40 years ago today, a Detroit Lions fan accidentally set himself on fire at the Pontiac Silverdome.
On Sept. 27, 1981, Windell Morris managed to set himself on fire as the Lions hosted the Raiders.
According to the report published in the Detroit Free Press, Morris, who was making his national debut as Detroit's “Renaissance Cat”, accidentally set himself on fire just moments after Lions RB Billy Sims scored a touchdown.
“Morris says his hand-crafted $300 cat costume began to smoke moments after Billy Sims scored a touchdown because ‘somebody threw something into it.' Authorities, however, charge that Morris the Cat caught fire because he was carrying a smoke bomb.”
Only a Lions fan would manage to do this.
Below are the press clippings from the event.
Later in the game, a Lions fan in the stands accidentally set himself on fire. https://t.co/ZZGEJ7sOrm pic.twitter.com/AwzsZEmbEF
— Quirky Research (@QuirkyResearch) September 27, 2021