A Waverly man doing some gardening last night found a World War II-era hand grenade in the ground, police said.
Shortly before 7:30 p.m., Hoke Witherspoon, of the 600 block of E. 34th St., struck a metal object and removed it from the ground, police said. The object was a hand grenade known as a "pineapple" because of its similarity to the tropical fruit, police said.
Police said Witherspoon carried the grenade away from his house and asked a neighbor to call authorities.
Responding police sealed off the immediate area of Witherspoon's house and kept curious bystanders at a safe distance. The police department's bomb disposal unit then placed the explosive device in a portable reinforced cannister.
Police said the Army bomb disposal unit at Fort Meade later took possession of the device.
Police said the grenade appeared to have been buried for a long time.
