Crowd Watches 'Poon Balloon Burst

A crowd of about 2,000 gathered at 1 p.m. yesterday to watch the Lampoon's attempted balloon ascension to the moon. The time seemed auspicious, the winds and temperature correct; but the attempt came to naught when a hidden marksman blasted the balloon to smithereens just before the take-off.

The ascent, which was described as one to prove that "man can fly," was scheduled to take place at 1:15 p.m., in celebration of the 'Poon's 75th anniversary. At about 1 p.m. Lampoon men, attired in top hats and Chesterfield coast, gathered in front of "that bastard chateau" with a brass band and began the ceremony.

While Douglas C. Bunce '50 President of the Lampoon, read congratulatory telegrams purportedly from Douglas MacArthur, Jules Verne, and others, the balloon was inflated with helium. Meanwhile, the crowd continued to grow at the conjunction of Bow and Mt. Auburn Streets. Bunce announced that Charles C. Osborne '52, well-known swimmer and aeronaut, would arrive with a motorcycle escort to make the free-balloon flight.

Treachery Attempted

Upon hearing this, a group of heavier-than-air die-hards attempted to kidnap Osborne on Upper Plympton Street, near the offices of the CRIMSON. Osborne slipped through their fingers, however, and made his way to the Lampoon building by way of Linden Street.

Just as the balloon was ready to be attached to its basket for the take-off, a person or persons hidden in the dense crowd exploded the balloon. Some observers speculated that the shot intended for the "accidental shooting" of the Nicaraguan ambassador (which did not come off) may have done the defeating. After a brief murmur of disappointment, the crowd dissipated.

Despite the general quiet during the ceremony, several spectators threw bags of water, rotten tomatoes, and skinned haddock. At least one member of the Cambridge press was manhandled by the 'Poon's uniformed guards, who occasionally relaxed their official demeanor to fling a haddock or two back at the crowd.