Evidently a group of friends decided to see what it looks like to hit a flaming melon with a baseball bat. They wanted to remember the experiance so they remembered their video camera and bought a melon. They proceeded to cut the top off, clean out the inside and fill the now hollow melon with a flamable liquid. They even remembered their baseball bat. Unfortunately they didn't remember that if it burns, it has potential to explode if it is in a vaporous or near vaporous form. They lit the melon, got back, and the most intelligent of the group got ready to knock it out of sight. From ten feet away he charged the still burning melon and swung as if it were a golf ball. The melon, of course, burst, spraying the highly flamable liquid into a form similar to gasoline being sprayed into your car's cylinder. The liquid, of course, did as the gasoline in your car does, and combusted extremely rapidly, catching the still living's shoe on fire while his friends looked on. No news on the extent of the swinger's injury, but he probably survived with his redropuctive organs intact, bumping him down to an honorable mention at best.

Submitted on 10/22/2005

Submitted by: Iain Macdonald
Reference:

Copyright © 2005 DarwinAwards.com

James said:
Neutral: Honorable Mention
Thanks for this submission, Iain! I like your write up. As for the video, it doesn't mention the age of the group members (my only concern); otherwise, this MIGHT be a "Jackass" stunt (why else would they videotape it), but at least it isn't that &^%#*( horse story! Inasmuch as we are judging stupidity here and there was certainly enough flammable liquid in that melon to cause grave damage, I'll say he was lucky and vote HM (though neutral, for reasons mentioned above). Overall, I like it!

Greg said:
Maybe Toss: Other
It sounds suspiciously Jackass-y to me ... not sure about this one.

Sheryl said:
Maybe Toss: Not Amusing
Being a New Zealander and not the owner of a television, I'm unsure what Jackass is but ... having watched the video, I considered two things: 1. If these were high school students, surely their studies would have included chemistry, 2. Listening to their voices and laughter on tape, I doubt they're old enough to actually qualify. The write up is brilliant, nicely phrased with touches of humour. Unfortunately, I found the whole thing scary rather than funny.

Jorge said:
Neutral: Honorable Mention
Good write up! Good personal account! Have not seen it in Jackass

Charles said:
Neutral: Honorable Mention
I'll go along with James on this one... with the proviso that it does rather sound like our candidate is close to the maturity guideline.

The Darwin Awards Gift Shop

The Darwin Awards Condom Keep yourself out of the gene pool! A condom in a matchbook, useful for emergency contraception, bachelor parties, frat parties, and important rites of passage. LOADED inside and out with funny quotes and stories. Everyone loves this item! Friends don't let friends reproduce! $13 for Pack of 4