Almost 30 years ago, someone impaled a giant pumpkin on the top of a spire at Cornell University over 170 feet off the ground. To this day, no one knows who did it and how they got up there.
Almost 30 years ago, someone impaled a giant pumpkin on the top of a spire at Cornell University over 170 feet off the ground. To this day, no one knows who did it and how they got up there.
You can clearly see it was dropped from that plane
axdsgn on
Ah so that’s where I put it
jcassens on
It was two pumpkin-laden sparrows
Some-Cartographer942 on
Has it now become a Holy Relic of Cornell?
Sirix_8472 on
Reddit used to be able to display the full photo without clicking into it. Those were the days….
RasilBathbone on
Now THAT is how you do a prank. Nobody hurt, nobody humiliated, nothing damaged. Just mysteriously accomplishing something stupid, pointless, and impossible, in a very visible way.
951frisky_dingo on
It was definitely the guys from Springfield University. I mean, they stole Sir Oinks A Lot from Springfield A&M so this is definitely in their wheelhouse
BoltersnRivets on
my money’s on a particularly motivated group of university students. apparently they’ve gotten up to some right shenanigans.
I recall reading years ago on a model railway forum of a railway modeller who stuck in mini cooper in a wagon on one of the trains on their layout because they and a group of fellow students did that to one of the teachers cars whilst at oxford.
though of course the mystery still remains of *how* it got up there, someone’s probably walking around with one hell of a story
If not RC copter – hot air balloon or a bunch of helium balloons on three ropes is also an option. Black 5 meter balloon could lift 20-30kg pumpkin while silent and barely visible at night, position it with three ropes, impale the pumpkin, pull back and retreat!
It’s pronounced Colonel, and it’s the highest rank in the military.
IcePsychological9241 on
damn bro spooky season is definitely here
fourthords on
> In October 1997, a pumpkin was placed on the lightning rod of McGraw Tower at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Due to attempts to identify the pumpkin, speculation on how it was placed, and the unknown identity of the culprit, the pumpkin acquired national news coverage as well as a dedicated website with a webcam. It was nicknamed the **Great Pumpkin Mystery** by some news outlets.
>
> The pumpkin stayed on the top of the tower until March 1998, when it was accidentally knocked down by a crane cage during a rehearsal for its removal. After its recovery by the university’s provost, it was freeze-dried and held in a glass case in various areas of the university until it decayed fully. The pumpkin continued as a part of university legend, with its anniversary marked in 2007 and 2017, as well as another pumpkin being placed on the tower during renovations in 2023.
Someone with rock climbing experience and a death wish got it up there.
carbiethebarbie on
**They do know, one of the roommates of one of the guys who did it (there were 3) [told the Editor in Chief of the Cornell school paper years later.](https://cornelldailysun.github.io/pumpkin-feature/)Anonymously, they still don’t know *who* did it exactly.**
ENygma88 on
It was clearly the Nard dog!
BalkeElvinstien on
Imagine if they fell, and all people found was a dead person holding a pumpkin
L3PALADIN on
I’ve met students before. the answers in order are: climbed, drunk, and… “legend”
Delicious_Rabbit4425 on
It was clearly the physics team.
Skoziss on
Did we need to save the pumpkin? Was the story so incredible we needed more than the photo?
MamaFen on
Walt’s aim is impeccable
ReggaeReggaeBob on
It’s at a university… there was drink involved
Gizmopopapalus on
First James drops a giant peach on the Empire State Building, now some wannabe copycat decides to huck a pumpkin on any old spire. I tell ya, kids have no originality these days…
epperbooty on
Sooo… if they’ve got that impaled pumpkin on display in a case… does that mean they had to extract the crusty old thing the same way it got up there in the first place?!
LittleKidLover14 on
well i mean…*someone* knows who did it and how they got up there
Neylliot on
Let me introduce you to Plymouth State University
This year is the 50th anniversary of the tradition!
ZeeR0_116 on
CaptainZippi on
I’d be asking what the Mountaineering club was up to that night, and whether there was drinking involved…
gamepasscore on
Almost certainly a member of the Assassin Brotherhood…
Jemnaxia on
I worked under a veterinarian that attended Cornell at the time this happened. He had pictures of this pumpkin along with his degree
46 Comments
It was clearly Steph Curry
Cornell Chronicle https://share.google/aPBPC3tadhibE4WCv
You can clearly see it was dropped from that plane
Ah so that’s where I put it
It was two pumpkin-laden sparrows
Has it now become a Holy Relic of Cornell?
Reddit used to be able to display the full photo without clicking into it. Those were the days….
Now THAT is how you do a prank. Nobody hurt, nobody humiliated, nothing damaged. Just mysteriously accomplishing something stupid, pointless, and impossible, in a very visible way.
It was definitely the guys from Springfield University. I mean, they stole Sir Oinks A Lot from Springfield A&M so this is definitely in their wheelhouse
my money’s on a particularly motivated group of university students. apparently they’ve gotten up to some right shenanigans.
I recall reading years ago on a model railway forum of a railway modeller who stuck in mini cooper in a wagon on one of the trains on their layout because they and a group of fellow students did that to one of the teachers cars whilst at oxford.
though of course the mystery still remains of *how* it got up there, someone’s probably walking around with one hell of a story
How did they get it down?
30yrs? Pfft. Been happening at Plymouth State for 50. https://www.wmur.com/article/chronicle-plymouth-state-university-pumpkins/69031054
If not RC copter – hot air balloon or a bunch of helium balloons on three ropes is also an option. Black 5 meter balloon could lift 20-30kg pumpkin while silent and barely visible at night, position it with three ropes, impale the pumpkin, pull back and retreat!
https://preview.redd.it/bs3fwtcb8avf1.png?width=400&format=png&auto=webp&s=bc36249db001bbaad675c24454b8d92813828bd2
It’s pronounced Colonel, and it’s the highest rank in the military.
damn bro spooky season is definitely here
> In October 1997, a pumpkin was placed on the lightning rod of McGraw Tower at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Due to attempts to identify the pumpkin, speculation on how it was placed, and the unknown identity of the culprit, the pumpkin acquired national news coverage as well as a dedicated website with a webcam. It was nicknamed the **Great Pumpkin Mystery** by some news outlets.
>
> The pumpkin stayed on the top of the tower until March 1998, when it was accidentally knocked down by a crane cage during a rehearsal for its removal. After its recovery by the university’s provost, it was freeze-dried and held in a glass case in various areas of the university until it decayed fully. The pumpkin continued as a part of university legend, with its anniversary marked in 2007 and 2017, as well as another pumpkin being placed on the tower during renovations in 2023.
* Lead excerpted from [Cornell University pumpkin prank](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornell_University_pumpkin_prank) at the English Wikipedia
balloon and three long ropes
Level up beer pong
Reset the clock!
Andy Bernard. He was drunk the entire time, they called him Buzz.
Alex honald
University of Montana does it every year
Green Arrow’s Pumpkin-arrow
MIT students say hold my beer……
https://preview.redd.it/u4is97nlbavf1.jpeg?width=1024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3b04dd47fe859b7590702cd46ecfd8e14a5e8329
Someone with rock climbing experience and a death wish got it up there.
**They do know, one of the roommates of one of the guys who did it (there were 3) [told the Editor in Chief of the Cornell school paper years later.](https://cornelldailysun.github.io/pumpkin-feature/)Anonymously, they still don’t know *who* did it exactly.**
It was clearly the Nard dog!
Imagine if they fell, and all people found was a dead person holding a pumpkin
I’ve met students before. the answers in order are: climbed, drunk, and… “legend”
It was clearly the physics team.
Did we need to save the pumpkin? Was the story so incredible we needed more than the photo?
Walt’s aim is impeccable
It’s at a university… there was drink involved
First James drops a giant peach on the Empire State Building, now some wannabe copycat decides to huck a pumpkin on any old spire. I tell ya, kids have no originality these days…
Sooo… if they’ve got that impaled pumpkin on display in a case… does that mean they had to extract the crusty old thing the same way it got up there in the first place?!
well i mean…*someone* knows who did it and how they got up there
Let me introduce you to Plymouth State University
This year is the 50th anniversary of the tradition!
I’d be asking what the Mountaineering club was up to that night, and whether there was drinking involved…
Almost certainly a member of the Assassin Brotherhood…
I worked under a veterinarian that attended Cornell at the time this happened. He had pictures of this pumpkin along with his degree
Somebody knows
How did they get it down?