team and coaches called it old betsy so I don't know what to tell you.

I guess we have different understandings as to the word intimidating. I just never thought it was intimidating to opponents. Hated it? Sure. But adversely impacting their play by getting into their minds (which is what I consider intimidation)? Nah, at least not in my opinion. Heck, if anything it probably motivated more opponents to play harder to silence the dang thing because they hated it so much.

And for the record, I don't think loud music, fireworks, fake smoke, a tunnel, inflatable helmets, etc. is intimidating to players either. At least it wouldn't be intimidating to me. Great show of support of the home team though.

Interesting that the players and coaches when you played called it Ole Betsy and I'm not saying you didn't. It's just that I've been close to the program for a pretty long time and had never heard it called that until John's article. My Dad was on the Cannon Crew back in the 70's and he'd never heard it referred to Ole Betsy. The family that owns the cannon and has been very close to the football program since the 40s (and if you know who I'm talking about, you know how close they have been and are) never heard it called Ole Betsy.

Makes sense that John referred to it as Ole Betsy in his article if you are correct about old cannons being generally referred to as Ole Betsy. John was in the Navy in his younger years.

Funny thing about cannon, when the family drove to Union Springs, Tenn to purchase it in 1968 for the purpose of firing it at the games, they didn't tell the school administration what they were doing or what they had planned, because they knew the administration would say no. The administration was not fond of the cannon at first, but came to really love it until the last couple of years of its use due to some incidents.

But if you and the players and coaches on your team called it Ole Betsy, than obviously others than just John Deering called it that. Can I ask when you played?