Power Outage Delays Bobcats vs. Swashbucklers Showdown
HOBART, OHIO – Friday night’s long-awaited matchup between the Hobart High Bobcats and the Sumpoint Swashbucklers never got past warmups after a sudden power outage plunged Alma Chiggins Memorial Field, and much of Hobart’s east side, into darkness.
The outage was first reported at 6:36 p.m. and stretched from Hocking Street to Canal Street, extending north to the Heights neighborhood on Radar Ridge. That footprint included the stadium lights at Alma Chiggins Field, where kick-off was scheduled for 7:00.
By that time, with hundreds of fans already in the stands and concession workers relying on flashlights, the Proctor County Board of Education officially called the game. It will be replayed next Friday at 7:00 p.m. in Sumpoint.
The announcement touched off a storm of finger-pointing. Boosters blamed Hobart Municipal Utilities (HMUC) for “dropping the ball,” Village officials called it “a matter for the power company,” and the Board of Education accused the Village of poor planning. In the bleachers, tempers flared. One fan was overheard shouting, “If Hobart can score 115 points in the dark, let ’em play!”
By Saturday morning, HMUC reported the cause as a faulty switch combined with “wildlife interference,” specifically, a raccoon.
The fallout, however, didn’t end there. Staff arriving at HMUC’s Gallia St. office Saturday morning discovered that one of the many entrances had been struck with animal waste. “We’re still not sure if it was llama, ostrich, or something else,” said Utilities Executive Director Connie Sprau. “But it was thrown with force.”
Repairs were completed overnight, with full service restored by 7:41 a.m. No residents were injured. The raccoon’s condition was not disclosed.
Don’t let em fool you… Dale Sr told me in 92 that raccoons don’t cause power outages. People do.
pretty sure the poop came from marvin’s cousin’s farm i’ve seen pellets like that before
If llama dung is being hurled at government buildings, i DEMAND protection as a taxpayer. i’ve already been assaulted once in the last couple of weeks, and I will not be again
Lorraine, nobody’s throwing llama poop at your personally.
Give it time.
RACCOON IS A COVER STORY THE HUM AND THE POO ARE CONNECTED THE COUNTDOWN STARTED ON FRIDAY
How do you even connect humming, racoons, and poop, Hollis?
YOU’LL SEE