Is this a civil war cannon ball plug?

[tnt-hunter]

I have found several of these at the site of an old school that was built on a civil war encampment. Is it a plug used in a cannon ball to keep the powder in tact until the fuse was placed in the ball? I know some of them were threaded like the fuse and had to be unscrewed to place the fuse. This one has a domed top and tapered sides with no threads. It could be a plug for something else, but I have no idea what it might be for. Any help would be apprecited.

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Thanks for looking, stay safe and may your coil lead you to good things.

 

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[TheCannonballGuy]

As my posting-name implies, civil war (and earlier) artillery projectiles are my specialty-area of relic study. The only iron object similar to your find that is related to cannonballs is a yankee Bormann fuze's support-plug. But that has large screw-threads on the sides (and a hole through its center). I'm certain your find has no connection to cannonballs.

 

[Indian Steve]

It looks like an old freeze plug from an engine

 

[Kray Gelder]

It looks like an old freeze plug from an engine

That was my first thought, freeze plug.

 

[Anduril]

That seems like a pretty big freeze plug, but my experience rebuilding engines was back in the late 70's.

Every other time I see something like this on TNet, I keep thinking of Ellie May biscuits.
It was apparently a running theme on The Beverly Hillbillies TV show, but I can't recall the episode very well.
Something about throwing one of them at a barn, and the whole barn collapsing.
(I might have my TV shows mixed up.)

But, that's what first popped into my mind.
That, and maybe an industrial-grade plug or stopper (but why would you make one out of iron?)

Also, my other thought when cannon were mentioned - you wouldn't want something that sparks around all that gunpowder.
But it didn't seem cannon-related anyway for other reasons well-articulated by TheCannonballGuy.

 

[tnt-hunter]

As my posting-name implies, civil war (and earlier) artillery projectiles are my specialty-area of relic study. The only iron object similar to your find that is related to cannonballs is a yankee Bormann fuze's support-plug. But that has large screw-threads on the sides (and a hole through its center). I'm certain your find has no connection to cannonballs.

I was hoping you would reply. I am a little disappointed, but not surprised. Wishfull thinking was the problem this time. Thanks for the input, stay safe and keep swingin.

 

[tnt-hunter]

It looks like an old freeze plug from an engine

Thanks for the input. The freeze plugs I am seeing on line are hollow and thin like a small cup, mine is solid. Is it still possible it is a freeze plug? This is only one of about a half dozen I have found at this site and I have found no other auto part on this field. Why would I find a half dozen of them on a high school football field? Thanks again, stay safe and keep swingin.

 

[trdking]

I would say not a freeze plug but a solid round piece of Iron could be most anything

 

[tnt-hunter]

I would say not a freeze plug but a solid round piece of Iron could be most anything

Unfortunately that’s what I was afraid of. Just hoping someone might recognize it. Thanks for the input, stay safe and keep swingin.

 

[Anduril]

It might be helpful to discover what the use of the land was before it was a football field.
Emphasis on the "might" part of that sentence, sorry to say.

I just can't think of anything football field related, so must pre-date it. ??